"Mr. Salim seems to have some misunderstandings." James leaned back in his chair with his slender legs crossed, "First of all, I am not cooperating with you, but with the Brown Group."
"Second, I am a businessman, who cares merely about if the cooperation will benefit the Harvey Group. I heard that Mr. Salim would become the president of the Brown Group soon, but I'm worried for Uncle Brown out of your immatureness."
Salim blushed with his words. He stood up with a jerk and pointed at him with his finger.
James looked up at him, maintaining his aggressive manner, "Mr. Salim, think it over before you speak, in case that you would say something improper."
"... I blamed Mr. Harvey unjustly out of my myopia," Salim squeezed a few words out of his throat after a long-time fermenting.
James replied, "That's all right. I am as generous as Sean, so I won't get mad at kids."
Redness, blueness, and paleness changed swiftly on Salim's face, rendering it more colorful than a pallet.
The group talked about their cooperation for a while before James asked a servant to bring him a pen and the contract and signed it on the spot.
Angela sat beside them mutely, considering whether she should ask Mrs. Brown to go upstairs to see her mother or let her mother come to meet her.
"I hope we'll have a pleasant cooperation and expect more future cooperations between us!" Mrs. Brown reviewed the contract once and again, and then stood up to stretch her hand to James.
James didn't hold her hand. With a smile, he said, "I am henpecked, so I'm afraid I can't shake your hand."
Angela, "..."
"I also used to be young, and I totally understand you!" Mrs. Brown handed the contract to Salim with caution and asked him to keep it well.
Then she continued, "Angela, where's your mom? I thought I would see her as soon as I arrived, but why haven't I seen her yet as I have been here for some half an hour?"
"Probably she is sleeping, and I'm going to wake her up," Angela said.
"Is she sleeping or does she look down on me, an old friend of hers, since she has the Harveys to be her in-laws?" Mrs. Brown said unkindly.
Angela frowned slightly. In spite of the dislike in her mind, she said casually, "She is not that sort. It's too suspicious of you. I'm going upstairs to call her."
"Don't bother to ask her to go down. Well, let me go upstairs instead!" Mrs. Brown shook her hand to her before she went up straight on the stairs. "Which room is she in?"
At that time, Lorenzo had left for work, so Angela led her directly to the door without worrying about her seeing something embarrassing.
"Mom—" Angela knocked on the door.
Before a response could be made, Mrs. Brown pushed the door open with a jerk, "We have known each other for decades of years. Arguably, we are childhood friends, so we can save the formalities!"
The door was open.
The quilt had been folded on the bed, boxy and angular.
Elva was standing by the window, looking at something. On hearing the noise, she turned back and grew bloodless the moment she saw Mrs. Brown.
"Why ... why are you in my home?" Elva pointed to Mrs. Brown with a mysterious look.
This wasn't at all how Angela had pictured two old friends' reunion should be. She couldn't tell the mood her mother was in, guilt, regret, or resentment?
She felt a surge of unease.
Was it appropriate for her to bring Mrs. Brown here to meet her mom?
"What do you mean by 'Why are you in my home?'" Mrs. Brown asked with a grievance. "Elva, for all those years, you haven't gone to me, and now I'm here to see you, why do you treat me in this manner?"
Elva hemmed and hawed, looking at Angela.
Angela was sure there was something wrong. She went to Mrs. Brown and said, "Mrs. Brown ...."
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