Homecoming of the Guardian Father

Chapter six:- GAMBLE THE CLAYTONS WITH THE ASHCROFT TRUMP-CARD (2)

It was almost mid morning. Right in the entrance of Ashcroft Invests Company, Howard Clayton with a file in his hand could be seen laughing so hard, holding his stomach.

Behind him were his sister, Sophia the intelligent but unmarried one and their assistants, staring at him like he had lost his mind.

“Brother Howard, are you laughing at our predicament? Because she failed to get selected for the 23rd time?” Sophia asked. “You must have forgotten how important this selection is to grandfather!”

They were leaving the company when Howard suddenly stopped to laugh. This confused Sophia a lot. “Can we just go before I get irritated?”

“No, laugh with me sister!” Howard shamelessly cooed. “Let’s laugh because even if we didn’t get selected today, trying again wouldn’t be considered humiliating. Unlike your foolish niece.”

“Niece? What are you saying?” Sophia asked, frustrated.

Howard pointed to the car pack. “Look over there. Isn’t that your niece with a file in hand and that stubborn fool Robert Orwell behind her?”

Sophia looked and couldn’t help but burst into laughter herself. “Haha! Is this what I’m thinking? She’s going to submit a proposal for Clayton’s Sales Group? Who gave her the right?!”

“Does she think the Ashcroft Invests company is a child’s play? They would kick her out! It’s funny but what I will not like is her bringing shame to our family’s name and grandfather will definitely not like that too!” Howard said.

His face was brimming with a wicked smile. “This is the perfect excuse to let grandfather cut all ties with her for good! Let’s go and give this news to grandfather.”

Meanwhile, Robert paid the taxi man his fare as soon as he and his daughter arrived at Ashcroft.

Winter clenched and unclenched her fists nervously. This was a habit.

Robert quickly placed his hand over hers. “Don’t you trust me? It’s fine then trust yourself at least. This proposal you wrote is excellent.”

Of course the proposal was excellent! It was with his guidance she wrote it after all.

Hearing the reassuring words of Robert and seeing the outstanding confidence on his face, Winter felt a bit at ease. This was the importance of a guardian in one’s life!

“Thank you,” she blurted.

Robert only nodded, hiding a wide smile and managing a small one.

This simple incident and the fact that they wrote the proposal together had brought the father and daughter closer a bit.

“Let us go in.”

Robert had met his staff and planned everything before time so when they entered the company, the show had begun.

The receptionist in black and white uniform smiled prettily, “Hello, welcome sir, ma’am.”

Robert let Winter take the lead. Winter did not disappoint, with a bold smile on her face she replied to the receptionist. “Hello. We are here to submit a proposal for the 32 men slots.”

The receptionist nodded in approval. She looked down at her system and looked up. “Are you Winter Robin Clayton?”

Winter was slightly surprised, “R-Robin?”

“That is not you?”

Winter shook her head. She let it slide because it didn’t matter at the moment. “I am. I am the one.”

Robert must have made a mistake and added that middle name, so she thought.

“Okay. Please, walk straight and turn left. There you will find the elevator. Go up to the 9th floor.”

Winter nodded, hugging the file to her chest. She took two steps forward and noticed she didn’t hear Robert’s footsteps behind her.

She looked back. “Mr. Robert?”

“I’ll wait here for you. I do not want to embarrass you. Especially not today,” Robert said coolly.

Winter felt her heart warming up.

She simply turned and left, acting like she wasn’t touched by that. But she was very much readable.

There was only one office in the 9th floor, so as soon as she got there and the elevator door opened, there was a man in a grey three-piece suit awaiting her arrival.

“Miss Winter Robin Clayton, you’re welcome. I am Charles Devon, the proposal manager and coordinator for the 32 Men Slots program. I’m more than glad to award slot number one to you,” it was deputy officer Charles who was the man.

He had come all the way from the Special Army Force headquarters to join in this play.

Winter’s face was still and unmoving for seconds. Wasn’t this too good to be true?

“I… Well, Mr. Charles, I haven’t even shown you my proposal yet.”

The deputy smiled and replied, “The CEO has already given the slot to you and has no need for your hard copy proposal. But if you want, you can just leave it here with me.”

Winter felt speechless.

“Do you have any questions you wish to ask, Miss Winter?” The deputy asked.

“No, I don’t. I don’t have any questions,” Winter quickly answered.

The deputy nodded. He then took a contract paper and explained. “Although the soft copy of your proposal was forwarded to my boss by someone on your behalf. So, a contract has been prepared. You can go through it and sign if everything is okay with you.”

Winter’s eyes bulged. “Really?”

She took the contract paper and read through it. Indeed, all the requests she asked for in her proposal were in the contract paper.

She had written that she wanted Ashcroft Invests Co. to invest in her. She wanted them to create an opportunity for her to get into law school and pay for the tuition till she takes the bar exam to be a certified lawyer!

She quickly estimated the whole cost to be around $550,000 and wrote this down in the proposal. Even when Robert told her the amount was too small, and gave her reasons why she should instead ask them for $5 million, she refused.

Now, looking at the contract paper, she was sure Robert was the one who had sent the proposal to them on her behalf. Because in the contract there was a $5 million demand instead of the initial $550,000.

“Any issues? Is there a mistake?” Deputy asked, seeing as she was taking a bit too long to read the contract.

“Mr. Charles, this…. it says here that I demanded $5 million?”

The deputy nodded his head. “Yes, that is the amount you asked my boss for in your proposal’s soft copy that was sent to him last night.”

Winter didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. “But here in the contract,” she pointed at the staggering amount on paper, “It says Ashcroft Invests has agreed to give me $15 million!”

“That is the amount my boss wants to invest in your future career. Is it too little?”

“???”

“Mr. Charles… it is not. I mean, I only asked for $550… no, $5 million,” Winter felt like she was dreaming.

She had never owned even a million dollars before. This money was too much. But at the same time, if she could show this contract to great grandfather… he would definitely see her in a different light! No one would dare to even mock her again!

The deputy held out a pen towards her and explained, “$5 million is a decent amount to demand from a rich businessman but it is a small amount to the Ashcroft Invests Company. It is almost like you are insulting the company’s reputation by demanding such a small amount.”

“The company would have given more than this if you had asked. This is how business works for companies that are worth hundreds of billions. Miss Winter, this $15 million covers your money spent in law school and in becoming a very successful lawyer. After you have become one of the most successful lawyers, you owe Ashcroft Invests $45 million—triple the investment. That’s simply what the contract states. Sign it, Miss Winter.”

Winter quickly took the pen and signed it. Robert was right! Demanding such a small amount was like insulting them.

Winter thought the deal to repay triple the amount was fair.

The contract didn’t give a particular time to pay, she is to pay whenever she becomes a successful lawyer which might take a few more years to come. Also, she mustn’t pay back in cash or money, she can pay them through money’s worth. Like services or shares.

This was a divine deal!