Chapter 37
“Uncle Jonathan, it’s best that you answer my call. I was just about to look for you,” the other party said anxiously, “You know that I’ve been investing in e-commerce platforms during this period. E-commerce is the trend in the future, where a lot of money can be made. That said, at this juncture, I’ve invested too much money in this, so I don’t have enough funds at the moment. Yesterday, I also told Alex that as long as the e-commerce platform is built, we’ll split it 50-50. So, Uncle Jonathan, can the Lawrences finance a portion of the money first? I’ll return twice the amount to you including interest.”
“When MUK moved in, they didn’t think of working with any other companies. They have long gotten independent rights in Harken and were building their own e-commerce platform. As a result, all the investment of the Lockes has been wasted. Coincidentally, today is the maturity date of the Lockes’ loan. The Lockes intend to mortgage the e-commerce companies they acquired to the bank, but the bank won’t accept it. At the end of the day, once MUK enters, how can small e-commerce companies have the chance to survive? The Lockes have lost a lot this time,” Alexander said with some fear.
“It’s very difficult. Not only did the Lockes face the inability to repay the bank’s loan, but their business also has a broken capital chain now. If they still want to get up, they’ll have to continue the loan. However, the Lockes’ traditional business no longer has prospects for development, and there’s no market for the e-commerce companies they invested in. The bank can’t continue lending them money without an end. According to what banks usually do, they’ll probably recover all of the Lockes’ mortgaged assets and auction them off to cut their losses.”
“Damian,” Jonathan said unhurriedly, “In the past, I would’ve helped you even if you went bankrupt, let alone for the sake of investing. The Lawrences have always been loyal. However, while I wholeheartedly let my granddaughter be married to your son, your son did such a thing to let her down. What’s more, your family acquiesced to it. I can’t swallow this grievance. Since our families have fallen out, there’s no possibility of further cooperation between us.”
Fortunately, the engagement with the Lockes was broken off yesterday, and it was still the Lockes’ fault. Otherwise, if something happened to the Lockes at this time, the prospective in-laws would be considered ungrateful for not helping them, and the Lawrences’ reputation would then be tarnished. It was good that the Lawrences had sufficient reasons to reasonably reject the Lockes’ request for help at this moment.
Jonathan said coldly, “Do you think you’re right for breaking off the engagement without discussing it with your elders?! You should be thankful that you’re lucky. Something happened to the person you broke off the engagement with! Otherwise, think about the consequences you’ll face!”
“No. You just said that as long as I can bring benefits to the family, I can do whatever I want.” Jeanne looked at Jonathan. “I’ve never thought of doing whatever I want. All I want is 5% of the shares. Grandpa, are you planning to slap your own face?!”
“Grandpa, 5% of the shares is nothing to you. Nothing will change for you because of this small amount of shares, whether it’s in the Lawrence Enterprise or the Lawrence family. On the other hand, it’s very important to me.”
Jeanne said in a slightly lower voice, “I was chased out of the family by you, so I once suspected that I wasn’t my dad’s biological daughter. These shares at least give me a reason to convince myself that I’m a Lawrence.”
“Compared to the benefits of a joint marriage with the Lockes, breaking off the marriage has also brought benefits to the Lawrences. Not only did we not lose out on our investments, but we also kept our reputation.”
He handed the phone to Alexander. “Whether it’s the Lockes or the media, you’re going to give the same answer. It’s not that the Lawrences are heartless; it’s just that the Lockes’ actions were too disappointing.”
Jonathan, who had always valued sons over daughters, had always treated the daughters of the Lawrences lightly. This was the case for Jasmine as well; he was just using her as a tool to gain benefits.
“I gave them to you because I wanted you to marry Thedus Locke. Now that you’re not marrying him, shouldn’t you return them?” Jonathan made it sound like it was a matter of fact.
Jeanne looked straight at Jonathan. “When you gave me the shares back then, you didn’t say that you’ll take them back if I end up not getting married to Thedus.”
“One thing is not another. I gave you the shares back then just to make up for you. Now, you don’t have to marry Thedus, so we no longer have to make up for it.”
“Grandpa, I don’t want to reason with you. At your age, you should know more about reason than I do. Even so, I feel that you’re too overbearing now!”
