Ch 662 - The Verbal Contract

"Julie, what do you think about all of this?" Riley asked, smiling at her. "Don't worry. You'll get a generous reward for bringing me this news. You'll have more money than you know what to do with."

"If you want my honest opinion, then here it is," Julie said. "But don't shoot the messenger. Okay?"

Riley frowned, but he said nothing. Instead, he gestured for Julie to continue.

"As soon as Golden Health becomes available, things are going to change," she said. "It's not just about the money. Alex will become a powerful man, and no one will dare offend him. After all, he has mastered the most advanced biotechnology in the world! People will clamor for his attention, and he will be untouchable. Can you live with that?"

Riley flushed, but he remained silent.

"Exactly," Julie said, nodding. "No matter how wealthy or successful you are, will you be able to look at Alex without being jealous? You know what it's like to have such a powerful enemy. As for your business, you know how that will be affected by Golden Health, so I don't have to explain. It's your company, so you need to make the decisions."

She finished speaking and waited calmly for Riley to respond.

Riley put down his wineglass and sighed. He understood everything Julie had said, but he still wasn't sure what to do, and he didn't have a plan. He rubbed at his temples. Dealing with Alex was giving him a headache.

He knew he couldn't risk attacking Alex directly. If he was careless, Alex would turn the tables and destroy him—he tended to retaliate swiftly and violently, and even when his opponents survived, their lives were ruined.

Riley was cautious, so he wasn't sure he was ready to take the risk. Julie had explained the situation and had encouraged him to act now, but he needed a solid plan.

He smiled at Julie and said, "You're right, of course, but I have many things to consider. Alex's reputation isn't that important to me. I'm a businessman. Everything comes down to profit. It has nothing to do with Alex personally." He forced a chuckle. "Obviously, I'm not afraid of him, but we have to be smart about this."

He narrowed his eyes on her. "You said that you're a trusted employee of the Robinson Winery. What exactly is your position there? I don't believe I've ever asked."

"I'm Maryann's personal assistant," Julie said proudly. "Most employees don't have access to Maryann's office, but I do. I can just walk right in at any time. I may not hold a position of authority, but everything goes through me at some point. Whenever Maryann goes on a business trip, I book the flights and the hotel for her. I even handle some things in her personal life. Honestly, I'm more like a friend than just an employee."

"That's excellent," Riley said, his eyes lighting up with pleasure. He liked the idea of Julie betraying Maryann and catching her off guard. "That should make things easier. Maryann is in charge of Robinson Winery, but she can't possibly understand the secret recipe. She's very close to Alex, and I'm sure they don't keep secrets from each other, so she must know the recipe for Golden Health."

Riley looked meaningfully at Julie, who knew what he was getting at.

"As you're so close to Maryann, she'll never see you coming," he said. "If you can get the secret recipe from Maryann, then they'll have to stop making it."

"Can't you get it from Alex?" Julie asked, frowning slightly.

"No, we don't want to tip him off," Riley said. "Alex's martial arts skills are incredible, and we can't provoke him. He's not an ordinary person, so we have to be careful around him. No, we should take the easier path. Maryann trusts you, so you should be able to use that against her."

Julie opened her mouth to respond, but Riley continued talking.

"I know your family doesn't have much money. I will reward you for your efforts, and I'm sure you'll be happy with the compensation. To prove my sincerity, I'll deposit fifty thousand dollars in your account. And, once the job is done, I promise to pay you five hundred thousand." He sat back, watching her closely, knowing she wouldn't be able to resist the lure of that much money.

Julie's expression brightened, and she laughed. "It's a kind offer," she said. "But I'm afraid that's not enough. After all, I have a good salary at the winery, and I'm not likely to keep my job if I'm discovered. Your money won't last long when I'm out of work and have no references. I'm not an idiot." She shook her head. "No, that's nowhere near enough money for me to risk my job and reputation. If you want my help, you'll have to do much better than that."

She turned around and strode toward the door.

"Wait a minute," Riley said. "Why don't we talk this over? We can always negotiate. How about this? I'll give you a hundred thousand now, and then a million later. I have no intention of cheating you." He had made up his mind to keep Julie around, so he was prepared to compromise on the money.

Riley took out his laptop and asked for her bank details. Then he transferred the initial payment, showing her the screen as proof. After that, he made a phone call, and moments later, someone delivered a credit card. Riley handed it to Julie.

"You can use this card for expenses," he said.

"Well, okay then. What do you want me to do?" she asked, smiling as she put the card into her bag.

"I want you to obtain the secret recipe," Riley said. "Write down all the raw materials of Golden Health, and then give the list to me. When you get your hands on the recipe, call me, and I'll arrange a meeting. Once you hand it over, I'll transfer the rest of the money."

"Aren't you afraid that I'll just take the money and the card and disappear?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not at all," Riley said, shrugging. "This is an agreement between two honorable people, and I consider it a legally binding verbal contract. That means neither of us can go back on our word." He grinned. "You wouldn't want me to sue you, would you?"