Chapter 254: Chapter 254: Garrison’s Frustration

Lana took the document and read through it carefully. As she scanned each clause, a satisfied smile slowly formed.

She would have a say within this police unit and could even request assistance up to five times a month.

The limit could also be increased as she provided more resources.

The further she read, the more pleased she became. Almost every clause leaned in her favor.

There was only one exception.

The agreement clearly stated that while the police unit could help her cover up certain matters, anything illegal was strictly off-limits.

When Lana reached that line, she couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

Monica truly was an honest person. Even in a document meant to secure power, her integrity was unmistakable.

Without hesitation, Lana signed her name.

She didn’t bargain. She didn’t request amendments. She didn’t even pause.

Monica stared at the signed contract in disbelief.

She had fully expected weeks of negotiations, perhaps several dinner meetings, or at least a few revisions to soften the clauses about illegal activities.

Yet Lana had done none of that. She had simply signed.

Shock quickly turned into exhilaration. Monica felt as though a heavy weight had finally been lifted from her shoulders.

’With this,’ she thought fervently, ’my unit might truly rise again.’

Gratitude surged through her, and she couldn’t help but feel that luck was finally standing on her side.

The three of them shared a quiet dinner afterward.

Once it ended, Lana returned to her busy routine, cultivating and making arrangements without pause until the day of Betty’s birthday arrived.

As Lana began preparing for the party, she realized with mild frustration that she barely owned any suitable gowns.

While leaving the Almond family, she had only took away a single dress, and even that was outdated, something she had bought with her own hard-earned money.

Now, she was left with almost nothing appropriate.

With no other choice, she decided to go shopping.

Since Betty’s birthday banquet was in the evening, Lana planned to buy something ready-made.

After tidying herself up, she headed straight to the largest mall in the city, the bright lights and bustling crowds already reflecting off the glass doors as she arrived.

Meanwhile, Garrison’s frustration had reached an unbearable level.

He was still seated in the Almond family’s study.

The proposal he had drafted a few days ago lay open on the desk before him, its pages now slightly wrinkled under his clenched fingers.

Ever since those memories had surfaced, he had been confident.

Too confident. He already knew the future developments, the prospects, and exactly how he would multiply his wealth step by step.

The first place that had come to his mind was Hedge City.

That place held immense potential. With a few connections of his own, he had quietly pulled some strings and made an offer to buy twenty acres of land for two hundred million dollars.

At first, the city owner had rejected him outright. Even when Garrison personally spoke to the mayor, the response he received had been lukewarm and evasive.

But he hadn’t been worried.

’Time will break them,’ he had thought back then with absolute certainty. ’They’ll come crawling back.’

And that was exactly what happened.

After two months, their resolve crumbled. The mayor’s attitude shifted entirely, his tone growing noticeably more flattering.

By then, Garrison had already climbed onto his high horse. He believed all he had to do now was lie low and wait to reap the benefits. So he waited a few more days, certain that the mayor would contact him any moment.

But no call came. No message. Nothing.

As the silence dragged on, unease began to creep into his chest.

The familiar certainty he relied on started to crack, replaced by an uncomfortable pressure behind his temples.

Something felt wrong. Finally, unable to sit still any longer, he sent his people out to investigate.

That was when the truth hit him like a slap.

Someone else had already invested in Hedge City.

Not only that, the investor had promised four hundred million dollars for just twenty acres.

Four hundred million.

Garrison’s breath turned shallow as rage surged violently through him.

The reason he had deliberately cut his price in half was because, in his previous life, Hedge City had been desperate.

He hadn’t even considered the possibility of competition. That arrogance made him miscalculate completely. Whoever this investor was, they were far more decisive and far more ambitious than he had expected.

For a brief moment, he wondered if it was one of the early investors. But the thought was quickly dismissed.

In his previous life, most of Hedge City’s land had remained firmly in the owner’s hands.

That stubborn man had even taken on countless odd jobs just to gather enough funds to keep the city running. He had always refused to bow to investors who tried to exploit him.

In the end, he had still been exploited by a few. Yet when he later rose to power, he reclaimed everything he had lost and more.

In this life, Garrison had planned to take advantage early. Not just advantage, but exploitation, calculated and absolute.

That was why he had been so confident his proposal would be accepted. Who could have imagined the owner would refuse again, and worse, allow someone else to swoop in first.

Fury burned through him.

He immediately ordered his bodyguard to dig deeper.

When the name of the investor finally reached him, his expression twisted with venom.

Lana. That bitch.

“She invested four hundred million?” he muttered, disbelief and rage intertwining. “Where the hell did she even get that kind of money?”

His first suspicion fell on Cassandra, her so-called best friend.

He initially assumed Cassandra had transferred the funds. After all, he had his own connections with her.

Far more than most people knew. In fact, he and Cassandra had been involved in a secret relationship. When she had asked him for money before, he hadn’t even hesitated to agree.

He never once imagined she would turn around and give it all to Lana.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep