A fair collaboration

An awkward silence followed. Shera didn't ask why he had changed his mind. 

She had a feeling she didn't want to know and besides, it was not in the least bit part of her business. 

"So we really have to talk business?" She changed the subject, straightening up her clothes as though nothing happened. 

Leo, who had been wondering what to say to her, was taken aback. She was really not going to ask? 

Sure enough, Shera Black's train of thought was different from that of other women. 

Other women would have felt rejected and stormed off - or in this case kick him out - or at least felt embarassed. However, it was as though the woman before him felt nothing. 

His mind was a mixture of surprise and admiration. If she was keeping in her true thoughts, she sure knew how to do it. 

In less than a minute, there was no trace of what they had been doing just a while ago on her. She was back to the poised woman while Leo was back to the elegant businessman. His hair that she had turned into a kitchen nest was the only exception. 

She glanced at the broken shards on the floor and shrugged. She would clean that up in a while. "You already mentioned to me that the laborers are quitting their jobs and are even willing to pay compensation for suddenly backing out." 

For this matter, hiring new laborers would not help, since if Julius Qin kept paying them to quit, eventually the job would still come to a stop.

She knitted her eyebrows, letting out a smile that served as a prelude to the mischief she was about to create. "Since they have recieved so much money that they are willing to quit, why don't we extort them? After all there is this disclaimer  in the employee contract: [Party A reserves the right to the final interpretation] That's a loophole most people would overlook, right?" 

"Pfft." Leo coughed out a chuckle. This cunning woman. 

"We should extort everything they recieved from Julius Qin and use that money to increase the salary of those who remained sincere - or are yet to be contacted. It will motivate them, bait them to continue working and at the same time, warn them of what would happen if they followed suit. Killing three birds with one stone." 

Leo was speechless. 

He had thought of almost the same solution, but she had made it so cunning that he didn't know what to say. He only stared at her in disbelief. 

"Don't look at me like that. As I said before, all is fair in love and business. And I don't give a damn about love so… prepare to get your butt kicked. I believe this is settled, right?"

"Let's do it first thing tomorrow morning, so it's not too late. This will still delay the schedule so I will get a few more laborers to fill in the slots." Leo said, to which she nodded.

"Anyway… " She dramatically dragged the last syllable as though warning him that she was going to change the topic again. 

And she really did. "I'm curious…" 

"Curiosity killed the cat." He interrupted coldly. 

"Yup. The cat. Not the human, so I'll still ask what I want. Why would you keep contact with me even while knowing that I'm your family's enemy?  Are you trying to help me out?" 

Leo didn't answer, but he inwardly mocked. 'Help you? In your dreams. I am  only using you as a weapon to do things that I cannot do myself. Obviously, one has to load his gun or sharpen his dagger from time to time. That's exactly what I'm doing.' 

It turned out that Shera was using him to get information from the Qin Empire as well as stir trouble in the family while at the same time, he was using her as a weapon to do things he couldn't do himself. What a fair 'collaboration'.

…

When Leo left, Shera went to her study and summoned Purple. 

"How's the matter about Cece going?" 

"Master, it has already been confirmed that the hearing is on the 12th of June. Nothing can go wrong. The evidence is solid anyway, so the Qins' attempts to get her out have so far failed." Purple reported. 

"Mmh." Shera nodded in satisfaction. "Get more henchmen to be on the look out. A jailbreak cannot happen before the hearing." 

"Understood, Master." Purple went to make arrangements immediately. 

Meanwhile, Shera took out a book from a drawer. 

She opened a page then, she took out a thin brush from the same drawer and brought out ink. 

She dipped the brush in the ink and hovered her hand above a name: Cecilia Qin. 

"After the hearing, things will get more interesting." She laughed confidently. She knew that she didn't have to raise a finger against Cece anymore. Why would she? That woman would meet her own retribution in just a few days. 

So, she crossed out the name 'Cecilia Qin', covering it in ink all the way to the demon smiley she had written beside it. 

"One down, five to go." She raised her hand, feeling her manicured nails. 

"Did you wait too long? 

Cedric Qin, it's your turn."