Rich People Problems-Kwan 2017 (WWT)

CHAPTER ELEVEN
TYERSALL PARK, SINGAPORE
Walking in to lunch the next day, Nick and Rachel found that the dining room had been
transformed into a makeshift situation room. Rolling bulletin boards had been placed
around the room, and the dining table was lined with stacks of documents and various
brochures, and seven or eight young staffers huddled over spreadsheets on their laptops.
Ah Ling entered with another package that had just arrived and noticed the baffled
couple. “Oh, Nicky, lunch is being served on the terrace today.”
“Um…who are these people?” Nick whispered.
“They’re from Uncle Harry’s office. They’re helping out with all the house offers,” Ah
Ling responded, giving Nick a look that clearly registered her disapproval.
Nick and Rachel went out to the terrace to find a much smaller gathering of relatives.
The Aakaras had flown back to Bangkok earlier in the morning, while most of the Chengs
had left the day before. The only out-of-town guests that remained were Alix and Alistair,
since they were both shareholders in the property.
While Nick and Rachel stood by the buffet table arrayed with different dishes, Victoria
spoke up as she looked over a prospectus. “This offer from the Far East people is an
insult! Two point five billion, paid out over five years. Do they think we fell off the turnip
truck yesterday?”
“Let’s not even bother responding,” Alix declared. She looked up as Nick and Rachel sat
down at the wrought-iron table with their lunch plates. “Nicky, do you have any idea what
time your father will be here? We have so much to go over with him.”
“Dad’s back in Sydney.”
“What? When did he leave?”
“Last night. Didn’t he tell you he was heading home?”
“Yes, but we assumed he would have changed his plans now that the offers are flooding
in. Ugggh! That irresponsible boy! We’re in the midst of a bidding war, and he knows we
can’t make any moves without him,” Felicity huffed.
“Dad’s become quite set in his ways, and he really missed the coffee from this café he
goes to every morning in Rose Bay,” Nick tried explaining.