SWNOVELS Chapter 23
Linda could not bear to watch Karine pick on Cordelia in the office, so she took
her out for some sales, introducing all her clients to her. She also taught her a lot
of negotiation techniques.
“You've got to remember. Business isn't a one-time deal. You might have to meet
and negotiate a deal eight or ten times. It’s all normal.”
Cordelia nodded.
“You have to keep your engagement with the clients going all the time. They'll
only close the deal once they're familiar with you!”
“Mm, I understand.”
“Most importantly...” Linda said with a smile. “You've got to be shameless when it
comes to sales! Set your pride aside. Then, you'll be able to feed yourself. Got
it?”
Cordelia’s pretty eyes crinkled up like crescent moons. The monitor in front of
them displayed their order number, so she hurried over to collect their meal from
the counter.
Lunch was simple fast food. Linda realized that Cordelia’s order was the
cheapest option, which only included one entree, and could not help asking, “Will
you be full just by eating this?”
“No worries.” Cordelia chuckled. “I don’t eat much anyway. This is enough.”
“No way! Going out for sales is a physical chore. Check your size. This is...”
Linda's thoughts caught up with her halfway through her sentence, and she
asked, “Did your husband use up all your money?”
Cordelia was about to explain when Marcus texted her. She went silent after
reading the text.
When Linda saw her face fall, she took the phone from her and nearly jumped in
rage.
“What kind of person is he?!” Linda fumed. “He—He’s actually out shopping? He
saw a belt he likes? And it costs $400?”
“Linda! Shush!” Cordelia quickly gave her a tug.
Speaking of Marcus, he had started being kind of odd recently. He was enjoying
life in different ways every day. Once, while working, Cordelia had called him on
a whim to ask what he was up to, only for the man to answer that he was out
having afternoon tea.
She had asked where and he had sent her a photo—he had been at the Regalia
Hotel again! She had nearly fainted upon receiving the expenditure notification
from the bank a while later. The balance of her account pained her, but in order
to keep playing this “heiress” character, she could only force a smile and
“generously” allow him to enjoy his tea...
There had been many similar instances, so her account balance had diminished.
Each time she asked Marcus, he would smirk at her. “Yelena, aren't you the
Jenners’ daughter? Why are you upset over this petty money?”
Cordelia bit her lip and glared. In the end, she could only go back to her room
and continue writing her sales proposal like a deflated balloon, not seeing how
happily the man behind her was smiling.
He was like a boy whose mischievous plan was working. The game was missing
just one last step.
Cordelia scrolled through her phone. Her account balance was exactly $400. If
Marcus had been in front of her right now, she would have really choked him to
death. This man not only had a sixth sense, but he must also have a calculator in
his head given how precise he was!
“Hey!” Linda quickly grabbed Cordelia’s hand. “You... You're really transferring
the money to him?”
Cordelia put on an innocent grin. “He rarely takes a liking to something. Let him
have it. I still have some cash. I'll be thrifty. I should have no problem holding out
until my next salary.”
“Have you lost your mind?” Linda cried. “What's so good about him that you're
spoiling him so much?!”
“I'm not spoiling him. It's...” Cordelia fell silent and ducked her head.
She was not spoiling him. She felt bad for him for some reason. Each time she
thought of the fact that Marcus used to be alone, without anyone to depend on,
and remembered how poor he had been, or that he had been in and out of jail, or
that those thugs had mocked him back in the village... she relented.
She did not know how this feeling came about. Could she... actually like this
man?