Ch 736 - Wheeling and Dealing

On the other end of the phone, Riley said to Si, "You're with Donny? And some members of the Demon sect?"

"Yes," Si replied.

"Then tell Donny that you belong to me," Riley said firmly. "And tell his friends not to make trouble. Otherwise, I'll reply in kind."

"Okay," said Si. "His friend's name is Alex, and it's mainly him I'm having trouble with."

"Alex?" Riley sounded startled as he repeated the name, and then he took a few seconds to think about the situation.

"Yes," Si said. "He came to my hotel, and he's threatening to destroy my reputation in the entertainment business."

"Ah, is that so?" Riley laughed. "Well, I can't help you with that."

Si's eyes widened in surprise when he realized that Riley wouldn't come to his aid and was leaving him to deal with the situation alone. Shock and confusion set in, as he hadn't anticipated that reaction.

He was silent for a long time while he collected his thoughts.

When he spoke again, it was to Alex. "You must be more than just the chairman of Birchwood House if you can keep Riley from getting involved. Who are you? Why do you have so much power?"

Alex laughed. "I'm Alex from the Woodside Clinic. You must know that, right?"

The field of medicine was very highly regarded, and in the time that Harmony Healing ointment had been in production, it had gained a fearsome reputation. So, being in charge of the clinic would indeed put him in a prestigious position.

Si raised his eyebrows and said, "Oh, you're that Alex."

"Yes. So, you do know me." As Alex spoke, he moved quickly and grabbed Si in a headlock. "You need to apologize and compensate Cassidy properly."

When Si squeaked out his agreement, Alex let him go and turned to leave. "Until that's done, you're going to keep having problems."

With that, Alex left the hotel. Debbie hadn't seen anything that had happened and wasn't even aware he had been there.

**

Back at the Naysmiths' building, Riley smashed his phone to the ground. "Damn it! It's Alex again."

Riley and Si had a good relationship, and if it hadn't been for Alex, then Riley would have saved Si because he valued his acquaintance.

The Naysmith family had weathered the storm of the Dynamic Healing powder scandal, but the crisis hadn't completely disappeared, and Riley didn't need any more distractions. They were now in talks with Lindsey Marvel, trying to smooth things over and ensure the Naysmith Group's future.

If there was a new conflict with Alex, Lindsey would take his side and could make life difficult for Riley.

With that in mind, Riley gave up any idea of assisting Si.

"Just wait, Alex," Riley said, gritting his teeth. "This isn't over."

He stood at the window, holding a cup of tea, and his eyes flashed with anger.

One of his assistants came in and said, "Sir, we've discovered who is working against us. We traced the money back to the Fitzroy family and a few others. Please rest assured that we have everything under control, and Alex hasn't taken any action recently."

"Alex is brilliant," Riley said, frowning. "He just sits and waits until he finds the opportune time to pounce."

He knew that he needed to calm down, so he left his cup of tea on the table and lit a cigarette.

"Although I hate Alex, I have to admit that he's extremely clever. He puts others to work for him and controls them from the background, and he anticipates and is able to grasp every opportunity."

His assistant thought about what Riley had said and added, "Mr. Naysmith. About that batch of Harmony Healing we're trying to buy from Lindsey—I made a generous offer to show our sincerity, but she refused, and she was very decisive."

The Robinson Group had not only signed billions of contracts all at once but had also attracted many of the Naysmith Group's customers.

"Currently, Harmony Healing ointment can only be bought at Baltimore General Hospital," the assistant continued. "And each person can only purchase one dose, so there's a shortage of the drug." He sighed. "I've asked several times, but Lindsey was adamant."

Riley frowned. "I don't know Lindsey well," he said. "But I believe that she's a rookie at the hospital. By leaving us out of any sales, she's drawing a clear line in the sand and showing that they don't want to associate with us. Although they stand to gain a lot of money, she is clearly Alex's person and will put him first."

The problems with Quality Pharmaceuticals had already plunged the Naysmith Group into crisis. He had hoped to buy a batch of the new product from Lindsey to repair their reputation and aid the victims.

But, by refusing to sell the medicine to the Naysmiths, she had made Riley very unhappy.

His assistant spoke again. "Lindsey is just a newcomer and is very young. Should she be taught a lesson?" He wasn't very happy with Lindsey at the moment, and he rubbed his hands together in anticipation. He knew that the amazing new healing ointment might truly sink the Naysmith family.

Riley glared at him. "Be polite to Lindsey," he ordered. "She's intelligent, and you never know what may happen if you cross her. But enough about her. What about Yvonne?"

Another of Riley's assistants stepped forward and gave that report. "Yvonne doesn't go out often, and she always has a lot of people to protect her when she does."

Riley's expression grew murderous. Yvonne hadn't listened to his advice, and now he needed someone to kill her.

"The Invisible Sniper is watching for a weak spot or a lapse in concentration," the assistant said. "When he finds it, he'll do his job, but he asked me to clarify that you're certain you want her dead. He doesn't want to have to second-guess his plans at a critical moment."

Once the decision was made final, they would be unable to contact the Invisible Sniper to call it off.

No one knew what the sniper looked like. Riley's men had been very clear in their instructions that the assassin would do the job quietly and then disappear.

Riley's cigarette had gone out, so he ground it into the glass ashtray on the table. "Yvonne's death is of little use to us. Her ability to handle her family's affairs is much better than Jack's. After all, she was born to be the leader of the Wheeler family. However, if she still insists on doing things her own way and continues to dismiss my input, then there'll be no other option. Tell the assassin to just keep an eye on her for now. We'll only replace her with Jack if it becomes necessary."

His assistant nodded. "Okay. I'll do it right away."

Then he turned and left, still thinking about Yvonne.