It was obvious to Theodore what this man was after—more money. "What do you want?" he asked, already anticipating the answer but wanting to hear the man’s price.
O’Neil’s laugh was dripping with shrewdness. "Mr. Reid, you’re a wise businessman. When something is in demand, its price automatically rises."
His gaze flickered to Bella. If Theodore refused to raise the price, he would negotiate with this beauty.
Theodore knew O’Neil would try to push for more, and if the location wasn’t so crucial to his project, he would have walked away without a second thought. "How much are you charging?"
O’Neil laughed again, his voice grating on Bella’s nerves. "This is..."
Before he could finish, Bella, who had been silently fuming, couldn’t hold back any longer. "Wait a moment," she interjected firmly, drawing both men’s attention. "I want to see the property documents first."
Theodore’s irritation spiked; this was a crucial deal, and Bella was supposed to be a silent observer, not an active participant. Tugging her arm slightly, he leaned in and hissed under his breath, "What are you doing? This deal is important to me. Don’t do anything stupid."
Bella met his gaze steadily and reassuringly. "I’m trying to help you," she whispered back. "Just let me check the property documents." She needed to verify her suspicion that this was the same disputed land she had overheard Zack and his assistant discussing.
Theodore, though visibly annoyed, hesitated for a moment before nodding curtly. He wasn’t thrilled about her interference, but something in her tone made him relent.
Bella flashed a polite smile at O’Neil and extended her hand across the table. "Documents, please."
O’Neil’s nervousness was barely concealed as he reluctantly handed over the manila folder. He couldn’t outright refuse her, fearing to offend Theodore. He watched with a tight smile as Bella began to scrutinize the papers.
As Bella flipped through the documents, her suspicions were confirmed—this was indeed the disputed land on Heritage Avenue. Her stomach clenched with anger.
How dare this man try to deceive Theodore? The project was too important, and she couldn’t allow anyone to take advantage of him.
"Mr. O’Neil," Bella began, "these documents pertain to the land on Heritage Avenue. Are you absolutely sure this is the property you intend to sell us?"
"Yes, Miss Dawn. It’s a prime location, perfect for the plaza project." O’Neil’s words dripped with confidence.
Bella’s expression darkened, and she snapped the folder shut with a loud thud. "Then we are not interested."
The room fell into stunned silence.
O’Neil’s smile disappeared all of a sudden, his confident demeanor wavering. A flicker of uncertainty flashed across his face as he tried to comprehend the sudden shift in the conversation.
Theodore looked at Bella, caught off guard by Bella’s bold declaration. She had just taken control of the situation in a way he hadn’t expected, and although he was still annoyed by her interference, a part of him was impressed by her boldness.
He wanted to interject, to silence her. But he simply continued to watch her in awe, eager to see how she was going to handle this man.
"We won’t be doing business with you, Mr. O’Neil," she said firmly, turning to Theodore. "Let’s go."
Theodore was still trying to process what had just happened. He stood up, his earlier annoyance fading into a grudging respect for Bella’s keen judgment.
Before Theodore could take a step toward the door, O’Neil jumped to his feet and snarled, his tone dripping with condescension. "Mr. Reid, I thought your secretary was wise, but it seems she doesn’t understand the value of this land."
Bella’s eyes flashed with anger. "Do you think we’re fools?" she shot back. "You’re trying to deceive us with this disputed land! You think you can hide the truth and take advantage of us?"
O’Neil’s composure cracked, panic flickering across his face. "Disputed? Hide the truth? What are you talking about?" His voice was laced with feigned outrage, but the anxiety in his eyes betrayed him.
"Theodore, don’t go through with this deal," Bella urged. "He has already mortgaged the land and is now trying to sell it to collect more money. He is a fraud."
Theodore stared at her, stunned by her claim. If what she said was true, why hadn’t he known? Why hadn’t Skyler uncovered this during the initial investigations? Confusion and doubt swirled in his mind.
"I’m telling you the truth," Bella insisted, her eyes locking onto Theodore’s. "If you don’t believe me, reinvestigate."
O’Neil’s face drained of color, his earlier bravado crumbling. He swallowed hard, realizing that his carefully crafted scheme was unraveling before his eyes. How had this woman discovered the truth? If her claims were proven, he was finished.
Desperation crept into O’Neil’s voice as he tried to defend himself. "I don’t know what she is talking about. She must have received incorrect information. There is nothing wrong with this land. She is slandering me."
"Enough!" Theodore roared. Whether or not the land was disputed, something was off, and he couldn’t afford to ignore it. He would be looking into it thoroughly.
Theodore’s eyes burned with determination as he stared at O’Neil. If Bella was right, he had narrowly avoided a disastrous mistake.
"We will be thoroughly investigating this," Theodore continued, his voice cold and commanding. "And if there’s even a hint of deceit, you will regret ever trying to do business with me."
O’Neil’s face twisted with fear, realizing that his scheme was on the verge of collapsing.
"This discussion is over," Theodore said, his tone final. He glanced at Bella with gratitude in his eyes.
The door suddenly burst open, and Skyler stumbled in, his face flushed and his breath ragged. The room went silent as all eyes turned to him.
Theodore’s brow furrowed in confusion; Skyler was supposed to be working on the surprise he had planned for Bella. What was he doing here?
"Sir! Don’t sign the deal," Skyler shouted, his words almost tumbling over each other. "There is something wrong with this land."
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