Dylan stepped inside but was stopped by a security guard. He immediately used his hypnosis skill, and the guard eventually let him through. He then walked to the elevator and chose an empty one. Once inside, he used his disarm skill to redirect the camera, then rubbed his face using his "1000 face" skill and transformed into Charles. "Ding," the elevator opened, and Dylan, now Charles, stepped out, chest puffed out and behaving arrogantly, just like the real person.
He walked into the busy office and headed straight for the CEO's room. He opened the door without knocking and entered, then closed the door again. A middle-aged man wearing a suit and looking quite heavy-set looked at Dylan, who was now disguised as Charles.
"Charles? What are you doing here?" the middle-aged man asked.
"Hello, Uncle Jeremy, I need to talk to you, that's why I'm here," Charles said directly, without any pleasantries.
"Oh? What do you need?" Jeremy asked, sitting behind his desk and gesturing for Charles to sit down.
Charles sat down and placed his large folder on Jeremy's desk. The folder immediately captured Jeremy's attention. Charles opened the folder and showed him the contents. It turned out to be a proposal for a minimalist housing project for the lower-middle class, intended as a subsidy to address the city's housing problem.
Charles expertly presented his project in front of Jeremy, who listened intently and was slightly impressed, as Charles was uncharacteristically motivated to run the family business instead of just enjoying exploiting the family wealth.
"Hmm... okay, I get it. I've actually wanted to do a project like this for a long time, but it's great that you came up with it," Jeremy said.
"Because I've been learning, Uncle. I also see a lot of young couples or parents who have trouble finding a house because of the price issues, and in the end, their money goes to rent," Charles replied.
"But there is one problem: we don't have the land to do the project yet," Jeremy pointed out.
"Ah, exactly." (flipping the proposal over) "That's why I want to suggest you buy this land, Uncle. This land belongs to a friend of mine, and they intend to sell it at a bargain price," Charles said, showing a diagram of five hectares of land on the city's east side, where housing was scarce.
What Dylan showed was actually land belonging to his grandfather, which had been inherited by one of his cousins.
"Hmm... do you know the owner?" Jeremy asked.
"I do, but if you go forward, Uncle, I'm afraid he might get intimidated. So I plan to go meet him myself. Trust me, Uncle, I can do this, and let me prove that I'm competent as the family's successor," Charles replied.
Jeremy appeared to be thinking, his finger tapping the desk. He looked at the land diagram on the table and occasionally looked at Charles's face, which was full of confidence. After thinking for quite a while,
"So... what do you need from me regarding all this?" Jeremy asked.
"I need capital, Uncle, to convince my friend," Charles answered.
"Why don't you ask your dad?" Jeremy asked.
"Dad is too focused on his own company... but I did ask his opinion, which is why I was brave enough to come see you, Uncle," Charles replied convincingly.
"I see... how much do you need, exactly?" Jeremy asked.
Charles stated that the price his friend was asking was $80,000, so he needed 10% for a down payment if he managed to negotiate the price. Then he would pass it on to the company so the purchase would be officially recorded as a company asset.
Jeremy thought for a moment, but because Charles was the "golden boy" and appeared to have changed from his previous lifestyle, he looked convinced by Charles.
"According to the calculation, the price is high, but can you really negotiate with your friend?" Jeremy asked.
"Of course I can. I'm quite close to him and his family," Charles answered confidently.
"Alright." (Jeremy opened his drawer, took out his checkbook, and wrote a check. After that, he tore it off and handed it to Charles.) "Here is $15,000. It's for a down payment if the price is right, and since this is your first project, I'm giving you some working money. But please don't use the rest for foolish things. Don't disappoint me and your father," Jeremy said.
"Understood, Uncle. Since tomorrow and Sunday are off, I'll give you a report on Monday. Thank you for your trust, Uncle," Charles said, extending his hand and smiling.
"You're welcome. You can tell yourself 'thank you,' too. I'm happy to see that you've changed," Jeremy said, smiling as he stood up.
"Alright, Uncle, I'll be going now. Say hello to Aunt and Brody for me," Charles said, standing up.
"Alright, be careful on the road," Jeremy replied, standing.
Charles left his folder, then turned and walked out of the CEO's room. After that, he took the elevator down. While in the elevator,
"Now, let's go meet Charles. Please find out his current location and get his phone number," Dylan said in his head.
