Lawrence and Jasmine didn’t stay long because Atlas and Lola had "other things" to do. They left at the same time. Seated in the backseat, Jasmine faced her husband with a smile on her face.
"Dear, are the Bennets really that good of a connection?" she asked, just to confirm. She had based her reaction on her husband’s, but she wanted to hear just how much of a big shot the people they had just impressed were.
Lawrence smirked, his nose lifting. "Hon, they are not just a good addition to our network; it’s like we’ve won the lotto!"
"Really?"
"The Bennet family is twice as powerful as the Lancasters!" he declared excitedly. "They dominate the country of Anteca. Atlas Bennet’s father owns the biggest logistics company in the country and has been expanding exponentially in international operations."
Jasmine’s mouth fell open, her eyes lighting up. However, Lawrence wasn’t done yet.
"That’s just their family business. From what I heard, Atlas Bennet used to run the company until he stepped down," he explained, giving his wife all the details he knew so she could curry favor with Atlas’s wife.
"Why did he step down?" Jasmine furrowed her brows. "Did he have a problem with the company?"
"It’s not like that." He shook his head, chuckling. "He stepped down because he was offered a position at the Pierson Corporation."
Her brows rose, waiting for more explanation.
"The Pierson Corporation, or the Pierson family of Anteca, is just like the Lancaster. The only difference is that they are ten times more influential, a hundred times wealthier, and more powerful," Lawrence emphasized. "The man at the helm of that company is Atlas Bennet’s brother-in-law."
Jasmine covered her lips, eyes wide. Seeing her stunned reaction, he smirked.
"And the Bennets also handle the biggest security firm, which stretches internationally, mostly in larger countries. The owner of that is Atlas Bennet’s sister," he added in a knowing tone. "Although I didn’t have much information about Atlas Bennet himself, it’s obvious he’s still active despite no current news about him."
Lawrence clasped her hand and nodded at her. "Hon, if we can be friends with them, we’ll get more than what we paid for today. Even the Lancasters would try to get on our good side."
Just thinking about all the people in Atlas’s circle, his heart raced with excitement. In the decades he had lived, the Lancasters were the only special people in his network. Although the Young family was part of the elite, they were barely at the door. The Lancasters were their ticket to a broader horizon, but Atlas?
Atlas could take the Young family to a whole different world.
Jasmine pressed her lips, suppressing her excitement. Thinking back to their encounter with the couple, she was sure they made a good impression. Her smile, however, faded as a thought crossed her mind.
"But dear..." She frowned, worry flickering in her eyes. "If they are that influential and powerful, aren’t we in trouble because... you’re selling the properties at the same time you’re going to hand them over to Lola?"
The couple stared at each other, reminded of Lawrence’s plan to buy the properties and then sell them under Lola’s name. With the timing and how foolish Lola was, she wouldn’t know the properties were already sold, even when she held the titles.
It was how Lawrence planned to get more than what he had shelled out.
"Hon, the Bennets only sold the properties back to us," he said. "They wouldn’t bother with what happens afterward. Besides, we already told them that Lola sold the properties without our knowledge. She did it once, and no one will be surprised if she does it again."
Only this time, Lawrence had planned to sell them to different people.
"Didn’t I say I’ll cut her off once I hand over the titles?" he continued, wickedness flickering in his eyes. "If the problem surfaces earlier than I expected, that’s her problem."
A slow smile crept onto Jasmine’s face, her heart easing at his reassurance. "Dear, I think the heavens are already on our side."
"It is... for sure."
"I should tell this to Melissa!" she excitedly clasped her hands. "If she befriends Mrs. Bennet, just what would others say if the Bennets attend her engagement and wedding?"
****
At the same time, Lola and Atlas idled in a parked car. With a sharp look on her face, she clipped a cheque between her fingers and passed it to the backseat.
"Cash it in today," she ordered, waiting for someone in the backseat to take it. "Make sure to get things done today."
"Yes, Miss Young." Taking the check was the same lawyer Lawrence had hired. He lowered his head and kept the check in his suitcase before quietly leaving the car, jumping into the other one parked right beside it.
As the car drove away from its slot, Lola glanced at it. Her mouth curved into a smirk. It wasn’t like she did something illegal, although that’s how it felt. She let him do his job, but overlooked some of the clauses.
"You’re okay."
Lola’s attention shifted upon hearing Atlas’s voice. She turned and looked at him, only to catch him putting his phone back into his suit.
"I thought you’d be crying because of them," he said, giving her a slightly nonchalant look. "You didn’t."
She snorted. "Why would I? Not recognizing me is not how they will hurt me."
Or rather, they had hurt her enough for her to be so numb to most of the things they would do or say. Still, she was guilty of being affected sometimes, but this was not one of them.
"How can they not recognize you?" he wondered, his eyes stuck on her face. "It’s... amusing."
"And pretty messed up too," she humored. "But that’s us, that’s the Young Family. Surprise, surprise."
Atlas didn’t answer immediately as he stared at her. After a second, he reached out, his fingertips brushing the top of her head.
"I did what you asked," he said, curling his fingers around the strands of her hair before looking her in the eye. "They won’t be able to sell those properties to anyone."
He retrieved his hand and started the car. As for her, she touched the area he had seemed to try to pat before she forced a smile.
"Thanks." Her smile stiffened when he cast her a side-eye. "What?"
"It’s not free."
"Huh?"
"Dinner... no, a movie," he corrected. "You’re going to watch a movie with me."
"A movie with you?"
"Mhm." Atlas leaned back. "Now, where to?"
Lola opened and closed her mouth, but it was just a movie. She didn’t think much about it for now. Considering the favor he did for her, sitting through a movie with him wasn’t so bad.
She smiled. "I’ll have to check on Cedrick."
He didn’t react, but he did cast her a brief look. Without saying anything, he started driving. However, instead of driving her to the address she had given him, he took her back home.
"Why are we here?"
"Put that thing on," he said, pointing a finger at her face and drawing a circle in the air. "Your face has breathed enough air."