A Bumpy Road to Power

Chapter 458 458: Piercing the Window Paper

"This Dirk Carter is indeed not simple. It seems this person cannot be kept."

Next door to the top-ranked private room.

In a dimly lit small room.

Hua Jie crossed her arms, watching Dirk Carter on the screen facing them, mumbled.

Three minutes later.

Boone Jacobson pushed open the private room door.

"Minister Carter, I sincerely apologize, something came up unexpectedly. I'll have them serve the dishes right away!" he exclaimed.

Dirk Carter, seated on a chair, waved his hand and said, "No need, I've already had my fill today."

"Already full?"

Boone Jacobson was stunned.

Dirk Carter pointed at Hadley Grant standing beside him and said, "Miss Quinn is a feast for the eyes. Your hospitality, Mr. Jiang, is indeed unique."

Boone Jacobson paused for a moment.

Then said, "Minister Carter, I truly apologize."

After apologizing again, he sternly scolded Hadley Grant, "Quinn, what have you done to make Minister Carter displeased?"

Still wanting to put on the act, Dirk Carter lost interest and interrupted him, saying, "Mr. Jiang, I've played along with your act, but now let's be direct. If Mr. Jiang plans to only put on a show today, then I shall take my leave."

He finished speaking and stood up.

Boone Jacobson panicked.

He glanced at Hadley Grant.

She obediently left.

Sat down beside Dirk Carter, exhaled deeply, and said, "Alright, since Minister Carter is a straightforward person, I'll be direct too. I sought out Minister Carter today to ask for something from your hands."

"What is it?"

Dirk Carter asked deliberately,

Boone Jacobson smiled slightly and said, "To be precise, it's a person, Sydney Tanner from Stonewater Village."

Upon hearing the name.

Dirk Carter was not surprised.

He smiled slightly and said, "Mr. Jiang, Sydney Tanner has always been in Stonewater Village, and always under your surveillance. You didn't act before; now that she's in my hands, you want her back. That's quite a plan."

"What do you mean by that?"

Boone Jacobson asked.

Dirk Carter sneered and said, "If I hand Sydney Tanner over to you now, Eladio Shelby's issue surfaces, no matter who leaks it, I'll be the one blamed in the end. If I give her to you, wouldn't I become the scapegoat?"

Boone Jacobson shivered.

He started to feel a little anxious.

Unexpectedly, their scheme was completely seen through by Dirk Carter.

For a moment, he didn't know how to negotiate this deal.

While he was at a loss,

The door of the private room was pushed open with a squeak.

A woman wearing a red qipao slowly walked in.

Upon hearing the sound.

Boone Jacobson turned his head.

Immediately stood up and apologized, "Hua Jie."

"You may leave."

Hua Jie had a look of disappointment on her face.

Originally, she didn't need to show herself, but Boone Jacobson was subdued by Dirk Carter from the start, forcing her to reveal herself.

When Hua Jie entered.

For some reason, Dirk Carter's face showed not much surprise, as if everything was as expected.

After Boone Jacobson left, Hua Jie looked at Dirk Carter and said with a smile, "Minister Carter, we meet again."

Dirk Carter smiled slightly and said, "I should have guessed earlier, after all, I saw you personally help Cornell solve the crisis in your club."

Hua Jie held her skirt and sat down.

Then she kicked off her shoes.

Sitting cross-legged barefoot.

"Knowing now isn't too late."

Hua Jie said blandly.

Dirk Carter exhaled deeply and said, "Alright, since the main person has shown up, I'll repeat the question from before — why should I hand Sydney Tanner over to you? I'm not stupid."

"Because you have no choice."

Hua Jie stared fixedly at Dirk Carter, her eyes confident and resolute.

"Oh? Why don't I have a choice?"

Dirk Carter asked.

Hua Jie leisurely said, "Sydney Tanner doesn't serve any purpose while in your hands, and you know it. This matter involves too many people, even if exposed, the higher authorities will do everything to suppress it. Keeping her only serves as leverage for you."

His thoughts were unexpectedly seen through.

Dirk Carter was a bit surprised.

He chuckled and said, "Hua Jie, you overthink it. The case of fake heroism has nothing to do with me, Dirk Carter. Why do I need to expose it? Isn't it better to hold on to it as a trump card?"

"So you really think Robert Shepherd will always be under your control? Do they not have any remedy measures? Sydney Tanner's role will last only a few days; after that, even if there are ten Sydney Tanners, what can they do?"

This statement hit the mark.

Dirk Carter naturally understood this.

He paused and asked, "What if I don't give her to you?"

Hua Jie sneered and said, "I've said it, you have no choice. If I don't get Sydney Tanner tonight, Minister Carter may not be able to leave through this door."

As she said this.

Hua Jie had a light and airy demeanor.

As if a minister from the organizational department meant nothing to her.

"When soft tactics fail, you resort to hard ones. Heh, that's very much Hua Jie's style. After all, back in Stonewater Village, you wanted to frame me by getting rid of Minister Lin. Now, forcibly holding me here is no surprise either."

The last facade was also completely shattered.

Hua Jie stopped pretending.

She coldly smiled and said, "Minister Carter is indeed a smart man, but unfortunately not one of mine. That's a bit of a pity."

"Do we have a chance to become allies?"

Dirk Carter asked with a smile.

Hua Jie's face turned cold and said, "No way!"

Dirk Carter nodded and said, "I understand."

Hua Jie was a bit surprised by his reaction and asked, "Don't you want to know why we can't become allies?"

Dirk Carter laughed, "Of course I want to know, Miss Flora Haney."

The words "Flora Haney" came out.

Hua Jie shivered.

She asked in surprise, "How do you know?"

Dirk Carter exhaled deeply and said, "After the incident in Stonewater Village, I've been thinking about one thing. At first, I believed someone wanted to escalate the situation and chose to have Barclay Summers commit murder. Later, when I returned home, I started pondering. Genevieve, after all, is the Deputy Minister of the organizational department, and I am, after all, a committee member of Koryn City. Who could have such audacity to concoct such a shocking case unless someone hates me to the core, bent on seeing me dead? Only then does the logic hold."

"I, Dirk Carter, have never been to Janton State, so who would hate me that much? After thinking it over, there's only one person, Benson Caldwell's former woman, Flora Haney."

After finishing,

Dirk Carter looked at the naturally charming woman opposite.

It was evident that Hua Jie's breathing quickened.

She asked, "How do you know I'm Flora Haney?"

"Doesn't Hua Jie know there was one that slipped through the cracks in Benson Caldwell's case, and this sure surviving person happened to have seen you?"

Dirk Carter said.

Hua Jie shivered, asking, "Isabelle Guthrie?"

"Yes, Isabelle Guthrie, also known as The Leopard Cat. Unintentionally, she told me about the legend of The Red Chamber. To be honest, I thought of one person at that moment, and that was you. The scene where you settled things with Rexton City's Commission Secretary Wayne Ford using women in those days is still fresh in my mind. Marriott International's business model is indeed not exactly like that of The Red Chamber back in the day, isn't it?"

Dirk Carter asked.