Someone in the crowd quickly changed his tune. "Yeah, you're right. The next step is more important. Go ahead, Young Master!"
"True. I think we need to get the big picture! It's just a file. Why can't Mr. Huo's son tell us what's in it?"
Everyone shut up, even the haters. They'd given him a task, so they decided to listen.
Boswell opened the sealed document, skimmed the contents, and then read it out loud. "Senior executives and shareholders, to ensure cooperation with Strange Island Company, the next phase is to purchase its strongest competitor, Forever Poet Co., Ltd."
That part of the meeting only took five minutes. Everyone held their tongues during that time. Only the child-like voice of Boswell could be heard, announcing major decisions that affected more than a dozen companies.
After the announcements, the once quiet meeting room was in an uproar. "Mr. Huo, that can't be right. Forever Poet Co., Ltd is a well-known company with a long history..."
"Yeah. Traffic on the Sail site is at an all-time low. Why did Mr. Matthew Huo decide on that course of action?"
Paige stood beside Boswell, motioning for everyone to be quiet. "I don't think we need to question how and why he does things, do you? Really, has he ever let you down? Now we have to carry out the contract with Innocence."
Based on what Matthew said, this was a done deal. Once the cooperation was declared, dozens of factories would be all over it.
While the meeting was in full swing, Matthew drove the car and told Erica, "My phone's dead. Call Paige and ask her to go to conference room 3. She can stall them till I get there."
"Oh! Okay!" She did as he asked. It didn't take Paige long to pick up, and Erica relayed Matthew's message.
Hearing that, Paige smiled. "Mrs. Huo, please tell Mr. Huo that Young Master has already announced our contract with Innocence."
"What? I must be hearing things!" Erica exclaimed in surprise.
"I wish you were. They were too anxious waiting for Mr. Huo, so Boswell took control of the meeting and made the announcement himself. Now the factories have started their production cycles."
After hanging up the phone, Erica was still in shock.
Matthew maneuvered around another car and tried to find an open stretch of road. After he did that, he glanced at her and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Matthew... I think Boswell screwed things up..."
"What?" Matthew was confused.
Then Erica told him what Paige had said. Then she made a decision. "Get to the office, and step on it. I think we can fix this. Boswell needs to know he can't do things like that!"
Hearing that, Matthew smiled. "Even if we flew there, it would be too late."
"What? Then what do we do?" Erica was in a complete panic.
"Don't worry." Matthew took her hand to comfort her. "Actually, I don't think there's anything to fix. Boswell set the factories in motion, but that's it. So they start early. No big deal. He may have just done us a favor."
Time was money. If he started a project early, it could net him hundreds of thousands more.
If things went as planned, the next round of decisions would be his to make. As long as Erica brought the files to Matthew, seven or eight business deals could be made all at once.
But unexpectedly, Erica was attacked by thugs. Of course, Matthew would choose his wife over his business dealings. And he would do it without hesitation!
When Matthew arrived at the company, Boswell sat in the conference room and listened to what the attendees were saying. Seeing the man stride in, everyone visibly relaxed.
Matthew picked up his son from the chair, put him on his lap, and pinched the little guy's cheek. He was in a good mood.
And he wanted everyone to know it. With that silent gesture, Matthew had signaled to all present that he was proud of his son.
Which also shut down several of them. They didn't like the idea of Boswell having any decision-making power whatsoever. But now they had no choice but to be quiet.
The meeting returned to normal after Matthew arrived.
Sitting in Matthew's office, Erica remembered what she saw in the safe.
She really didn't expect to find the photo of her as a teenager in there. What was he doing with it? When did he take it?
And the stars in the glass bottle. She'd made those a few years ago. What were they doing in there?
Didn't he say that the stars were for Phoebe? Why didn't he give them to her? If they weren't for Phoebe, then why did he tell her they were? Erica had so many questions it almost made her dizzy.
After thinking about it for a few minutes, Erica couldn't sit still any longer. She decided to head home. She told Paige to let Matthew know, and left.
Paige arranged for a driver to take her back.
When Erica got there, the kids were still playing in the eldest child's room.
After greeting the little ones, Erica went straight to Matthew's study.
She opened the safe again, using the combination that Matthew had told her.
She rummaged through it again. One shelf had documents from work. The second shelf held a ton of boxes, as well as different keys. There were only four things at the bottom portion of the safe: the locks of hair she left him, the letter she wrote, the glass bottle full of stars, and her photo.
It was all about her.
Thinking why this might be, she felt hot tears forming in her eyes.
Did he plan all this from the start? Was the discussion about their marriage just a sham? Was it her in his heart all along?
And if so, why did he hide it from her?
Did he ever really love Phoebe?
The ringtone shattered the still and brought her back to reality. She took the phone from her pocket. "Hello?" she said.
"I've done some poking around, Miss Erma. The mastermind is in Y City, but that's all we know. We don't know his name or what he looks like yet."
'In Y City? That's great.' She didn't have to run all over the place looking for him. "I see. See what else you can dig up. Keep me posted."
"Yes, Miss Erma."
In the evening, when Matthew came back with Boswell, Erica was bathing Damian and Colman. The two boys splashed enough to leave great puddles on the floor, like they'd had a water war.
Erica was a mess, her pajamas soaked through.
On the other hand, Adkins sat on a chair next to them, holding a water gun and pointing it at his two brothers from time to time. Colman kept screaming. The noise was so loud everyone on the third floor could hear it.
Boswell ran into the bathroom and wrapped his arms around Erica. "Mom!"
Erica smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "You're back. Where's your dad?"
"Downstairs. He's on the phone. He said he'd be up here soon."