Chapter 5 Just as Mike was about to agree, I pushed the door open and walked in. I greeted the Ravenlandian man, then picked up the bottle of skincare serum he had developed and turned it over in my hand. "I'm a woman, so I know skincare," I said. "This only has whitening ingredients. It doesn't fight wrinkles or early aging. You're an expert in this-you should know better than anyone that whitening is just a gimmick. The effects are barely noticeable. So tell me: What makes this formula worth 600 thousand?" The man froze, caught off guard. Mike leaned back in his chair, clearly entertained, and didn't stop me. That told me he was letting me speak freely. So I grew bolder. "That said, this is an imported product, and you've already built up buzz on social media. People recognize your brand and trust it. So, here's what I'll offer you." I held up two fingers. "Two hundred thousand?" he asked, surprised. "Jake, 200 thousand is already a very generous offer. Think it over," Mike said, eyes locked on him. "No, no," I cut in. "I'll give you two thousand." The formula was only worth a few hundred dollars at most. Two thousand was already more than enough. The man shot to his feet. "Miss, who even are you? How can you suggest such a low amount? How am I supposed to do business like this? Forget it. I won't cooperate! It's not like I have to sell this to you!" He turned to storm out. Right then, Mike said calmly, "Wait. I'll give you 200 thousand. Sign the contract now, and then apologize to my wife." The man froze mid-step, then spun back around, delight flashing in his eyes. I didn't understand what Mike was doing and rushed to stop him, but he shook his head at me, signaling me to stay quiet. I had no choice but to bite my tongue. "Mr. Pearson, you really know how to do business." Jake Lambert chuckled, then turned to me. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were Mrs. Pearson." Mike led him to sign the contract. Afterward, I frowned, still confused. "That formula was only worth a few hundred dollars. Why would you pay him 200 thousand?" 1/2 Chapter 5 +25 Bonus Mike poured himself a cup of coffee and answered slowly, "You've got good business instincts, but you don't understand the market yet. Jake's formula is worthless-I already knew that. What I'm buying is his brand. The formula may be cheap, but the brand is already known to young women everywhere. With a little extra promotion, I'll make that money back easily." And suddenly, it clicked. No wonder Jake was so confident. No wonder he walked in here acting as if he held all the cards. Coming here was the right choice. I could actually learn something. "Still," he added, his eyes narrowing, "how did you know the formula was only worth a couple hundred?" I forced a laugh. "Just a guess." He didn't press further. I seized the moment to suggest he let me run one of the branch companies. In my last life, because Phil had no standing in the Pearsons, he couldn't give me anything. But I wanted to run my own business and be my own boss. That way, I wouldn't have to rely on anyone. Once I made enough money, I could walk away whenever I wanted. "You're ambitious," Mike said with a hint of amusement. "You're not planning to take over the company, rake in the cash, and then disappear, are you?" His sharp gaze made me squirm. Damn, he was even better at reading people than I was. For the first time, I felt a pang of insecurity. I had a special cheat, but somehow, I still couldn't outmatch him. Maybe this was what true talent looked like. "Of course not. I just wanna keep myself busy," I replied. He sipped his coffee. "Fine. But you'll have to learn from me first. Only then can you run a branch." TRO BOnus Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!