[Very well, sir.]
***
An hour later, at a rooftop bar downtown, "Click... click... click," Ellie walked with a sway toward a table at the far end of the bar and on the terrace. At the table, Charles, wearing a white jacket with an open-button blue shirt and looking expensive, was already sitting anxiously, checking his watch.
"Hey... sorry I'm late," Ellie greeted, sitting down across from Charles.
"So... why did you invite me here? Are you ready to answer my proposal?" Charles asked with a smug smile.
"Yes, and please don't bother Dylan anymore. For that, I'm giving you this," Ellie said, opening her handbag.
She pulled out a check worth $15,000 and slid it across to Charles. "Hmph," Charles smiled, satisfied and arrogant.
"So, you mean you're bribing me not to mess with Dylan? Fine... I accept, and of course, I'll tell my dad to officially propose to you," Charles said, feeling victorious.
"Alright, I understand. Please come to the house, and one more thing... look at my finger," Ellie said.
Suddenly, Ellie raised her finger, and Charles, looking at it, immediately lost consciousness like a hypnotized person.
"From now on, don't go near me and don't ever propose to me again. Then, use that money to splurge and buy whatever you like over the next two days, and report what you bought or spent it on, and when you cash the check, to the email address I wrote on the paper behind the check, by the night before Monday at the latest, and don't forget you didn't meet me today, got it?" Ellie asked.
Charles nodded, not answering. Then, "Snap," Ellie snapped her fingers, and Charles immediately came to, suddenly confused to see Ellie in front of him and pocketing the check.
"Wait... what are you doing here, Ellie?" Charles asked.
"I was just about to leave. See you Monday," Ellie replied, standing up.
Ellie immediately walked away, and Charles sat in his chair, looking confused as he drank his beverage. Once inside the elevator, Ellie rubbed her face, and she transformed into Dylan.
"Well, now all that's left is to wait for the email. There's going to be fireworks on Monday," Dylan thought in his head.
[That's right, sir. Monday is certainly going to be a good day.]
***
Monday afternoon, during the lunch break, Dylan was sitting in the classroom with Maya, Lena, Ellie, and Amy, eating their packed lunches at a table. Of course, they were attracting attention from their classmates because the four top girls were gathered at one table. While they were eating, suddenly, "Bam," Dylan looked up to see Charles slamming his hand on the table and laughing arrogantly.
"How does it feel to be fired, huh? Don't you ever mess with me again," Charles said smugly.
"Crunch," Dylan calmly bit into his hot dog until the sausage made a sound and smiled. Then he leaned back casually.
"Hey! Don't ignore me!" Charles yelled.
Before Dylan could do anything, Charles's smartphone suddenly rang. He immediately grabbed his phone, and his eyes widened at the caller ID. Without delay, he answered it.
"Hello, Uncle Jeremy... Huh... What, Uncle?... I... I didn't trick you... What land, Uncle?... I never... No, Uncle... I don't know... Yes, I went shopping... Wait, but Uncle... Oh... Don't, Uncle... Don't tell Dad... I didn't defraud the family... Please don't, Uncle," Charles said, panicked, his face growing paler with every second.
Charles immediately ran out of the classroom, still talking on the phone, his face now pale and full of fear. "Slurp," Dylan calmly drank his beverage. Then he looked at Maya, Ellie, Lena, and Amy, who were staring at him, holding their hot dogs.
"What?" Dylan asked.
"How are you so calm?" Maya asked.
"What did he do to you?" Ellie asked.
"You got fired? Seriously?" Lena asked.
"Tell us what happened," Amy added.
"Nothing much... Oh, I quit my construction job, so I can have more time at home," Dylan said casually.
"Swoosh," a screen popped up in front of Dylan's face. He calmly read it. It was a reply email from Jeremy.
"Whoever this is, thank you for exposing Charles's crime of defrauding me, complete with the shopping receipts, the slip for cashing the check into his account, and providing the phone number of the land owner, who, after checking, turns out not to want to sell the land and doesn't know Charles at all. Let me deal with my nephew. Thank you again,"
Dylan closed the screen and smiled. Then he returned to finishing his drink at the table.
"If you're going to slander someone, use irrefutable proof, and if there's no proof, create it... don't just rely on status and your mouth, right CATS," Dylan thought in his heart.
[Absolutely right, sir.]