Filed To Story: Watch Out! She's a Mastermind Heiress (Isabella Patton) Book PDF Free
Eaton’s gaze lingered on the painting, his expression carefully composed.
“In that case, I’ll accept this masterpiece for appreciation. And as for what you mentioned, rest assured—since you’ve reached out to me now, I won’t forget you when the time comes.”
His words carried an undercurrent of meaning, but Aldwin misinterpreted them, convinced that Eaton had tacitly agreed to help him. Satisfaction flickered in his eyes.
“I’m relieved to hear that, Mr. Rachford. If anything arises, I won’t forget the coffee we shared today.”
Yet, just two days later, instead of an official partnership announcement with the Perkins Group, the government unexpectedly issued a public bidding notice.
At the Perkins Group headquarters, Aldwin was basking in self-satisfaction while speaking with his subordinates. However, the moment his gaze landed on the government’s latest announcement, his expression shifted. His face went deathly pale.
Without hesitation, Aldwin snatched up his phone and dialed Eaton. The call connected, and Aldwin wasted no time.
“Mr. Rachford, about the development project in the west of Estresa.”
Andrew was sitting across from Eaton, who responded with practiced ease.
“Mr. Perkins, I’m sure you understand. Though I oversee this project, the decision is not mine alone. We must adhere to a rigorous evaluation process for each company. Personally, I believe Perkins Group is capable of handling this development. However, beyond my personal opinion, you’ll need to demonstrate your company’s strength to convince others, wouldn’t you agree?”
Eaton’s words were carefully chosen, leaving room for interpretation. Aldwin understood the implication immediately.
“I see. I understand.” Ending the call, Aldwin gripped his phone, his fingers curling around it as his expression hardened into cold resolve. This was an opportunity he couldn’t afford to lose. If the government doubted Perkins Group’s strength, then he would prove them wrong. Wasting no time, Aldwin ordered his men to submit the necessary project bidding documents to the government’s review department. With Eaton’s endorsement, the process would move forward, and ultimately, the development project would fall squarely into the Perkins Group’s hands.
Once everything was in motion, Aldwin began investing heavily in materials. The business world in Estresa was watching closely—seeing the Perkins family’s proactive moves, many assumed the project was already as good as theirs.
Meanwhile, in Ansport, while Isabella was busy helping Jared get closer to Lilian, she kept an eye on the unfolding developments in Estresa.
The sudden policy shift immediately caught her attention. Something wasn’t right.
Chief should have already been involved. Could this shift in policy be connected to him?
Just as the thought crossed her mind, an unexpected message popped up on her phone.
It was from Healy.
“Mr. J, I apologize for disturbing you, but I have a question I’d like to ask.”
Isabella’s eyebrows lifted in amusement at the timing. A coincidence? Perhaps.
Healy was inquiring whether his family should enter the bidding for the development project in the west of Estresa—and more importantly, what their chances of success would be. He even expressed hope that Isabella might act as an investment advisor for Welch Group.
Isabella already understood the power dynamics between the Welch and Perkins families. Since Healy had reached out to her now, she had no reason to refuse—especially if it meant striking a blow against the Perkins family.
Her response was swift.
“I’ll accept your request to serve as an investment advisor for Welch Group. As for the development project in the west of Estresa, I know a thing or two. We can give it a try.”
On the other end, Healy, who had been anxiously awaiting her reply, practically lit up with excitement.
Ever since J had helped him secure a victory over Lilian, Healy’s respect and admiration had become absolute. He knew that no one else could provide the kind of insight and assurance that J could. And now, with J’s backing, he had the confidence to move forward.
Since J had always carried an air of cold indifference and their responses were always curt and to the point, Healy had assumed his proposal wouldn’t sway them. But against all expectations, J agreed. The moment Healy saw Isabella’s message, the influence of the Perkins family was pushed to the farthest corner of his mind. He was a man of his own standing, raised by the Welch family, nothing short of exceptional. With meticulous care, Healy submitted his project proposal to the government.
A week later, when everyone had all but assumed the development contract would be handed directly to the Perkins family, the outcome stunned them all.
“Welch Group wins the bid for the development project in the west of Estresa!”
The announcement sent ripples of shock through the industry. Healy, on the other hand, was elated. Without missing a beat, he rushed to share the triumphant news with Isabella.
At Perkins Group, Aldwin had already poured an immense amount of capital into the early stages of the project—only to lose the bid entirely.
For a brief moment, he couldn’t even process it. His first instinct was to call Eaton, but before he could reach for his phone, a knock sounded at his office door. His subordinate stepped in, carrying a long, rectangular box that Aldwin recognized instantly. A deep sense of unease settled in his gut.
