Chapter 28: Superficial Brotherhood

"Good girl, sleep, be good." The man patiently patted her back, along with his lulling tone...

She tried hard to open her eyes, but she was really too sleepy...

The next day.

Vito Steakhouse.

Elliana Lyle had already eaten two servings of pudding at table G, yet Luna was nowhere to be seen.

They agreed to meet at 9, but now it's 11. She wasn't answering her phone, nor replying to messages. Elliana felt she had been stood up.

Just as she was feeling frustrated, a little girl in Lolita walked by. She was short, cute, with pigtails.

However, this little girl sat directly across from her, sucking on a lollipop.

"Little girl, sorry, someone's sitting here. I'm waiting for my friend," Elliana quickly said, not because she was stingy, but because there were still empty tables at the restaurant.

The little girl frowned slightly, stared at her strangely, and finally said, "What? You have plans with someone else?"

This voice had a certain pressure, who could have thought that a little girl would have the voice of a queen?

Wait!

This voice!

Why does it sound so familiar to Elliana?

She tentatively asked, "Are you... Luna?"

"It's me. You seem very surprised to see me?" Luna said and waved the waiter over.

Elliana was momentarily at a loss for words. She couldn't have imagined this little girl, looking not yet an adult, was a detective?

"Big brother~ bring two servings of sirloin for me and my sister, I want mine with black pepper, fully cooked, or I'll get a tummy ache."

When Elliana heard Luna's cute yet unpretentious childlike tone, she was stunned. Was this a voice actress?

Then Luna looked at Elliana and asked, "Sister~ what flavor do you want?"

"Uh... the same as yours."

After the waiter left, Elliana still picked up her phone and sent a WeChat message to Luna, and the little girl's phone rang.

Alright, accept the reality.

Elliana truly didn't expect that Luna would be such a little child. Are kids this amazing nowadays?

"Don't look at me with such odd eyes, I'm twenty-eight." Luna said.

"You maintain yourself very well, very well!" Elliana, having her thoughts seen through, awkwardly laughed.

After finishing the steak, Elliana paid and followed Luna out of the restaurant.

Luna said, "I have important matters today, you should head back first."

"What's so important?"

...

— South City, Roland Brokerage Company.

CEO's office.

Knock, knock knock.

"CEO, Mr. Lee has arrived," the assistant said from outside the door.

"Please come in." Cameron Southwell took off his glasses he had put down, sitting and waiting for the guest to enter.

The assistant opened the door respectfully and bowed his head to let Matthew Lee in first.

"Old Lee, have a seat." Cameron Southwell smiled affably, nothing like the gloomy demeanor of yesterday.

Then he added, "Little Ye, serve some tea for Mr. Lee."

"Oh, Cameron my old friend, you're being too polite." Matthew Lee sat across from Cameron Southwell, the two seemed like old brothers who haven't seen each other for years.

Even their greetings were very friendly.

In reality, many years ago, they were indeed good brothers, starting a business together, but as time passed, both valued personal interests over brotherly ties.

"Mr. Lee, please enjoy the tea." The assistant, having received a signal from Cameron Southwell, put down the teacup and left the office.

Matthew Lee picked up the teacup, taking a small sip and couldn't help but marvel, "Good tea, Cameron my old friend, is this from the old well of Lion Peak? Indeed, it's delicate yet far-reaching, fragrant and clear."

"All bought by my son. Old Lee, if you like it, take some home with you. Shane is also someone you've watched growing up." Cameron Southwell chuckled happily.

"Sigh, Cameron my old friend, I'm afraid you didn't invite me here today just to drink tea, did you?"

Matthew Lee got straight to the point, knowing that Cameron Southwell must seek something from him today. Both were waiting for the other to state their terms.

Seeing Matthew Lee being so direct, Cameron Southwell didn't beat around the bush, sighed and asked, "Ah, it's my failure in educating my son, Old Lee, name your conditions."

Hearing Cameron Southwell say this, Matthew Lee appeared warm and pleasant, hurriedly saying, "Oh, Cameron my old friend, what are you talking about? Shane, that child, is someone I've watched from a young age, and I saw potential in him back then."

"As an uncle, naturally I don't hold grudges. Young people, who doesn't make mistakes?"

With a shift in tone, Matthew Lee shook his head helplessly, "It's not that I don't forgive him, it's that the other shareholders want to pursue the matter to the end. As leaders, you and I must provide an explanation to the others."

"Ai, my son is still young, Old Lee, how about this: I'll give up ten percent of my shares to divide among our brothers, and let's settle this matter at that." Cameron Southwell reached out and patted Matthew Lee's hand.

This ten percent share was a significant giveaway, considering Cameron Southwell owned fifty-five percent of the company shares. Giving away ten percent left him with only forty-five percent.

Matthew Lee showed a troubled expression, pondering for a long time before saying, "Alright, I'll talk to them about it."

Hearing this, Cameron Southwell breathed a sigh of relief, but he wasn't a fool, knowing that the number of shares represented his influence.

Seeing Matthew Lee agree, he added, "Old Lee, the shares being distributed should not be transferred further."

Hearing this, Matthew Lee was visibly stunned. The ability to transfer or not was a world of difference.

However, getting ten percent out of Cameron Southwell was good enough, and as they were all ostensibly brothers, they couldn't tear into each other.

"Alright then, Cameron my old friend, I'll go tell them now. Whether it works out depends on everyone." Matthew Lee couldn't provide a firm reassurance to Cameron Southwell.

Cameron Southwell remained unbothered, happily saying, "Alright, thank you for the trouble."

Assistant Little Ye saw Matthew Lee off and returned to find Cameron Southwell looking serious and silent.

"CEO, what do you think Mr. Lee means?" Little Ye couldn't help but worry.

"Little Ye, I'm tired. Arrange for the shareholder meeting the day after tomorrow, I need a break." Cameron Southwell spoke in a feeble tone, having paid a great price for his troublesome son.

Giving away ten percent, combined with his son's five percent, left just fifty percent altogether.

If those shareholders united, they would indeed be able to oppose him.

What was temporarily advantageous was that one small shareholder with three percent was his wife's brother.

But it was still early, and whether Matthew Lee would succeed was unknown. If not, he would have to send Shane abroad to hide.

— North City, 2 p.m.

Elliana had already returned to the hotel, seated before her computer, contacting the victimized girls one by one.

However, whenever she mentioned what Jianfeng and Adrian had done to them, Elliana was directly blocked by the girls.

She needed to find a way to get these girls to sue Jianfeng and Adrian, not just for her own revenge, but also to reduce further victims.

Initially, she didn't want to directly criminalize Jianfeng and Adrian. She wanted to uncover more.

However, Jianfeng and Adrian were being instructed by George Lyle and could not reach Shane Southwell.

George Lyle thus became the key, but nothing could be found about George Lyle.

The man was inexplicably clean; according to Luna, he was even a philanthropist who donated to an elementary school.

Inability to uncover George Lyle's oddity meant there was no way to settle Shane Southwell's crimes either.

Currently, Roland's breach of contract issue didn't cause a shareholder uproar, indicating that Cameron Southwell already protected Shane Southwell.

The only means to calm shareholder anger would likely be shares. She did not know how much Cameron Southwell offered, but she regretted not seeing Shane go to jail.