What Separates Me and You



Horace trembled and said, "At least 2 billion."

That left Josephine speechless. She looked at the two and asked, "Don't tell me you expect me to convince Lewis to be an investor."

Conrad chuckled. "Mrs. Alvarez, 2 billion is nothing to Chairman Alvarez. Forget about 2 billion-he'll give you 20 billion if you ask him."

"Didn't he want to run the company himself? Doesn't he care about keeping it alive?" Josephine retorted.

"What he wants isn't Moss Corporation," Conrad replied. "He only desires to end any future problems. The company would've become a subsidiary of Alvarez Corp long ago if it weren't under your name."

Josephine felt the onset of a headache. "Then, let's let Lewis buy the company."

"The company will still need investment funds after getting acquired. Plus, Chairman Alvarez must pay more than 2 billion for the acquisition and investment funds. With Moss Corporation's current state, purchasing it would only burden Chairman Alvarez.

"He'd have to clean up the company's mess. He would never do such an unbeneficial thing. Again, the only exception is if you ask him to do it."

At that rate, Josephine understood the situation. Lewis had previously told her to visit Moss Corporation as a setup. He wanted her to ask him for help.

"What happens if we run out of capital funds?" she asked.

Horace answered, "We'll go broke. After all, you know we mainly work in construction. We have thousands of workers who rely on the wages we give them. If we fail to pay them-well, you're the boss, so I imagine you know what happens next."

Josephine grew tense. She recalled a television drama where many employees protested outside a company's entrance. They demanded to receive the money they had worked hard for.

Her chest tightened at how Derek had given her a company filled with problems. "How much of the remaining money in the company's account can we still use?"

"About 700 or 800 million."

Josephine's jaw dropped. Moss Corporation was a listed company, so how could they have so little money in their account? She couldn't imagine how much funds Derek had invested into projects.

"Let me think about it for a bit." Josephine lost interest in Moss Corporation at once and stood to say, "I'm heading off now."

Seeing the former leave the conference room worried Horace, who shot a frown at Conrad. "Mr. Berg, will things work out?" Conrad returned Horace's stares with a reassuring look. "Don't worry."

He still had some shares in Moss Corporation. Naturally, he didn't want to see the company go bankrupt. In truth, the best solution was if Lewis acquired the company.

Lewis' bountiful wealth could allow Moss Corporation's projects to proceed smoothly. The return of profits from all those projects once they got completed would be immeasurable.

Moss Corporation once earned monthly profits. Alas, the expenses of their current projects had far outweighed their income. That was why they got stuck in such an awkward situation.

Derek was at fault for investing over 80 billion of the company's funds into various projects. He had deliberately left them with a buttload of problems. Conrad exchanged a few more words with Horace before catching up with Josephine.

Josephine had waited for Conrad in the car park.

An exhale left his lips as he opened the door for her. "Go on, Mrs. Alvarez."

Josephine's brows knitted into a deep V when she got inside.

Conrad would steal glimpses at her during the drive. He eventually cleared his throat to ask, "Mrs. Alvarez, why don't you ask Chairman Alvarez to acquire the company if you don't wish to manage it?"

"How much would it cost him to acquire it?"

Conrad pondered before answering, "Probably over 100 billion. That's if we're calculating based on the current market value."noveldrama

That made Josephine scrunch her lips to one side. She felt they were better off asking Lewis to invest in the company.

Conrad soon sent her back to Styx Mansion. Before getting out of the car, he reminded her again, "The fate of Moss Corporation is in your hands now, Mrs. Alvarez."

Josephine pretended not to hear him as she exited the car. She entered the mansion and learned Lewis was still working on the couch. She hastily paced toward him, then examined him up close.

Lewis lifted his head to smile at her. "Oh, you're back. What do you think about the company?"

"It's whatever. Did you do it on purpose?" Josephine asked.

"Do what on purpose?"

Josephine sat down before huffing. "I don't want Moss Corporation anymore. Take it back."

"The only way I can take it back is to formally acquire it. After all, we can't just transfer shares among us casually. Are you saying this because you intend to sell the company to me?"

"Does that mean you're willing to acquire it?" Josephine raised a brow dubiously.

"Of course I am. However, Alvarez Corp doesn't have that much money to acquire it now. You'll need to wait for a bit."

Josephine didn't quite believe him, but she couldn't ask to see Alvarez Corp's financial accounts either. So, she had only one choice left. Josephine needed to convince Lewis to become an investor.

Still, she had to tackle a problem. She wouldn't be able to cut ties with him in the future if she asked him for help with the investment funds now. After all, all Lewis needed was to say no as the investor, and Moss Corporation would fall into a severe lack of funds.

Josephine would have no choice but to seek him out then. He was wealthy enough that he had no issues sacrificing the investment money to toy with Josephine.

"Lewis, did you know Derek had spent all of Moss Corporation's funds when you signed the contract with him?" she asked.

A chuckle came from Lewis. "Hey, don't blame me for it. How am I capable of knowing that?"

"Of course, you're capable. Oh, forget it. I doubt you'd admit it if you knew. Mr. Hayes says we need 2 billion to get by for now."

Shock flickered in Lewis' eyes as he asked, "Are you discussing a business collaboration or asking for money?"

"Is there a difference?"

"Of course, there is. We should do things formally if you intend to collaborate with me. Meanwhile, if you're asking me for money, it's only just that I spoil you with however much money you need as your husband. I can transfer the funds to your account right now."

That nearly choked Josephine, but she suddenly remembered something important. "Is our marriage certificate authentic?"

"Feel free to verify its authenticity."

"Why, you!" Josephine didn't know what to say. She didn't want to ask him for money, but she knew Lewis likely had a trick against her if she did things formally.

Her lips parted, then pursed shut as she swallowed the words that nearly left her mouth.

She wondered if there was another solution that didn't require Lewis to invest in Moss Corporation. At that thought, she shot to her feet and headed upstairs.

Josephine locked herself in her bedroom before texting Seth. She gave him a summary of the situation and asked if he had any solutions for her. Yet, he never replied.

Josephine didn't know whether he was busy or asleep because of the time difference. Eventually, she tossed her phone onto the bed in frustration. She lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling. That was when she recalled what Conrad had told her last night. Likewise, the scene of Lewis' tough talk from moments ago surfaced in her mind. It made her grab her hair out of frustration.

Her phone rang just then.

She hurriedly looked at it and saw it was a text from Seth. He asked her to send the list of business projects Seth had previously invested in. It delighted Josephine, who quickly contacted Conrad and asked him to send her the project information.

Conrad worked efficiently. He sent the entire file in under 20 minutes.

Josephine didn't bother checking the document and merely forwarded it to Seth.

When Seth received it, he texted her, "Don't worry. Let me take a look at it for now."

Josephine finally felt at ease.

Someone suddenly knocked outside her room. It jolted her so much that she quickly kept her phone.

"It's time to have your meal, Mrs. Alvarez."

Josephine sighed only after realizing it was Mrs. Larson's voice. She deleted her conversation with Seth, then went downstairs with her phone. Lewis was already seated in the dining room when she got there. His strange stares swept from Josephine's head to toe as if he knew what she had done upstairs.

Her chest constricted with guilt. She averted Lewis' stares while drinking her herbal concoction.

Little did she expect his cold voice to break the silence. "I guess you trust Seth more than me."