“Sir, would you like a cup of milk tea?”

Butler Alan offered his thoughtful suggestion.

Harold shook his head. “No, a coffee.”

Milk tea would be so nice, warming one from the inside—December in New York was perfect for milk tea.

As a caring butler, one must consider everything for their employer. For instance, today, why suggest replacing coffee with milk tea? Because coffee was too bitter, unsuitable for Mr. Harold’s current state.

After all, today was the day Miss Xia returned to China.

Sigh, Miss Xia had been in America for a year, and the sir hadn’t had any chance. Butler Alan felt future opportunities would be even more remote.

Harold saw through Alan’s thoughtfulness.

The Wilson Hotel’s new branch in Washington was progressing steadily.

Representative Zhang’s death in Hong Kong wasn’t within Harold’s expectations.

With Representative Zhang’s death, Old Ivan lost significant support, leaving Harold no time to pursue Xia Xiaolan.

He and Old Ivan had engaged in countless back-and-forth battles, forcing Old Ivan to retreat step by step… Old Ivan and Cynthia had no time to trouble Xia Xiaolan because they were nearly pushed to the edge by Harold!

This was truly the turning of fortunes.

The brothers who could be father and son had completely fallen out.

Only after subduing his elder brother did Harold think of Xia Xiaolan. But by now, wasn’t she already on her flight back to China?

Harold’s mind stirred:

“How is the golf course in China progressing?”

“It’s in the final stages, but the residential area beside the course—you said to develop it slowly…”

“Of course, we must develop it slowly. Releasing too many houses at once would severely impact Pengcheng’s commercial housing market. Now isn’t the best time to make our move. Let’s observe Pengcheng’s market conditions further.”

Buying land doesn’t mean immediate development.

Development doesn’t mean immediate sales.

Xia Xiaolan only did short-term investments, not long-term holdings, because she lacked capital.

She could only rely on constant trading to grow her capital like a snowball. Harold didn’t need to follow Xia Xiaolan’s approach—he planned to hold the golf course project long-term.

“Alan, check my schedule. We’ll make a trip to China soon.”

Ah, was Mr. Harold going to chase her to China again?

The situation in America had stabilized, so the sir finally had time to address his matters. Alan wasn’t optimistic—a year of long-distance romance hadn’t separated Miss Xia from her Chinese boyfriend, so it would naturally be harder now.

However, Butler Alan could be certain of one thing: once Harold went to Pengcheng, George would completely lose his management authority there.

…

Upper East Side.

Old Ivan hurriedly left.

Tina also sensed the unusual atmosphere. Since her return to America, Mrs. Wilson had been extremely attentive to her.

Tina now deeply regretted renovating her Upper East Side apartment.

It was the house her mommy had personally decorated, which she had renovated beyond recognition.

So after the apartment renovation was complete, Tina didn’t want to live there anymore.

Mrs. Wilson warmly invited her, and when Tina didn’t have classes, she simply stayed at the Wilson house.

During this time, Old Ivan and Cynthia seemed to be in trouble. Just now, while the three were eating, Old Ivan received a call and left hurriedly before finishing his meal.

“Aunt Cynthia, you’re in trouble, aren’t you? Is there anything I can help with?”

“Darling, you don’t need to worry about these things. This is adult business.”

Tina disagreed with Cynthia’s words, “When I was sad, you accompanied me through difficult times. How can you ask me to pretend not to see when you and Uncle Ivan are in trouble!”

Cynthia held Tina’s hand, “Child, you’re too thoughtful, but the troubles we’re facing can’t be solved by you—it’s business matters.”

“Problems with capital turnover? If you need money—”

Cynthia was tempted to nod.

Tina had considerable cash at her disposal.

This girl had no wariness; being deceived was just a matter of time.

But Cynthia didn’t dare to simply take Tina’s money. With Zhang Jiandong dead, Tina’s birth father wasn’t easy to deal with. Taking Tina’s money wasn’t Cynthia and Ivan’s plan… at least not their primary plan.

They weren’t con artists; they were just temporarily in difficulties—all because of that damned Harold!

“No, darling, this isn’t something money can solve. Even if money were needed, how could we use yours? The money you have was left by your parents. Although they’ve passed away, they ensured you would want for nothing. Tina, you must be careful with your money.”

Both parents were gone, and estranged from her brother.

Tina smiled bitterly—what use was all her money?

She remembered when her family didn’t have so much money, yet they lived very happily.

“It’s not about money?”

“No, it’s not about money, or rather, not just about money—it’s Harold. Sigh, this is our family’s internal conflict, yet we’re making a spectacle of ourselves! Harold is relentlessly pressuring me and Ivan. Ivan has no choice but to give up some businesses. If your daddy were still alive, Harold wouldn’t dare!”

Cynthia’s tone was very regretful.

She and Ivan hadn’t wanted Zhang Jiandong to die. The person who forced Zhang Jiandong to his death naturally became their enemy.

Tina lowered her head, “Harold has already taken most of the Wilson family’s businesses, yet he’s still not satisfied? He… others say he’s a bad person, that he’s done many bad things.”

The latter “he” naturally referred to Zhang Jiandong.

Not only did others say Zhang Jiandong had done bad things, but before his death, he had admitted to everything.

Tina couldn’t defend Zhang Jiandong.

Cynthia’s grip tightened, “Tina, you shouldn’t focus on what your daddy did to others, but how he treated you. I don’t believe he was such a bad person. He was good to his friends and good to you. As a father, he never wronged you. Are blood relatives the only true family? Ivan and Harold are blood brothers, yet Harold is pushing us to the brink!”

Cynthia gritted her teeth as she spoke.

Harold was so lucky—if only he had been killed in that hotel shooting incident.

And Zhang Jiandong—if he hadn’t returned to China, he’d still be alive now, and she and Ivan wouldn’t be in such a passive position.

Tina had shown signs of love at first sight toward Harold.

A young girl’s budding love met with opposition from her mother and brother. The more the elders opposed, the more rebellious she became.

Now with Cui Yiru dead, there was no one left to oppose, yet Tina had lost interest in developing romantic relationships.

Although she insisted on independence, as an overly protected rich girl, how could rationality overcome emotion to see through appearances? Whoever was kind to her, whoever was close to her, she would lean toward their position.

It was so with Zhang Jiandong.

Now it was the same with Cynthia.

She was already thinking entirely from Cynthia and Ivan’s perspective:

“Is there no way? You want me to just watch and do nothing while Harold forces you into bankruptcy?”