Negotiation

Huang Lihua eyes widened in shocked surprise at Emma's suggestion. She blinked a few times before she managed to respond.

"You would be willing to give me your shares?" she said, an excited quiver in her voice.

"Yes, I'm willing to sell you my shares at a fair price," Emma said firmly. "If you help me."

Lihua's eyes were sparkling with excitement. A keen and ambitious woman, she could not forgo the opportunity to acquire shares in Huang Group. After all it was her goal in life to take over the family company when her father eventually retired from his position.

"So you are completely giving up your position as the heiress to Huang Group?" Lihua asked, trying to sound nonchalant. However, her intense gaze gave her away.

Until a few years ago, when their father disowned her, Emma had a good claim on the Huang fortune. In fact, because their grandfather considered Huang Lihua and her brother to be illegitimate children, because their mother had only married their father several years after they were born, Huang Lihua always felt she had been at a disadvantage in the Huang family, despite clearly being the most talented and qualified person to inherit Huang Group.

It had always irked her, that while Emma had shown absolutely no interest in the family business, she was still favoured by many in the clan because she seemed to have her grandfather's backing. Therefore she had always treated Emma as an obstacle in her way, rather than a sister. And it was also the reason why she would be very interested in acquiring Emma's shares, as this would effectively eliminate her as a threat to Lihua's life ambition.

Emma sighed inwardly, seeing some of the calculations going on in her sister's head. No matter how many times she had tried to reassure Lihua that she, Emma, truly had no interest whatsoever in acquiring Huang Group she had always been viewed with hostility and scepticism.

"I have always told you that I have no interest in business or have any desire to be connected to the family or work at Huang Group," Emma said. "Anyway, Father has disinherited me. The only reason I still have the shares is because Grandfather gave them to me, and Father was unable to touch them."

Lihua's lips tightened into a firm expression at the mention of their grandfather. The founder of Huang Group was a very traditional man. Therefore, even though he wasn't particularly attached to Emma, he had let her inherit a large portion of his shares upon his death. It was clearly ment to spite Huang Lihua and her brother, which he had always referred to as 'those illegitimate brats'.

Despite Lihua's animosity towards herself, Emma had always felt that how the old Huang patriarch had treated Huang Lihua and her brother was deeply unfair.

Strictly speaking it would be more fair to simply give Huang Lihua what should have been her alloted portion of the shares, had their Grandfather not been such an unwavering traditionalist, but Emma could not afford to be generous in her present situation.

She was very close to finishing her education to become a nurse, and therefore would hopefully soon be able to earn a decent living, without the necessity to work part-time jobs.

The Huang Group shares had always only been a backup plan, a bargaining chip to be used only if necessary. The main reason for this was that Emma didn't actually posses the shares yet.

Huang Lihua, always the astute businesswoman, had of course caught onto this.

"If I remember correctly," Lihua said slowly, keeping her keen observant eyes on Emma. "You don't currently control those shares. They were put into a trust which you can only access on when you become 25 years old."

"True," Emma had to concede. "I can't give them to you now, but I can promise I will sell them to you once I take possession of them in a years time."

"And what assurances do I have that you will sell those shares to me?" Lihua said sharply.

Emma shrugged. "You will just have to trust me."

Lihua scoffed. "I would require some sort of guarantee. Preferably a written agreement. Your spoken promise means nothing to me," she said harshly.

"Very well," Emma sighed. "But, of course, I too require some guarantees that you can actually fulfill your part." She spoke in a detached tone, but inside she was feeling excited and relieved. It appeared that her sister was at least considering to help her.

Lihua waved a dismissive hand at Emma's last comment. "A night club owner and petty gangster is no problem for me to take care of."

Then she flashed Emma a wide and genuine smile. "We have a deal. I'll help you hide from this obsessive freak, and you will sell me your shares when you take possession of them on your 25th birthday."

Emma felt relief wash over her. Finally, things seemed to be going her way.