"Rachel, you know I've been swamped with work recently. I barely even have time for myself, I can't even relax properly! Do you know how low-spirited I am right now?" Lance decided to start off by playing nice. If he could get Rachel to listen to him, that would of course be best. But if she was too stubborn to listen, he would have to take a more forcible approach.
To Lance, the most important thing was his own interests. He didn't give a damn about others.
"Hah!" Rachel burst into laughter. "Oh Mr. Zhan, I didn't know you were such a joker. I know you call all the shots in the Silver Corporation. But since you're such a busy man and have no time, then maybe I shouldn't be here talking to you right now. If you feel that I'm wasting your time, just let me know and I will come back at a better time. In the meantime, I can't decide what to do with this video..." She let her voice trail off, smirking.
"What video?" Lance had managed to maintain a calm and composed facade the whole time, but Rachel's words had him on guard. He wondered if Rachel had managed to record anything from the time when they were together. 'That must be it, ' he thought to himself. 'What other video could she threaten me with?'
"No, no, you focus on your work first. I'll come back some other time when you're less busy. Then we'll discuss the contents of the video." Rachel gave him a charming, innocent smile and turned to leave.
Rachel actually hadn't planned on using the video to blackmail Lance. Unfortunately it didn't seem like she had a choice. If she didn't use the video, she might not get Lance's help. Without it, Tarsan Corporation would be doomed. It was a risk she didn't want to take.
She was glad that she had recorded the whole thing. Otherwise, she would be totally helpless in this situation. At least now she had a backup plan.
"Rachel, wait! I can make some time for you right now. Have a seat and we can talk about it," Lance said quickly. He got up and walked over to Rachel. "Yes, I am very busy with work, but regardless of how busy I am, it doesn't mean I'm willing to abandon you. Do you want to know what I have been working on recently?"
Rachel was highly aware of the effect of her earlier words on him. However, she was mature enough to drop the blackmail act. She didn't want Lance's help to be insincere because he was scared of her threats. She switched her tactics. Putting on a sweet smile, she turned to him and asked gently, "What are you so busy with? If you don't tell me, how will I know?" Her voice was warm and friendly and she even managed to fill her eyes with fake care and concern.
"I'm going to tell you right now. So please, have a seat and lend me your ears.
Rachel, I know that Tarsan Corporation is in a very precarious state right now. But you need to know that I don't have much power in Y City. Yes, I can make a few minor decisions here and there, but at the end of day, Charles always has the final say. I really want to help you, but with Charles standing in the way in almost every approach, it's a lot harder than it should be. Having said that, I need you trust me now that you know my situation. No matter how hard it is and what obstacles stand in the way, I will always have your back. Right now, all I can do is try to do some work behind the scenes to make things a bit easier for you. Doing this without any support will be a bit tricky, but I'll still do whatever I can."
Rachel didn't believe a single word he said. But since she had come here to ask for his help, she had to behave and remain polite. "So what you're saying is, you weren't avoiding me after all? And you were already working on saving Tarsan Corporation in private?"
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