The subordinate set the box on the table, flipped it open, and reported, “Mr. Perkins, this was just delivered to the office.”
“Damn it!”
Aldwin’s temper exploded. With a sharp swing of his arm, the box went crashing to the floor.
Never, since the Perkins family had risen to power in Estresa, had Aldwin been this furious.
“That Eaton!” he seethed, voice laced with venom.
“He took my thing, and still failed to get the job done. Now, he pulls this stunt? Returning it now—of all times, right when the result is announced? He’s playing games. And for that, he’ll pay.”
His subordinate stood off to the side, silent, breath held. If Eaton had returned the painting earlier, Aldwin wouldn’t have wasted so many resources preparing for the project.
Now that they had lost the bid, the Perkins family’s massive financial investment was nothing more than a sunk cost. Their power had already been waning. If they couldn’t turn things around, they wouldn’t just fail to reclaim their former prestige—they would plummet into an even deeper crisis.
“No. This isn’t over.” Aldwin’s expression darkened. He had invested far too much to walk away empty-handed. The Welch family might have won the contract, but if he could manipulate them into inviting the Perkins family to collaborate, then despite appearances, he could at least recover his losses.
The Perkins family had long since mastered the art of forcing their way into projects, using a mix of incentives and barely veiled threats. They played dirty. And if the Welch family had any sense, they wouldn’t dare refuse.
With that in mind, Aldwin sent an invitation letter to Welch Group. At the same time, Healy was gearing up to make his mark in Estresa. But the moment Aldwin’s invitation landed in his hands, a sense of foreboding settled over him.
Staring at the letter, Healy couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling creeping up his spine. Aldwin had invited him to a meeting, claiming it was to discuss potential collaboration on the development project in the west of Estresa. But Healy wasn’t naive. The wording of the letter was a barely concealed threat. And given the long-standing rivalry between the Welch and Perkins families, he knew full well that accepting this invitation could lead straight into a trap. But declining might earn him retaliation.
The dilemma gnawed at him. With no clear answer, Healy poured himself a drink—or two—and, in his restless frustration, sent a message to Isabella.
“Mr. J… I don’t think things are going to go as smoothly as I had planned.”
The next morning, Isabella woke to see Healy’s message. She wasn’t the least bit surprised by the Perkins family’s attempts at intimidation. However, this time, their threats were destined to fail.
She had seen Healy’s proposal—thorough, strategic, and grounded in solid regulations. The Welch family taking charge of the development was undoubtedly a better outcome than the Perkins family clinging to power.
After a moment’s thought, she sent a reply.
“Don’t be afraid. If you don’t want to agree, then don’t. But be careful in the coming days. If anything happens, contact me immediately.”
A special ringtone sounded, snapping Healy out of his thoughts. He reached for his phone, and the moment he saw Isabella’s reply, a sense of clarity settled over him.
Mr. J was right. If he didn’t want to agree—he wouldn’t. The Perkins family might have seemed untouchable, but they had lost this contract. That alone proved they weren’t as invincible as they pretended to be. This was his moment. If he stood his ground, the Welch family would reclaim its former glory. There was risk in everything. But this time, he was willing to gamble.
Healy’s grip tightened around the invitation letter. Then, without hesitation, he fed it into the shredder and watched as it was ground to pieces.
On the day Aldwin had invited Healy to meet, Aldwin sat waiting in an upscale club, expecting Healy to walk through the door at any moment. Three hours later, one of his men approached with a report. He told Aldwin that Healy had left for the project site for a field survey. It looked like he never intended to attend this meeting.
“Boss, this Healy kid… he’s got guts. He’s completely ignoring us. Want me to find someone to teach him a lesson?”
The man speaking was a longtime subordinate of Aldwin, one who had spent years handling the Perkins family’s underground dealings. He had known Aldwin for ages and had always worked under him without question.
“No need,” Aldwin’s voice was low and measured. He lifted a hand, stopping his hot-tempered subordinate before he could act on impulse.
“Boss, why not? Are you really going to let this slide? Or have you gotten soft in your old age?”
Aldwin shot him a cold glance.
“Who said anything about letting it slide?”
“Then what’s the plan?”
“What’s the point of roughing him up now? I’m not just looking to blow off steam—I want that project in the west of Estresa. Since he doesn’t want to cooperate, there’s no need to force it.” Aldwin’s voice turned sharp, each word edged with quiet menace.
“We’ll crush Healy’s project. In Estresa, apart from the Welch family, only the Perkins family has the power to take over.”
“Then boss, what do you have in mind?”
Aldwin leaned back slightly, a slow smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
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