Return Of The Prodigy
Return of the Prodigy Chapter 202

Since it was the weekend, Adam and Katie were staying in and spending time with Annie when Katie's phone rang unexpectedly.

Katie looked at the caller ID and Austin Turner's name was flashing on it. He was the owner of the concrete mixing plant called Cementology.

Katie picked up the call and said, "Hi, Mr. Turner..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Austin cried out, "Ms. Hartley, you have to help me."

Katie was taken aback. She hurriedly asked in concern, "Mr. Turner, what happened?"

Austin was about to answer when someone could be heard scolding in the background. "Get lost!"

Someone answered the phone and laughed sinisterly. "Hi, Ms. Hartley! This is Leroy Ortiz. We keep crossing paths with each other. Isn't this a pleasant surprise?"

Katie instantly frowned and said coldly, "Leroy, what do you want?"

Leroy smiled smugly and said, "I'm sure you know very well what I want. You have twenty minutes to get to the resort construction site. Otherwise, you're going to regret it!"

He hung up the moment he finished his sentence without giving Katie the chance to reject him.

Katie immediately stood up and headed out.

"Adam, something happened at the construction site, so I have to check it out," she explained.

Adam frowned. "Shall I come along?"

Katie shook her head. "It's all right. It's cold outside. You should stay with Annie. A construction site is a crowded place, so they can't do anything to me openly."

Adam went quiet for a couple of seconds and pondered. She was right, since it was broad daylight, and there were guards at the construction site, Leroy would probably not openly molest her. This meant Leroy's plot today was probably business related. Adam nodded and replied, "Fine. Call me if something happens."

"Okay," Katie agreed before changing her shoes and leaving the room anxiously.

Twenty minutes later, Katie arrived at the holiday resort construction site. Before she pulled up, she could already see lots of people at the entrance. Men had distinctly split into two groups and were standing on both sides.

Jeremy, the security guard captain of the construction site, was standing at the helm of one of the groups.

The other group was led by Leroy.

A man in his forties was kneeling in front of Leroy. He had big round eyes and a square face. It was none other than Austin Turner. He had just called Katie begging for help.

Austin's face was red and swollen. He kept begging Leroy for mercy as he knelt and cried.

Leroy was completely unmoved. Instead, he turned to look at the road every now and then. His eyes suddenly lit up when he saw Katie's car approaching.

After pulling up, Katie quickly came over and said coldly, "Leroy, what are you trying to do this time? If you have a problem, you're welcome to come to me. Do you have to implicate innocent people?"

Leroy smiled and said mockingly, "Katie, you're overthinking it. I'm not here for you today. Austin here owes Con-Tech money. Since I'm the president of the chamber, it's my duty to ensure the money is returned. If he can't return the money, he has to pay in kind. In

that case, I'll have to get people to take away the cement mixing trucks." He chuckled and continued profoundly, "As for you... Without the cement mixer trucks, I'm afraid construction will have to stop, right? It's too bad."

Katie looked at him intently, rage burning in her eyes.

Leroy had claimed this had nothing to do with her, but she would be a fool to believe him. Ever since the Chamber of Commerce started to make life hard for Hartley Group, the other construction companies had become reluctant to work with them. Katie was prepared for this, so she had prepared a lot of building material. The only thing she needed was concrete mixing trucks.

Fortunately, Cementology was still willing to work with her, so construction was able to continue.

Leroy was determined to take away Hartley Group's last hope. Once Cementology was out of the picture, Hartley Group would not be able to proceed with construction. It was the last thing Katie wanted.

"Leroy, I know what you're trying to do here. You're trying to ruin the company by doing this! Dream on!" Katie said angrily.

Leroy laughed loudly and said in a mocking tone, "Katie, say whatever you want. Being stubborn isn't going to help. Let's see how you're getting out of this.

"Mr. Collins, what are you waiting for? Tell your men to drive off with the cement mixing trucks."

Nathan Collins, the owner of Con-Tech, who was standing beside Leroy nodded.

"Listen up, everyone. Drive off with the trucks. They're ours now," Nathan ordered. Dozens of men then entered the construction site for the concrete mixing trucks.

Katie felt worried. She instinctively wanted to stop them, but she had no right to do it.

If Austin Turner genuinely owned Con-Tech money, Nathan Collins was not in the wrong for taking the cement mixing trucks.

"Mr. Turner, is it true?" asked Katie. She had to figure out if they were lying about it first.

Austin nodded as tears trickled down his face. "All my concrete mixing trucks are from Con-Tech. We agreed to repay them through installments. How could they suddenly demand full payment? I really don't have the cash to do it!" Katie felt powerless when she found out it was true! For a moment there, she suspected Leroy of attempting to pull a fast one on her.

What now?

She could not let them take the cement mixing trucks. If they took the trucks, the construction would come to a complete standstill. It was just a matter of time for Hartley Group to go bankrupt.

Katie contemplated briefly before she asked, "Mr. Turner, how much do you owe them? I can pay our fees in advance if it helps."

Austin trembled. He lowered his head and replied softly, "30 million."

Katie instantly opened her eyes wide in horror. She asked in disbelief, "How much again?"

Austin quietly cried without daring to answer.

Leroy laughed smugly and said, "Ms. Hartley, it's so kind of you to offer to pay in advance. Sadly, it's a dead end even if you pay your fees in full. Since he doesn't have the cash, we can only take the trucks as payment in kind." Katie was dumbstruck, but she was unable to retort.

Hartley Group had hired Cementology for the construction sites, but the sum involved was only 3 million. His debt was ten times the fees combined. Leroy was right. Even if she offered to pay the fees in advance, it was futile. Austin would end up bankrupt. In other words, the cement mixing trucks had to be taken as payment in kind! Hartley Group was doomed unless she was willing to lend him 30 million.

"Why aren't you saying anything now? Isn't your company made of money? It's just 30 million, so I'm sure you have the money, right? If you really don't have the money, you can always take out a bank loan. I always thought you were a kind soul. Helping him is as good as helping yourself anyway."

Leroy wore a triumphant look on his face, and his laughter echoed throughout the construction site.

Katie stood frozen to the spot; she was at a complete loss.