Chapter 1048

“Mr. McCormick would like to see you both. Please come with me,” the man said politely.

Andrew’s smile froze for a second, and he silently cursed, “Damn it.”

Aspen quickly covered her mouth, nearly bursting into laughter. This guy thought he could just pocket the cash and sneak out? Not a chance. Just when one wave had passed, another one hit.

Derek himself had extended the invitation, and there was no way Andrew could slip away now.

“Well then, if Mr. McCormick is asking, of course we’ll go. Please, lead the way,” Andrew said with a suave smile, his composure quickly returning.

Aspen shot him a sideways glare, part irritated, part amused. She thought, “Keep pretending, Mr. Calm-and-Collected.”

Inside a spacious and stately conference room, Derek sat at the head of the long table, observing everyone entering.

Andrew and Aspen were the last to walk in. Once seated, Derek smiled and said, “There’s nothing urgent. I just wanted to speak to you all briefly. The government currently has a few open infrastructure and development projects that we’re looking to hand off to private partners. I figured I’d invite a few of our top business leaders to see who might be interested.”

At once, the energy in the room changed, and eyes began to gleam with ambition. It was no secret–government contracts were goldmines, which was why half the people showed up at this charity event in the first place.

“Mr. McCormick, say the word. No matter how difficult the task or challenging the circumstances, the Wrights will always be the first to contribute to the great state of Gabo Creek!” Quinton declared, puffing his chest like a patriotic soldier.

His tone dripped with loyalty and pride, as if he were here for the good of the people. The other moguls quickly followed suit, all sporting fake smiles and speaking with the same over-the-top sincerity.

“Mr. McCormick, you just tell us what needs doing. We’ll handle the rest.”

“That’s right–projects or no projects, we just want to give back to the state!”

“Please don’t hesitate. Just assign them. We’re honored to serve Gabo Creek however we can.”

Andrew listened to it all and could not help but shake his head slightly, fighting back a grin. They were all fighting for government contracts, yet they were acting so righteous and noble.

It was laughable.

What Andrew did not realize was that Derek noticed his amused smirk. The latter looked over at Andrew and casually asked, “Mr. Lloyd from Supreme Capital Group… may I ask what you’re smiling at? Is something amusing?”

Andrew blinked, caught off guard. He had not expected Derek to be so sharp, let alone spot him in that moment. Aspen, on the other hand, nearly had a heart attack. In her mind, she was already praying to every God she knew to save them.

Messing with Richard had been wild enough. But now Andrew was casually grinning in front of the governor? Was he actively trying to get himself killed?

All eyes in the room now turned toward Andrew.

Quinton looked visibly annoyed, wondering how a nobody like Andrew even got a seat at this table.

Nonetheless, he was not concerned. Once the government rolled out those billion-dollar contracts and handed them to him, Andrew would be nothing but a spectator–jealous and powerless.

Christina let out a faint scoff. Even back in Jayrodale, she had found Andrew immature and unserious. Now, he was standing in front of a powerful state governor and still acting smug. She thought this man was hopeless.

“My apologies, Mr. McCormick,” Andrew said, still smiling, “I wasn’t laughing at you. It’s just that… some of the things being said felt a little… disingenuous.”

Derek raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Disingenuous? In what way? Are you implying that my words as governor are fake?”