Life After Prison

Severin never expected that Sheila would ask such an awkward

question in public. After figuring out a way to diffuse the situation, he immediately changed the subject and asked, ” You were given a prearranged quota too, right?”

Sheila merely smiled. “Yeah, it’s decent. The Longhorns gave us two spots in advance, and both locations are very good too. Aside from that, we’re mainly here to officiate the ribbon- cutting. Once that’s out of the way, Mister Henry will announce the number of quotas, starting with those that have been prearranged, and ending with those that have secured their approval based on the latest information given.”

Severin nodded. “Well, that sounds great!”

“Welcome one and all to the launching of the Liberty City project! The ceremony will start soon, so may I please invite everyone to come and take their seats!” An attractive thirty- something emcee announced loudly on the stage.

The guests all set down their glasses of wine and walked over quickly to find a seat.

Severin sat next to Diane, and because he was afraid that Diane

would get angry, he could not help himself from whispering to her, “I just happened to save Sheila by chance yesterday, and I didn’t expect that she’s the young miss of Brookbourn

Mansion. She’s the one who demanded my phone number, and

I’m sure you saw that she was the one who rushed over and hugged me!”

Diane did not expect Severin to explain everything without waiting for her to ask. Though she felt sweet in her heart, she still said with a cold face, “Okay. The ceremony is about to begin, so I think it’s best if we concentrate. We wouldn’t want to give Mister Henry the impression that we don’t respect him, do we? Let’s pay attention. Once the Shanahans are called, I’ll need to go up there and take the contract from them.

“Right!” Severin smiled and immediately stopped talking.

Before long, the opening ceremony began, and most of the speeches that were given touched upon the future development trend of the Liberty City project. Severin was not

interested in any of that at all.

After the introduction came the ribbon-cutting, with both

Zachariah and Sheila from Brookbourn Mansion invited on

stage along with three individuals from the three first-tier

families. Once the ribbon-cutting was over, the time came for

the announcement of the prearranged quota. As that

announcement was made, Severin discovered that the number

of quotas for the Ballards was announced first. Two quotas

each were given to the Ballards, while the three first-tier families had been given one quota each in very promising locations.

Subsequently, the quotas for the second-tier families were

announced, and there was also given one quota each.

“This doesn’t seem right. They gave us two quotas, which makes it appear as though the Shanahans are on the same level as the Ballards! The location that we were given seems to be slightly better than the two locations that they gave the Ballards!” Severin could not help but mutter to himself when he looked at the locations of each number on the big screen and recalled that numbers eighty-seven and eighty-eight were given to the Shanahans.

Though the Longhorns have done a huge favor to Severin, he was a little worried that the Ballards would be unhappy because of that. He turned to look at Catherine beside him, and he frowned upon seeing her expression. She had clearly noticed that something was amiss.

If the Longhorns gave three spots to the Ballards and the other first-tier families, then it would not have been that big a deal if the Shanahans were given two spots. None of them expected that even the other two first-class families, the Zelankos and the Horsfields, were given only one prearranged quota.

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The way things were at that moment would give everyone the impression that their family a third -tier family, no less- had been given some extraordinary treatment.

‘It’s probably nothing. By the looks of it, other wealthy businessmen and third-tier families might get the feeling that the Longhorns value us greatly, and they might even be more willing to cooperate with us in the future! Even though the

other two first-tier families might find it a little embarrassing, the treatment we’ve received from the

Longhorns will be advantageous to us!’ The old lady comforted. herself with those thoughts. The Shanahans stand to benefit more on the whole.

“The last two prearranged quotas are numbers eighty-seven and eighty-eight. We wish to offer our heartiest congratulations to the Shanahans for securing them! I’d like to invite Miss Diane Shanahan, general manager of the Shanahan Corporation, to come on stage and receive the contract!”