Chapter 433 - 429: Making a Move

"This isn’t a charity shelter!"

Mrs. Sullivan’s face darkened with displeasure, but despite her words, she wouldn’t actually interfere too much with her son’s decisions.

She was a woman who didn’t have strong opinions of her own. She had relied on her husband for years, and after he passed away, she was forced to take over the company. She only managed to avoid any major blunders for those few years because of the goodwill and connections her husband had left behind.

The moment her son graduated, she immediately handed the reins of the company over to him.

So while she had the airs of a wealthy socialite, she couldn’t actually make decisions for anyone. More importantly, she knew to let her son save face in front of others and not interfere with his choices.

"That’s a bit harsh. Grant isn’t some stray cat or dog," Julian Summers said, unwilling to argue with his mother any further. He casually changed the subject. "Get me a piece of fruit."

At his words, Mrs. Sullivan casually grabbed a banana from a nearby fruit basket.

Julian Summers frowned. "Didn’t I tell you I’ve been bloated and having digestive issues? I can’t eat bananas. Grant is always very clear on these things."

"That’s only because you’ve been upsetting me!" Mrs. Sullivan shot her son a glare and switched the banana for a pomelo. "If he remembers so clearly, then let him take care of you here in the hospital. I’m going to play mahjong in a little while!"

"Don’t wait. Just go now," Julian Summers said, waving his hand dismissively.

Mrs. Sullivan’s eyes widened. "Tsk!"

Just then, a knock came from the hospital room door. It was ajar, and Cecilia Sterling poked her head in, a fruit basket in her hand.

"Mr. Sullivan!"

"Miss Sterling, please, come in!"

When Julian Summers saw Cecilia Sterling, he quickly welcomed her. He tried to sit up but winced as the movement pulled at his back injury.

"Please, stay lying down. You need to rest when you’re injured," Cecilia Sterling said quickly, placing the fruit basket on a table.

When Mrs. Sullivan saw Cecilia Sterling, her eyes lit up as she stared at her.

’Oh my, what a beautiful girl! So tall and fair, with such a great air about her.’

"Hello, Ma’am," Cecilia Sterling said politely to Mrs. Sullivan.

A genuine smile spread across Mrs. Sullivan’s face, and she nodded in response. "Hello, hello. Are you Julian’s friend?"

"Er, to be precise, I’m here to discuss business with Mr. Sullivan," Cecilia explained.

Julian Summers saw the look on his mother’s face and knew exactly what she was thinking. He couldn’t help but say with a sigh, "Weren’t you right here when I was on the phone earlier?"

"Huh?" Mrs. Sullivan was taken aback. Her expression changed completely as she looked at Cecilia Sterling. "So you’re the one who wants to acquire The Crimson?"

Cecilia Sterling smiled and nodded. "That’s me, Ma’am."

"But you’re so young!"

’Do young people have this kind of money nowadays? This girl looks like she’s several years younger than Julian!’

Cecilia Sterling simply smiled without answering. Julian Summers cut in, "Alright, Mom. Miss Sterling and I have business to discuss. Weren’t you going to play mahjong? You should get going."

Mrs. Sullivan nodded. She was always cooperative at times like these. After all, her son was the head of the company now; she couldn’t let him lose face in front of an outsider.

"I’ll let you two talk, then."

"Goodbye, Ma’am."

Once Mrs. Sullivan had left, Cecilia Sterling turned to Julian Summers with a look of concern. "Mr. Sullivan, are you alright? Is your injury serious?"

"I’m fine, just a minor fracture." Julian Summers gave a self-deprecating smile. "Guess I can’t be twisting around in the shower anymore."

Seeing that he was in good spirits, Cecilia Sterling didn’t press the issue.

Then Julian Summers began to explain. "Today was a complete misunderstanding. Grant must have spaced out again. I specifically told him to notify you that we were changing the meeting location to the hospital, but he got busy and forgot. I’m so sorry about that."

Cecilia Sterling shook her head, indicating it was no problem, and got right to the point. "So, Mr. Sullivan, have you decided on your asking price?"

A smile played on Julian Summers’s lips. "Of course. I gave Miss Sterling my word, and I don’t intend to break it."

At his words, Cecilia Sterling sat up a little straighter, her expression showing she was ready to listen.

Julian Summers was just as direct. "Thirty-two thousand."

As he stated the figure, Julian Summers kept his eyes fixed on Cecilia Sterling, trying to gauge her reaction to his offer.

Frankly, this price was definitely profitable for him. The Crimson’s current market value wasn’t even close to thirty thousand.

But The Crimson was massive. The hotel had twenty-seven floors, and the value of the building alone was over twenty thousand dollars.

However, besides the value of the building, the sum of its remaining assets clearly didn’t add up to the other twelve thousand.

Cecilia Sterling’s expression remained impassive. After a brief pause, she nodded. "Alright. No problem."

Business was business; making a profit was the whole point. While The Crimson Hotel was considered a burden in the hands of the Sullivan Family, it wasn’t at the point where they needed to sell it off at a loss.

It was perfectly understandable that Julian Summers wanted to make a profit.

And the offer was well within Cecilia’s acceptable range.

Seeing Cecilia agree so readily, Julian Summers couldn’t help but smile. "Miss Sterling, you’re really not going to haggle?"

"Didn’t Mr. Sullivan say I had to accept your price? That any haggling was off the table?"

Julian Summers nodded. "I did say that, but I didn’t expect you to take me so literally, Miss Sterling."

Cecilia smiled. "It’s less about taking you literally and more about my fear of the deal falling through. Mr. Sullivan’s price isn’t outrageous. I can accept it."

Cecilia Sterling’s direct and decisive manner made Julian Summers see the young woman before him in a new light.

"Can we sign the acquisition contract as soon as possible?"

Cecilia was eager to move forward, as she had other deals to attend to.

"Since you’ve been so direct, Miss Sterling, I certainly won’t drag my feet. Rest assured, I’ll have the contract drafted as soon as possible."

And just like that, the acquisition of The Crimson Hotel was settled. Cecilia Sterling had encountered almost no obstacles and had even picked up go-karting as a new hobby.

After that, using information compiled by Fabian Griffin, Cecilia Sterling began a sweeping acquisition of land and major physical assets throughout the Sunstone District.

This time, Cecilia’s objective was crystal clear, and she operated with extreme efficiency.

She immediately abandoned any stubborn or difficult targets, refusing to waste unnecessary time and energy on them.

For those eager to sell, Cecilia never haggled over the price. As long as it was within a reasonable range, she accepted without hesitation.

Cecilia’s intuition was growing stronger; the official approval from the higher-ups designating the Sunstone District as Lorcain’s new key development zone was coming soon.

In less than two months, including the industrial park and The Crimson Hotel, Cecilia had amassed over fifteen plots of land and physical assets.

They were scattered across various parts of the Sunstone District. Once the approval was announced, the government would need to acquire her plots for the new development, and the returns she would gain would multiply several times over.