Right after Vania said this, she hung up. The quick, rhythmic beeps on the other line indicated that the call had indeed ended, and Thomas was so shocked that he did not even realize his phone had slipped out of his hand before clattering onto the floor.
He had put the call on speaker earlier, and Benjamin heard every word Vania said loud and clear. His hands were shaking as his mind scrambled to understand how Vania came upon all this information. If she knew all about his secret bases and their locations, then she would know about his other secrets as well.
If one could call her meeting with Thomas earlier today an earnest negotiation, then what she said on the phone moments ago was a threat for sure.
Benjamin muttered through gritted teeth, "Well-played, Vania." He had not come across anyone so formidable in all his years in the industry. Not even Hanson would threaten him the way Vania had in such a forthright manner.
"Dad, what do we do now? Are we really going to give up on Yvonne?" Thomas was anxious as well. He had always been held in high regard by the general society, but his prestigious status was useless when it came to dealing with Vania.
Plopping down on the couch tiredly, Benjamin pointed out, "There's nothing we can do."
Thinking that he meant to give up on Yvonne, Jasmine burst into tears. "Yvonne's been kept in the holding cell for three days now. If we don't get her out of there, I'll start losing my mind as well. Benjamin, you can't just leave her there."
He sighed wearily. "Do you think I wanted any of this?" He could not bear to see his daughter or his business suffer.
Jasmine was sobbing hysterically. "She's the only daughter I have. I can't lose her, not when giving birth to her was a miracle all on its own."
She had always been weak, and after Thomas was born, she wanted to try for a second child. She went through an arduous journey to conceive, and it had taken countless methods and tearful moments before she finally had Yvonne. However, she had nearly died from childbirth complications. Following that, she could not conceive anymore, and this was why she spoiled Yvonne without reason.
Aggravated by his wife's relentless crying, Benjamin swept the rest of the teacups off the coffee table and turned to say to Thomas exasperatedly, "Tell Vania that we'll proceed with her plan." As things were, he had too much to lose, and he could not quantify the value of all the things he had lost.
Meanwhile, Thomas was devastated as well after learning that the secret bases and their locations had been compromised. To think that he and his father had dedicated so much to protecting the bases only to have someone like Vania find out everything about them.
Nonetheless, Thomas knew he had no choice but to make an appointment with Vania. "Very well. I'll meet up with her first thing tomorrow." He had planned to stall Vania. He did not want to let her see that she had one-upped the Keplers.
…
The next morning, Vania showed up early at the restaurant and waited for Thomas to show up. When he did and she noticed how pale and tired he looked, she did not probe him for a clear answer and merely took out the other copy of the agreement. "If you've made up your mind, then all you need to do is sign your name wherever relevant."
Truth be told, Vania had already seen through the Keplers and knew that they would choose to go along with her plan. If not, they would end up losing Yvonne and their secret base at Oswell Bay. She doubted they would be able to sustain such losses, nor would they want to.
A bitter chuckle escaped Thomas at that moment. He realized that he could not get a read on Vania no matter how hard he tried. He wished he could get to know her a little better and figure out how her mind worked. "Is this really your own doing?" Did Hanson really not help her at all?
"I don't like having to explain things a second time." Vania set the agreement down in front of him and said, "Maybe you should prioritize your sister's well-being instead." Then, she suddenly added, "Oh, speaking of whom, I suggest you keep an eye on your sister because I won't be responsible for what happens if she does anything to mess up this plan."
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