Chapter 452
Nowadays, with the country flourishing and people becoming wealthier, the accumulation of wealth was more noticeable than ever. As peopleâs wealth grew, tourism had become a major part of many peopleâs spending, especially for the affluent.
The wellâoff crowd didnât give a hoot about how much money they spent. What they cared about were things like the environment, service, and privacy, which the current tourism projects just couldnât deliver
So, the Hartley Group had splashed out big time to secure the land rights of Paradise Bay, with plans to create an ultimate seaside resort that combined leisure, entertainment, business, and office facilities.
The Hartley Group owned the wellâknown luxury hotel chain Blueshell Mansion, renowned worldwide for its lavish and unique decor and loved by rich folks all over the globe
But, Marcus, the guy in charge now, was no longer satisfied with just running the hotel business. He planned to expand his operations to include a range of topâtier services, including leisure and entertainment. No matter what sort of big shot they were, they could find something suitable for themselves on his island.
Marcusâs approval had Robert over the moon. âThanks for your confidence, President Hartley. Iâll personally oversee the project and make sure youâre satisfied,â he said.
âUhâhuh Marcus nodded, not saying anything else.
Robert grabbed Marcusâs hand tight, and when Marcus tried to pull away, he couldnât. âPresident Hartley, my wife has arranged a gathering with some high society ladies in Riverton next month. Sheâd like to invite your wife, if sheâs available?â Robert asked.
Looked like they all saw the news last night and wanted to get in Marcusâs good graces through his wife.
Marcus answered straight up. âMy wife isnât into social gatherings. And my business doesnât need her to make appearances for me.â
Robert laughed awkwardly. âThis isnât a social gathering. Itâs just a few friends getting together for beauty treatments and afternoon tea when we have nothing better to do.â
Marcus glanced at Cornelia, his assistant who he barely knew anything about in terms of hobbies, âCornelia, are you interested in what Robertâs suggesting?â
Cornelia, caught off guard, was a bit uneasy. Why was he asking her when they were talking about his wife?
Being a professional assistant, she answered, âPresident Hartley, Iâm usually very busy with work and donât pay much attention to these things.â
Marcus turned to Robert and said, âMy wife and Cornelia are both workaholics Theyâre not really into these leisure activities.â
Robert tried to argue, but Marcus cut him off, âRobert, donât you have a plane to catch?â
Robert got the hint and replied, âRight. I would have totally forgotten if you hadnât reminded me. Goodbye, President Hartley! Goodbye, Ms. Stewart! Goodbye, Ben!â
Ben showed Robert out, while Cornelia took out a disinfectant wipe from her bag and handed it to Marcus, âPlease wipe your hands first.â
Marcus was a bit of a clean freak, always disinfecting his hands after shaking hands with someone. So, Corneliaâs bag was always stocked with disinfectants and wipes.
Marcus took the wipe and methodically cleaned his hands, âCornelia, do you ever think Iâm a pain?â
âMaybeâ She thought, but she said, âOf course not. Youâre just hygienic, which is a great personal habit.â
Even though she was being polite, Cornelia couldnât help but think about some of Marcusâs quirks. He was a picky eater, a germaphobe, and had all sorts of weird taboos. He was okay as a boss, but as a husband, heâd be a pain in the neck.
Comelia felt relieved that she was just Marcusâs assistant, and not his wife.