To Love You Again

***

At the same time in Country EU, the ripples of the turbulent storm that was about to come had reached this place as well. 

One of the core members of EU Organization slammed down his phone in anger.

What did they mean that all channels were blocked?!

They could not do any tradings in the past week because all secured channels were blocked by a powerful group! The Abromich faction had been pressuring them underground.

They suffered a great deal of losses too. Because the old channels could not be used to transport the parcels, they tried used another way. However, because it was not a secured channel, their parcels were robbed instead! 

Tremendous losses!

Why was this happening?

If this continued on, his underground business that had constantly provided him large amounts of income would go bankrupt. Without the support of his business down below, how could he keep up with his business dealings at the front? 

He had been silently transferring funds from his clean businesses to various accounts for legitimate money and was using the income from his underground dealings to cover up for the transfers. Now that the income ceased, how would he be able to cover up these gaps?!

In fact, private injection of funds from his own pocket could temporarily cover the gaps.

However, the man could not bear to give up the great profits from the underground trade. He was not ready to give it up yet. 

He must find a way! 

As a fellow businessman who valued interest above all, he knew that the Abromich faction was pressuring him with a reason.

The man called his secretary. "Find out what the Abromich family wants. Tell them that we are willing to negotiate."

It did not only happen to this man but to all the core members of EU Organization who had dealings with the underworld in Country EU.

Abromich responded to them right away. 

[Impeach Xiong Mai on her position in EU Organization.]

This condition stupefied the members. They could not answer right away.

Xiong Mai was a great leader. All of the members in EU had greatly benefited after joining the organization with her lead. Even though she was of foreign descent and also a woman, they respected her sincerely after seeing her achievements with their own eyes.

Displacing the head would cause major quakes in the organization. Their own interests might be also damaged in the process.

They could not decide for a moment.

***

At the same day that the people got the response from the Abromich family, in Xiong Mai's residence, she suddenly received a report from her secretary.

"President, someone had left this for you in the company. The man said that it is urgent so I decided to bring it to you." 

The secretary knew her boss's attitude well. Unusual things like this should be reported to her boss immediately.

Xiong Mai was surprised to see a sealed wax letter envelope addressed to her. 

Who would use this kind of old way of communication when one could just call her secretary or send them an email? 

Xiong Mai opened the letter curiously.

After reading a few lines, she frowned.

It was about the signature again, but this time, the approach was not polite and business-like as before.

It clearly was a warning, no, it was more appropriate to say that it was a threat.

[...We badly need your signature. Our sincerity is expressed enough in the offer, and it is still open for more conditions agreeable to both parties. We hope to hear positive response from you, or else we will be left with no choice but to resort to other methods to convince you--]

Xiong Mai stopped reading and handed the paper to her secretary. "Nina, throw this out." 

The secretary took the paper swiftly.

Xiong Mai: "If that person who gave this letter comes again, send them away. Do not entertain any people approaching me regarding this matter again."

"Yes, President."

"Call the security team and tell them to tighten the security in our building. We can't let rats enter and dirty the premises."

She had already refused yet the other party was still adamant about getting it.

They obviously held no intentions to stop easily.

******

Two days later, as Xiong Mai expected, she received another letter from the same sender.

[We have sincerely expressed ourselves enough in our desire to get your signature. However, we failed to hear any reply from you within the two-day period. We are left with no choice but to make the first move. The offer still stands...]

Xiong Mai put the paper down. 

The way the people behind this letter threaten her was oddly polite. 

They sent her letters first before making their move. Clearly, they thought highly of her yet at the same time had the means to challenge her.

What could it be that they have against her which made them confident?

Xiong Mai turned to her trusted assistant. "Are there any news lately from IAmFashionista?"

"Not yet that I have heard of. Since the passing of Mr. Luo until now, the organization has been quiet. However, there are some speculations that Mr. Cang would temporarily stand in as the new organizer." The trusted assistant had been investigating these matters ever since they first received the proposal regarding the said organization.

"Hmm." Xiong Mai's fingers tapped on the doc.u.ments. "Indeed, it's been oddly quiet ever since Mr. Luo's passing. I thought those greedy wolves will come forward and snatch the position right away, but years had passed and the first move is only done today. Why did these people waited so long?"

The trusted assistant found it suspicious too. She laid out her guess. "Perhaps, there had been a struggle or conflict that we are not aware of?"

Xiong Mai narrowed her eyes. "It is possible. However, no matter how small or discreet the fight is, the legendary families and the huge factions would not have let it slide." 

Xiong Mai put her hand on her chin while she fell into deep thoughts.

Truthfully, she was not interested in any power struggle where she knew that she had to dirty her hands. No matter how great the temptation of that position was, she would not covet it. 

Because that position would require literal bloodshed to fully secure.

However, it was a different matter to other people who had great appetites. It so happened that many of the VVIPs possessed a voracious attitude. Without a doubt, they would fight over such a filling delicacy.

The strangest thing was that no one coveted this delicacy, or to be more precise, no one made a move in these four years to take away this position.

The interior of the spacious office fell silent.

A thought occured to Xiong Mai suddenly.

"Perhaps, a faction had already been preparing for it beforehand before the position even vacated?"

"If that so, they would be one step ahead of the others in striking, not giving anyone a chance to fight back," the assistant commented.

Xiong Mai: "What if they intend to swallow those who wanted to covet the same position and draw them to their side?"

The assistant paused. "The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it, is it?"

To reach the peak she was at now, Xiong Mai possessed an uncanny instinct. Hearing these words, the nagging premonition grew stronger.

Xiong Mai looked at the paper, at the letters which constantly asked for her signature.

"If that is so, then I was wrong all along. It may look like they just made a move after four full years, but they actually have already started long ago. Then it'll be too late for everyone else to react once they entered the eyes of the public." 

The assistant was stunned by her boss's own musing. It was a bold idea but reasonable and strangely persuasive.

Silence fell again.

"Then what do you plan to do?" The assistant broke the silence.

"I want to see how far their connection has pervaded. They blatantly told me that they have the means to challenge me. I wonder how they plan to do that." Xiong Mai touched the paper. "Will they be able to force me to sign it or not?"

Xiong Mai was a practical person. If the person she was facing was much more powerful and troublesome than she could deal with, then there would be no harm in conceding in defeat. But it did not mean that she would become their ally. 

***

(A/n: Mr. Luo was the organizer of IAmFashionista. He was the head of the said organization. But even he was the head of that powerful organization, he did not use IAmFashionista's influence in any means for his own good. That was why he maintained that position for a long time with the support of all VVIPs. 

Anyway, we are now slowly entering the deep murky water~