Chapter 32: Target Trust: 90%
Seeing her squeeze her eyes in pain, Leo led her out of the hall hesitantly. He came here to mingle and meet other investors, but he was not heartless enough to watch a helpless girl struggling with pain and do nothing about it.
Violet kept one hand pressed to her head as she walked. They stopped at the entrance briefly, and Leo gave her a handkerchief. She thanked him, her eyes almost watery as she wiped the blood off her nose.
"Wait here. I’ll get my car and take you to the hospital." He said and made to leave, but Violet quickly grabbed one of his hands and stopped him. She couldn’t go to the hospital since nothing was actually wrong with her. She had disobeyed the system’s warning, and this was the price. No amount of tests at the hospital would find anything wrong with her.
Besides, the headache and nosebleed had been calculated. If she could make him believe she was unwell, they wouldn’t have to stay at the event.
"You don’t have to worry about me, Mr. Kings. I can take care of myself." She said, still pretending to be in terrible pain. "You should go back and enjoy the event."
"Nonsense." Leo dismissed her words immediately. "I came with you. How can I stay there alone?" She was his ticket in; if she left, he was bound to do the same.
"Then please help me call my assistant over. She can take me to the hospital."
Just then, Vincent, Leo’s assistant, walked over. He quickly assessed the scene in front of him, his analytical eyes lingering longer on Violet.
Leo instructed him to get Violet’s car, and he did just that.
Violet kept her head lowered, staring at her heels. She could feel Leo’s eyes on her, and she could only wonder if her act was having the desired effect.
After a few minutes, Jen drove the car to the entrance. On the short drive over, she had been briefed by Vincent. So when she stepped down, she rushed over to Violet.
Without thinking, she placed her hand on the small of Violet’s back. "Let’s get you to the hospital." She bowed to Leo as she helped Violet towards the car. Vincent had opened the door.
Violet leaned into Jen dramatically, holding her head. Her steps were slow, and she walked carefully as if she were going to rattle and break at any moment.
As the car drove away, Violet dropped the act. She removed the handkerchief from her nose and stared at the red stain before folding it into quarters.
When Jen drove onto the highway, Violet let out a breath and finally relaxed. The tension in her shoulders rolled off. Her plan had worked.
Jen threw glances at her through the rearview mirror. Her boss was back to being normal; gone was the look of pain in those eyes. Her indifference and calculated look had returned.
Violet still felt the faint pain in her head, but it was worth it. Just then, her phone pinged, and she wiped it out and stared at the screen. A message from Leo displayed on it.
She read the content of the message.
Leo: I hope your health gets better. Let’s meet when you are fine and get the paperwork done. I’ll invest.
Violet read the message twice to be sure she hadn’t misread it the first time.
Warmth spread all over her, and her stomach lurched. He agreed. He would sign the contract. She screamed in her mind. She wanted to jump around while shouting, but she knew she couldn’t, not here.
As if to solidify the message, her system chimed, and a notice appeared.
System Notice.
Con Playbook Updated.
Target Trust: 90%.
Probability of Scam Success: 70%.
This increase pleased her greatly. She closed the system and thought about the things she could get with 2 billion. She would fill her entire 30,000 cubic meter space with supplies. But even that amount would not be enough to get everything she’d need to survive for decades.
She turned to the side and watched the city through the tinted glass. That was when she realized that Jen was actually heading towards a hospital.
"Let’s go back to the hotel. I feel better now." She told Jen.
"Are you sure? I think we should be on the safe side. You should run a few tests."
Violet knew that Jen said this because she cared for her. So she said calmly, "No need. It’s just a headache. I know myself. I just need enough rest."
After they got to the suite, Violet went to her room. Since Leo had agreed to sign the contract, she needed to ensure the paperwork was ready before tomorrow.
She removed her wig and cleaned off her makeup. After which, she peeled her dress off and wore something comfortable.
She settled in front of her desk and opened her laptop.
There was a knock on the door. "Come in." Violet said, and Jen walked in holding a tray. On the tray was a plate of pasta with tomato sauce, grilled chicken and a glass of water.
She settled the tray on the table in front of Violet. "You should eat something." She eyed the laptop, wondering why Violet, who was unwell, was working. "I got you some tablets. They’re good for headaches. You should take them and rest." Her voice sounded soft, like that of a mother speaking to her child.
"Thank you." Violet said. Jen smiled and nodded before stepping out of the room.
After she left, Violet ate and took the tablets. When she was done, she sent a message to Leo informing him that she was better and there was nothing significantly wrong with her, so they could meet the next day in the afternoon.
Violet spent the rest of the night working on the paperwork. She got some assistance from her Con Playbook, and by the time she was done, the documents could easily pass as ones made by the legal department in Jill and Jones.
As she went to sleep, she hoped nothing would go wrong. Signing was the final step, and then she was done with Leo and Kierra Adams.
But most times, things don’t go as planned.