Chapter 237: The Chicken That Lays Golden Eggs
Arabella Donovan silently closed her gaping jaw. ’Well, I guess I really haven’t seen the world,’ she thought.
This was an amount of money she honestly thought she’d never earn in a lifetime.
And most importantly, these were just the current assets. They would only grow in the future.
’My master really did raise a golden goose for me! A solid gold one that lays solid gold eggs!’
Caspian Rhodes, who was sitting opposite her, almost choked when he heard this. He had to admit that her description was, as always... quite apt.
"We’ve confirmed there are no issues with the revenue. The same goes for taxes and expenditures. Everything is perfect, with no hidden liabilities."
Once Mr. Goodman had finished, the lead lawyer on the other side of the table immediately followed up, "Since its founding, the auction house has held a total of two hundred seventy-three auctions, selling five thousand four hundred seventy-eight items. We have reviewed all the transaction contracts and found no problems."
Arabella had long suspected that reviewing the contracts would be a massive undertaking, but she was still stunned by the numbers. Looking at the two rows of people in the room, whose faces were visibly more haggard than before, her newly-minted capitalist conscience twinged a little.
"Thank you for your hard work. Everyone has worked so hard these past few days. How about this? I’ll cover your wages for this period, plus a bonus... a bonus of five times your pay." Arabella Donovan looked to Caspian Rhodes for approval. "What do you think?"
Caspian Rhodes merely smiled without a word, but the two team leads couldn’t help but chuckle. "Miss Donovan, there’s no need to be so generous. We’re on an annual salary contract with our firm, which already covers these services. For off-site assignments, we receive an additional fieldwork bonus. If we were to accept payment from you on top of that, we’d feel guilty even if you offered it willingly."
Arabella Donovan’s face showed her surprise. She stared at Caspian Rhodes for a long moment, but ultimately lacked the courage to ask what these people’s annual salaries were. It was definitely more than a nouveau riche like her, with assets of a mere few billion, could afford. ’Is this the kind of confidence that only comes from an old-money family?’
Caspian Rhodes was speechless. ’Don’t be ridiculous. It’s not as exaggerated as you’re imagining.’
With that, all the necessary documents had been reviewed. All that remained was to finalize the asset transfer with Vance, and the matter would be settled.
However, just as Arabella was about to go find him, a rather disharmonious argument sounded from outside the door.
"Why are you here? Didn’t I tell you not to come here anymore?"
"Why can’t I come? Even if my husband doesn’t work here anymore, I’m still your cousin’s wife and a part of the Vance Family."
"My father and I never intended to cast you and my cousin out of the Vance Family. But this auction house is not the family’s personal domain, and it certainly won’t become our private property in the future. You should have given up that notion long ago, learned your place, and stopped coming here."
"What do you mean by that? So, the rumors are true? This auction house has a new owner? Who? Who is it?"
Vance’s expression changed slightly, and he instantly became wary. "What rumors? Where did you hear these rumors?"
"Never you mind that. Just tell me, are you or are you not transferring this auction house to someone else?"
"This is none of your business."
"Then whose business is it? My husband is a veteran of this auction house, one of its shareholders! Without his permission, no one can transfer the auction house to someone else behind our family’s back!"
"When my cousin was caught three years ago for cooking the books and embezzling funds, his dividends were revoked to cover the financial hole he’d created. For the past three years, my father and I have given you extra money out of pity for you—a widow with an orphan. If you don’t want it anymore, just say so. Since it’s the end of the year, we can stop the payments starting next year. We won’t give you another cent."
"Why should you get to decide when to stop paying? That money was ours to begin with! You have no right to pocket it! And what’s this ’widow and orphan’ nonsense? My husband is in prison, not dead! I see, so your true feelings are finally out. You just can’t stand to see our family prosper, can’t stand to see your cousin succeed. You probably wish he’d just rot in there!"
Hiding behind the conference room door and peeking through the crack, Arabella Donovan, who was happily watching the drama unfold, wore the exact same expression as Vance.
’How can such a shameless, persistent weirdo exist? She just won’t listen to reason. Vance explaining all this to her is like talking to a brick wall.’
"It’s not that she can’t understand reason. She’s just pretending she can’t."
Caspian Rhodes’s sudden voice startled Arabella. "Mr. Rhodes..."
’How does Mr. Rhodes know what I’m thinking?’
"Because you’re an open book. It’s all written right on your face."
"Is... is that so?" Arabella subconsciously touched her face. "Okay, so you were saying she’s pretending not to understand?"
"If she admitted to understanding, how else could she take the moral high ground to cause a scene and demand money? Simply put, she’s here for money. She’s afraid that once you take over the auction house, she won’t be able to get another dime."
"I see. Based on what she just said, her husband must be Vance’s cousin, and he used to work at this auction house."
"Her husband was probably the company accountant," Mr. Goodman added, joining in on watching the drama. "Vance mentioned cooking the books. Only an accountant can pull something like that off."
In the time it took them to have this short discussion, the woman’s accusations had shifted from blaming Vance for ignoring family ties to demanding that the new owner of the auction house come out and answer to her.
Vance’s face turned livid, and he was on the verge of calling security to throw the woman out.
Unfortunately, before he could act, the very person she was calling for appeared in front of them.
"And how exactly would you like me to ’answer to you’? By just handing you money? Or would you prefer I just give you the entire auction house?"
"Miss... Miss Donovan." Vance’s eyes widened. Neither he nor Caspian Rhodes and the others had expected her to suddenly rush out, and they hadn’t had a chance to stop her.
The cousin’s wife was taken aback for a moment before her face darkened. She said haughtily, "And who are you? I’m speaking with Mr. Vance. It’s not your place to interrupt."
Arabella smiled. "You’ve been shouting for me to come out and answer to you this whole time. Now that I’m here, you’re calling me meddlesome?"
"When was I shouting to see you? The person I wanted to see was clearly..." The woman’s words cut off abruptly, and she froze like a chicken whose neck had just been stepped on. "You... you’re the new owner of the auction house?"
Arabella stroked her chin and mused, "If this auction house doesn’t have a second owner, then I suppose that would be me."
"How is that possible? You... how old are you?"
"Well, I just had my eighteenth birthday a little while ago."
"Just eighteen? That’s impossible!!!"