The attorney replied, “That doesn't change the wording.”
Whitney stepped back.
“You should have your attorney review the entire agreement before signing anything.”
Mr. Shu nodded.
“We will.”
Gerald suddenly laughed.
“Fine. You've proven that you can read Chinese.”
He reached into his jacket.
“But that's not worth one hundred thousand dollars.”
Whitney looked at him.
“You offered one hundred thousand for me to prove I speak Chinese.”
“And you did.”
“So?”
Gerald stared at her.
“I was joking.”
The entire table went silent.
Whitney's expression remained calm.
“You made the offer publicly.”
Several diners had their phones out.
One of the servers stood near the bar.
Daniel, the restaurant manager, had finally appeared.
He approached cautiously.
“Mr. Covington, is there a problem?”
Gerald waved him away.
“No problem.”
Whitney looked at Daniel.
“Gerald offered me one hundred thousand dollars to prove I speak Mandarin.”
Daniel's eyes widened.
Gerald immediately said, “It was obviously a joke.”
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
“I see.”
Whitney said nothing.
Mr. Shu spoke instead.
“A promise made publicly should not be dismissed so easily.”
Gerald turned toward him.
“This is ridiculous.”
Mr. Shu smiled.
“Then paying her should be simple.”
Gerald's face hardened.
Lillian quietly touched his arm.
“Gerald, just pay her.”
He looked at his wife.
“You're taking her side?”
“No,” Lillian replied. “I'm telling you to keep your word.”
Gerald stood.
“I don't have to prove anything to anyone.”
Whitney picked up her notepad.
“Then I suppose we're finished.”
She turned away.
But Mr. Shu stopped her.
“Whitney.”
She turned.
“Would you be willing to help us review the document?”
Whitney hesitated.
“I am not a lawyer.”
“We only need translation.”
She looked toward Daniel.
Daniel nodded reluctantly.
“Take ten minutes.”
Whitney returned to the table.
The document contained dozens of pages.
As she translated, she noticed several unusual phrases.
One clause appeared to impose a penalty if the investment group withdrew.
Another gave a third party authority to approve certain financial decisions.
Then she saw a name.
Victor Hale.
Whitney paused.
Mr. Shu noticed.
“What is it?”
“This name appears several times.”
Gerald's posture changed.
Whitney looked at him.
“Who is Victor Hale?”
Gerald answered immediately.
“An outside consultant.”
Whitney looked back at the Chinese text.
“This document doesn't describe him as merely an outside consultant.”
“What does it say?”
Whitney translated.
“He is described as an authorized representative with certain decision-making authority.”
The attorney immediately looked concerned.
“That is not how the English version describes him.”
Mr. Shu turned toward Gerald.
“Why?”
Gerald began speaking quickly.
“He was involved in preliminary discussions. The translation may have used an overly formal expression.”
Whitney shook her head.
“No.”
Everyone looked at her.
“The wording is deliberate.”
She pointed at another section.
“This isn't the only place.”
There were references to Victor in four separate sections.
In one, he could communicate with financial institutions.
In another, he could receive confidential project information.
In a third, he could act on behalf of an affiliated company.
Mr. Shu's expression became serious.
“Why was I never told this?”
Gerald had no immediate answer.
Lillian looked at her husband.
“Gerald?”
He finally spoke.
“It's complicated.”
Mr. Shu replied, “Then explain it.”
Gerald couldn't.
Whitney watched the exchange.
She had no idea what was happening behind the contract.
But she understood one thing.
The hundred-thousand-dollar challenge had uncovered something much larger.
And someone at that table desperately wanted the conversation to end.
By ten o'clock, the restaurant had nearly emptied.
Daniel had asked Whitney to stay in the office.
Mr. Shu and his legal adviser remained at Table Twelve.
Gerald had gone outside to make a phone call.
Lillian stayed behind.
She looked exhausted.
Whitney sat across from her.
“You don't have to explain anything to me.”
Lillian gave a sad smile.
“I think I do.”
She looked toward the window.
“Gerald wasn't always like this.”
Whitney listened.
“He built his first company when he was thirty. He was ambitious, but he used to care about people.”
“What changed?”
“Success.”
Lillian folded her hands.
“Every time he made more money, he became more afraid of losing it.”
Whitney understood that better than she expected.
Lillian continued.
“Victor Hale appeared about two years ago.”
“Was he Gerald's employee?”
“Not exactly.”
“What did he do?”
“He handled international negotiations.”
Whitney remembered the contract.
“Did you know about the representative language?”
Lillian shook her head.
“I didn't.”
“Did Gerald?”
“I don't know.”
The office door opened.
Daniel stepped inside.
He looked nervous.
“Whitney, can I speak with you?”
She stood.
Daniel closed the door.
“Mr. Covington wants this incident kept private.”