When Kathleen had threatened to deal with him, he didn’t take it for granted following her past precedents.

The contract was the only way he felt she could use to get to him, so he was prepared for the worst and didn’t dare drop his guard until the contract had been signed.

True to his foreboding, Jason’s next words proved that he had not been anxious for nothing.

"That would have been the reasonable thing to do but there is a problem." Jason uttered much to Shawn’s expectations.

"So what is it this time? Are you calling it off like you did the last time?" Shawn did not mince words as he stated his suspicions.

Jason was somewhat taken aback by Shawn’s direct approach, and felt that his work was even made easier. "There is no need sugarcoating the whole situation since you will still find out."

"My sister wants us to cancel the collaboration," Jason revealed.

Shawn did not look surprised as he already foresaw this outcome.

What he didn’t know was how far Kathleen was determined to go in order to deal with him.

Losing contracts worth billions of dollars twice were blows that hit directly below the belt and he didn’t deny that they were all heart wrenching.

But if it will make her feel satisfied and fully avenged, he didn’t mind lending her a hand in doing so.

After all, there was no apology he would give that would wipe off the hurt he had caused her, both in the past and at present.

He glanced at Jason who was waiting for him to throw a tantrum or storm out in annoyance and casually said,

"Why call me here to do just that? You could have just done it over the phone instead of wasting everyone’s time."

Jason at this moment couldn’t help but admire Shawn’s resilience but his expression showed nothing of his thoughts, rather it looked scornful.

"Do you need to pretend that much? It’s a collaboration worth hundreds of billions that we are talking about here."

"What were you expecting to see, Jason?" Shawn’s voice sounded more like an elder brother who has uncovered his younger brother’s secret motive, especially the way he had said, "Jason".

Actually he could be considered an elder brother since he was five years older than Jason.

"If my wife thinks that crippling me will make her feel better, I am willing to break my two arms in addition just to see her happy."

"Spare me your sentimental nonsense," Jason sneered, making no attempt to hide his disdain. "She is not your wife."

"But nobody can deny the fact that we are married, no matter how you look at it, we are a couple legally bound by law."

"You don’t deserve my sister," Jason snapped. Then after a brief moment added reluctantly,

"But it’s quite unfortunate that someone else doesn’t think so and that is why I’m here."

Shawn saw a ray of hope from Jason’s words and his desolate heart revived a bit.

A light tapping sound on the door momentarily interrupted the tense silence that lingered between Shawn and Jason.

Following closely behind the manager, who entered after a few seconds, was a valet carrying a beautifully adorned tray, on which rested a bottle of exquisite wine and two glasses.

The unmistakable undercurrent of rivalry and strained cordiality hanging in the air didn’t escape the astute observation of the manager as he guided the valet to carefully set the tray down on the table.

"I thought you might appreciate a fine selection from our wine cellar. This particular vintage comes highly recommended."

With precision and finesse, the manager personally poured the wine into the glasses, the rich aroma wafting through the air,

"Please, enjoy the wine. If there’s anything else I can assist you with, please don’t hesitate to ask."

With a courteous nod, the manager steps back, leaving the two men to their business,

Shawn reached out and took one of the glasses of wine. He took a sip from the glass, letting its flavors linger on his palate as he savored the taste.

"Here," he said, handing the second glass to Jason. "You will love it."

"I don’t need you to serve me." Jason hesitated for a moment before receiving the glass from Shawn.

With just a sip from the glass, his expression softened as he also savored the taste, visibly impressed by the wine’s quality. He took another sip, relishing the flavors.

"See? Sometimes it’s worth indulging in the finer things, instead of expending all your strength fighting your impressive brother in-law."

He gestured for Jason to enjoy the wine further.

Jason smirked, "I wouldn’t be so full of myself if I were you."

However he still took another sip but more slowly this time, appreciating its nuances.

As they both enjoyed the wine, the initial tension seemed to ease a bit, replaced by a shared moment of appreciation for the exquisite drink. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"You know, Jason, I don’t mind if we hang out some more in the future."

Jason also felt so but there was no way he was giving Shawn the pleasure of knowing his thoughts. Besides, his sister will never forgive him if she finds out he had such a cordial relationship with her perceived enemy.

"Not interested," he uttered, which earned him a slight chuckle from Shawn.

"What did you mean by what you said before the manager came in?" Shawn asked. He was more relaxed than when he first came in.

"My father is not in agreement with my sister’s decision," Jason blurted out without warning.

Shawn almost choked on his drink but stilled himself just in time. Only a faint sound that sounded like someone clearing his throat escaped.

’At least there was still one sane person in the family that was still rational and knew how to do business, weighing the profit against losses,’ he thought in relief.

But his relief was short lived by Jason’s next words.

"But he has a condition."

"What is his condition?" Shawn asked after a space of measured silence.