Chapter 178

“You should eat more,” Liam said, pushing a small plate toward Izzy. It held half a sandwich—thick slices of tomato, eggs, and cheese, with a light smear of mustard—between slices of toasted bread.

Izzy glanced at the plate, then at him. “Thanks,” she said simply, picking it up with both hands. He nodded and grabbed the other half for himself. They both took a bite simultaneously, as if sharing food at the table were perfectly normal.

Philip, witnessing this, didn't react. He turned a page of his newspaper and took another sip of tea, as if nothing unusual were occurring.

Margarette looked at them briefly, then glanced away, adjusting her utensils though she wasn't eating. Her hand hovered over her cup but didn't lift it. A tightness was evident in her posture.

Meanwhile, Olivier hadn't touched his breakfast since the tea exchange. His eyes were fixed on Liam, occasionally flicking to Izzy, as if her presence irritated him. When Liam reached over and wiped a crumb from the corner of Izzy’s mouth, Olivier’s knuckles whitened around his knife.

They ate in silence for a few more minutes. Izzy leaned into her chair, chewing slowly, still holding the sandwich Liam had made. He then poured her a glass of water from the pitcher, without asking, placing it beside her plate, before pouring one for himself. She smiled at him quietly.

The only sounds were the clink of silverware and the faint hum of conversation from the maids in the hallway. Then, Olivier set his cup down—loudly. It wasn't slammed, but the sound was sharp enough to disrupt the room's quiet rhythm.

“Are you ever going to apologize?” he asked, his eyes fixed on Liam.

The silence stopped completely. Margarette froze mid-reach. Even Philip paused, though he didn't look up.

Liam didn't answer immediately. He placed his cup back on the saucer and looked across the table.

“For what?” he asked. His voice was calm, but the shift in the atmosphere was palpable. Even Izzy had stopped chewing; her sandwich lowered slightly in her hand.

Olivier leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp. “You know what for.”

Philip turned a page, more slowly this time, but still didn't lift his head. He didn't interrupt.

Liam snorted. “I mean… I know I’m pretty smart, but I can’t read minds.”

“You—”

“Alright, that’s enough,” Margarette immediately intervened. “Your father is just tired. He wasn’t able to sleep last night,” she said, turning to her husband. “Isn’t that right, dear?”

In response, Olivier glared at his wife. However, Margarette continued. “Last night, your father was researching some land in Arizona.”

Margarette straightened. “Right, that land in Arizona,” she said quickly. “The one you were reading about last night. What was it called again? Red Bluff?”

Olivier didn't respond at first. She continued, turning slightly toward Philip. “Father, didn’t you say something about the importance of domestic resources? I thought Olivier’s proposal made sense. What do you think?”

Philip finally folded the newspaper and placed it beside his plate. He adjusted his chair slightly and looked at Olivier. “What’s the potential there?”

Olivier paused. His grip tightened on the table’s edge. Philip hadn't even looked at the file earlier; now, with Liam present, he suddenly wanted to listen. Olivier didn't understand the logic, but he forced himself to respond.

“It’s a government-owned lot in Red Bluff District. The site’s been dormant for a long time. It used to be a small copper operation, shut down decades ago,” Olivier began. “But last year, a geological survey team working with a private firm passed through the region and ran surface scans. They didn’t drill, but they flagged several areas with high mineral density.”

Philip didn't interrupt. He simply waited.

“There’s potential for copper. Possibly lithium. Lithium prices have been fluctuating, but they’re expected to spike again with increased demand in battery production,” Olivier continued. “If we secure the lot and conduct our own private testing, we can either develop it or sell the claim if it proves viable.”

Philip raised an eyebrow slightly. “How much is the initial bid?”

“They’re starting the lot at sixty million,” Olivier said. “But that’s just to enter the bidding pool. The price might go higher depending on interest. Most interest is coming from mid-tier firms. No major players yet, but that could change.”

“And the infrastructure?”

“There’s an old rail line ten miles out, inactive but still usable. Roads are decent. It’s not perfect, but it’s not remote either. The area is stable. No major legal complications with the locals. It’s all federal land.”

Philip reached for his cup again, but this time he didn't drink. He tapped the handle with his thumb, then looked at Liam. “What do you think?”

Liam didn’t respond immediately. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms, his eyes still on Olivier. “Sounds risky,” he said. “But so are most resource bids. It depends on how much you’re willing to lose.”

Olivier clenched his jaw. He wasn't sure if his father had asked Liam simply to annoy him, but it worked. He shifted slightly in his seat, then turned back to Philip. “If we act now, we secure the position before outside investors catch wind. The market’s volatile, but that’s where the margin is. We don’t have to develop it immediately. Securing the rights would put us ahead if the survey results are confirmed.”

Margarette nodded, trying to maintain a positive atmosphere. “It could be worthwhile. Especially with everything moving toward green energy and battery storage.”

Philip said nothing yet. He picked up the file Olivier had pushed toward him earlier and finally opened it. His eyes scanned the first few lines while the rest of the table waited.

“Hmmm… what do you think about this idea, Izzy?” Philip suddenly asked, still reading the documents.

“Father, why are you asking Isabella about this?” Olivier asked.

Philip didn't look up from the file. “She’s in real estate. She’s dealt with land acquisition before. I assume she knows how to read beyond just the mineral potential.” He turned another page. “I want to hear what she thinks.”

Olivier sat back slightly, his jaw tight. His eyes flicked to Izzy, then to Liam, then back again.

Izzy glanced at Liam. He gave a short nod without speaking.

Seeing this, she set her cup down. “I’ve read about Red Bluff before. The geological reports are accessible, but the area is flagged for multiple-use zoning. It’s federal land, yes, but the restrictions on environmental impact are much tighter now compared to when it was last mined.”

Izzy continued, “You can secure a claim, but development will require federal approval. That includes environmental assessments, reclamation planning, and water management plans—just to begin. Copper might pass the threshold, but lithium development will attract more scrutiny. The government is more sensitive to extraction methods related to water usage.”

Margarette blinked. Olivier remained silent.

“Plus,” Izzy added, “it’s an auction. You’re going in blind. Without proper testing, there’s no guarantee the flagged areas actually contain enough extractable volume to justify the investment. Even if you win the bid, you could end up with nothing.”

Olivier narrowed his eyes at her. “That’s speculation. Pure and utter bullshit.”

“It’s risk analysis,” she said plainly. “You’re relying on survey flags that weren’t verified by drilling. There’s potential, yes, but it’s a gamble. I wouldn’t recommend risking company capital on it unless you’re prepared to absorb a potential loss.”

Philip finally looked up from the file, his eyes on Olivier.

Olivier, of course, wanted to counter Izzy’s assessment. “You think I don’t know the risks?” Olivier leaned forward. “I’m not stupid. The point is to get ahead before prices jump again. You don’t make progress playing it safe all the time. Of course, someone like you wouldn’t understand these things.”

“Someone like me?” Izzy raised an eyebrow. “May I know what that means?”

“Alright… that’s enough,” Margarette smiled, again placing a hand on her husband’s leg. She then looked at Izzy. “Darling, let’s leave the men to discuss this. How could someone like us even begin to comprehend an investment of hundreds of millions? How about…” she stood. “How about we go to the garden and discuss that tea, and perhaps some… flowers?”