Rosetta's face turned sour, overshadowing her previous smile, as she angrily stormed out of Ethan's office.
"What's wrong, Miss Jones?" Mike approached her.
"Where did Ethan go?" Rosetta coldly snorted.
"Mr. Frost just left. Do you need something from him?"
Ethan and Amelia went out together, with Amelia holding documents in her hand while Ethan instructed Mike to come to his office. That's why Mike hurried over following the instructions.
Seeing Rosetta's expression, he asked curiously. He kept his eyes fixed on her, observing the gloominess on her face as if a storm was about to come.
He couldn't stand to see women cry. Whenever they cried, he felt helpless and anxious.
Rosetta paused for a moment, calmed herself down, and looked up at Mike. "Did he go out with Ms. Sophia?"
Mike nodded. "Yes, they left together not long ago."
"Doing personal favors. Who knows what they're up to."
Rosetta muttered, wearing a displeased expression, and pushed Mike aside with her arm before walking straight back.
Personal favors, was she referring to the CEO?
"Oh well, nowadays these employees, as long as they have powerful backing, they all have a strong temper and dare to criticize the CEO."
After saying that, Mike watched Rosetta's figure as she walked away. He snapped out of his thoughts, shook his head, and went towards the CEO's office.
"You don't need to come with me. I can go by myself, or you can let Mike accompany me," Amelia said as the black Rolls-Royce cruised on the wide road. She slightly turned her head to look at Ethan.
Ethan glanced at her and asked, "Why? Don't want me to come with you?"
"I just think you're too busy, so it's not necessary," she replied and sat back, gazing ahead.
"How could it be unnecessary? This is also work. Did Daniel ask you to look at the product design in the company or the factory?"
During their conversation, they had arrived at Stellar Group.
"He said at the company, waiting for me there."
Ethan nodded, parked the car, and they both walked in together.
"Hello..."
"We have an appointment. Looking for Mr. Astor, from Grand Group."
Before the receptionist could finish her question, Ethan answered.
"Alright, please go upstairs. Mr. Astor is in his office."
They exchanged smiles and slowly made their way toward the elevator.
"What do you think of Stellar Group?" Ethan asked.
"Of course, it can't be compared to Grand Group. But at least they seem more disciplined. You can tell if a company has proper management by observing how employees handle their work, right?"
With each question and answer, Ethan listened and smiled lightly without responding.
Amelia was still contemplating her answer when they reached Mr. Astor's office.
Knock, knock.
Daniel sat there, carefully examining something in his office.
"Mr. Frost, Ms. Sophia, I didn't expect you both to come together. Please have a seat. Would you like something to drink?"
Ethan casually took a seat, emanating a strong aura, while Amelia sat next to him. "No, thanks. We're here just to take a look. You mentioned that the finished design was ready, right?"
"Hello! Bring up two cups of coffee, thanks." Daniel hung up the phone and nodded at Amelia.
"That's correct. It's already done, and I was just looking at it a moment ago. I think it looks good. Please have a look."
After speaking, he got up and respectfully handed the blueprint over to Ethan.
Ethan took a glance at the blueprint, carefully and attentively. Every data point was clearly marked. He then passed it to Amelia beside him.
Feeling slightly nervous as she received it, after all, it was her first time looking at a blueprint.
"This is the sample? Not bad, the details are well-drawn." Amelia smiled as she looked at it, expressing her satisfaction on her face.
Observing her expression, Ethan took the blueprint back gently, getting straight to the point. "I'm curious about the purpose behind Mr. Astor inviting us to see the design."
Amelia was confused. Wasn't the purpose simply to see if it met the requirements? Why ask such a question? Her eyes blinked as she looked at him.
Daniel paused for a moment, rubbing his fingers back and forth. "Mr. Frost is indeed straightforward. Then let me speak frankly."
Amelia was surprised. What did he mean by that? Weren't they here just to see a contract?
"Alright, Mr. Astor, please go ahead. However, I believe that for this collaboration opportunity, Mr. Astor should cherish it. Of course, if there are feasible suggestions, we will consider them accordingly." Ethan spoke calmly, lightly tapping his fingers on the office desk.
After hearing Ethan's words, Daniel nodded slightly, understanding his intentions. "Mr. Frost, I believe we can discuss the price, right?"
Ethan's previous words about cherishing the opportunity implied that he didn't want an exorbitant price.
Considering suggestions appropriately meant that they were open to reasonable price increases.
Amelia looked at Ethan and realized what was happening. No wonder she was asked to come and not just send the design. No wonder Ethan came along too. This was a situation she had never encountered before.
"Mr. Astor is straightforward indeed. I know you're renowned for quality, and any contract with you would be completed with quality assurance. So, we can accept a slightly higher price as a peace of mind in our collaboration."
Quality assurance and peace of mind were Ethan's bottom line for raising the price.
Daniel paused for a moment, smiled, and said, "Mr. Frost, you flatter me. For the initial phase... "
"...For the initial phase, the price you've offered is absolutely acceptable. If the work is done well, after completion, we can pay an additional 10%, as I believe the quality will definitely meet the standards."
Sitting there, Daniel considered the situation. He hadn't expected Ethan to personally come.
If it were just Ms. Sophia alone or accompanied by someone else, there would have been room for negotiation. But now that Ethan had spoken like this, they could only proceed in this manner. Even if he objected, it would mean canceling the collaboration since production hadn't started officially yet.
"Alright, let's proceed as Mr. Frost suggested."
"..."
The two of them left Stellar Group and got into the car. Amelia let out a sigh of relief.
"I really thought we were just coming to take a look. I didn't expect there would be such requirements."
Ethan looked at her, his lips curling into a smile. His deep eyes were like distant mountains in the night, mysterious and ever-changing.
Thinking back to his negotiation skills earlier, it was truly remarkable. The aura he exuded was different from ordinary people. He had an undeniable presence, calmly asserting his dominance with just a few words.
"It's not surprising. You're just starting out, and you'll come to understand these hidden meanings in the business world."
Raising prices, negotiating deals, seeking benefits—these were all common practices in the business world.
Amelia nodded, feeling a bit deflated. Her sense of pride and confidence had unknowingly diminished. She lowered her head and let out a faint sigh, which reached Ethan's ears.