Chapter 192: The Power of Persuasion Seraphina parked the car in front of the house and turned to Xin. "Stay here. Let me talk to him alone first. If he sees you with me, he might think that I’m trolling him too."
"Are you sure? If it’s too much trouble . . ." Xin began, concerned for Seraphina’s wellbeing.
"It’s no trouble at all," Seraphina cut him off, her voice firm. She stepped out of the car and made her way to the front gate.
Xin watched as she rang the doorbell, worry clouding his thoughts, not for Seraphina, but for the man inside the house, who was about to face her.
The man hurriedly emerged from his home, his eyes widening in sheer disbelief and admiration when he spotted Seraphina standing outside his gate.
His heart skipped a beat, and his eyes turned into hearts at the sight of the gorgeous woman before him.
In all his life, he had never encountered someone who resembled a goddess so closely.
Inside the house, a woman’s voice inquired, "Who’s ringing the doorbell?"
The man quickly hollered back, "Nothing. I’ll get it," his attention entirely captivated by the radiant presence of Seraphina.
He rushed toward the gate, a stark contrast to his previous indifference when Xin had approached.
With a creepy smile plastered on his face and lascivious eyes, he shamelessly scanned Seraphina from head to toe.
Meanwhile, Xin was on high alert, ready to intervene if the man dared to make any inappropriate moves toward Seraphina.
"What can I do for you, Miss?" the man asked, his voice almost drowned in his own saliva as his creepy smile widened, his eyes squinting in a disturbing manner.
Seraphina crossed her arms, maintaining a composed demeanor as she returned the man’s smile. "I’m here to give you two choices. Listen carefully because I don’t like to repeat myself.
"One, you either sell this property to the man you spoke to before at the current market price. Or two . . ."
Seraphina’s eyes narrowed into menacing slits, her gaze sharpening like a predator sizing up its prey.
The man’s once-confident smile faltered, replaced by a deep sense of dread that sent shivers down his spine.
The woman’s aura shifted drastically, and he could almost feel the icy chill in her stare as if she possessed the power to snuff out his existence with just a glance.
"Two," Seraphina continued, her voice cutting through the air like a dagger. "I will make your life an unending nightmare, a living hell. You will lose your job. Your wife will leave you, taking your kids with her. Your friends will desert you, and you will find yourself utterly alone, abandoned, and broken, wandering the streets like a beggar, surviving on scraps, all while the world ignores your pleas for help. Unless . . . you do choice number one."
The man’s face turned pale. "W-wha . . . what are you–"
Seraphina’s tone cut through the air like a blade as she handed her business card to the man. "Here’s my card," she said, her words laced with authority, the card flicking towards the man’s bewildered face. "I’ll give you twenty-four hours to decide."
With that, she turned on her heel and strode back to her car, leaving the man standing there, utterly flabbergasted.
As the man picked up the card from the ground, his face turned ashen. The name printed on the card struck him like a lightning bolt: Seraphina Fey, Vice President of Fey Corporation.
The shock of the encounter left the man gasping for air, his hand clutching his chest as if he might suffer a heart attack at any moment.
Meanwhile, inside the car, Seraphina beamed at Xin. "I’ve handled it. He’ll surely call me later so you can discuss the terms of your deal with him."
". . ." Xin couldn’t shake off the feeling that something significant had occurred, judging by the man’s utterly constipated expression.
However, before he could probe what happened, Seraphina started the car’s engine.
"Let’s go and have lunch. I’m starving," she said cheerfully, taking off down the road.
Despite the lingering curiosity in Xin’s mind, he found himself nodding, being led by her without him even knowing it.
. "Wait . . . we’re not going home?" Xin questioned her. His confusion was evident as the car made a sharp turn, steering away from their original route and into the bustling city of Area 0.
A mischievous glint sparkled in Seraphina’s eyes. "I suddenly have a craving for sushi. And not just any sushi, mind you. I know of a place that serves the absolute best sushi in town."
While Xin was more than willing to accompany her, he couldn’t shake off a lingering sense of hesitation. "But what if someone sees us together? Won’t it cause you trouble?" he inquired, his concern reflecting in his eyes though his face remained stoic.
A reassuring smile curled on Seraphina’s lips as she understood his unspoken worry. "If you’re worried about that, rest assured, we’re headed to a private restaurant," she said, her voice calm and collected as if she could read Xin’s thoughts.
Xin didn’t comment anymore. Rejecting her offer would be rude after all that she had done to him.
In the next thirty minutes, Seraphina skillfully navigated the bustling streets of Area 0 until the vibrant cityscape gradually gave way to a quieter, more refined atmosphere.
As the car came to a halt, Xin stepped out, taking in his surroundings. He found himself standing in front of a seemingly ordinary traditional sushi house, its wooden exterior adorned with delicate paper lanterns swaying gently in the breeze.
But even before he entered, Xin sensed there was something exceptional about this place.
Upon crossing the threshold, Xin’s suspicions were confirmed. This was no ordinary sushi establishment. The air hummed with an air of exclusivity and importance.
Guards, dressed in sleek black suits, stood at attention near the entrance, their watchful eyes scanning the surroundings for any potential threats.
"Welcome, Lady Seraphina." everyone greeted with a bow.
Seraphina only uttered two words, "The usual."
And they were guided inside the building.