Chapter 372
Seeing Andrew’s displeasure, Natasha quickly explained, “Darling, please don’t be upset. I’ve done everything I could.”
She took a deep breath before continuing, “The person who has the rare medicinal herb is Ernest Ramsey from Blumedale.”
Then, she added, “The old bastard insists on knowing who needs the herb, or he won’t sell it. I know what he’s really after—he’s trying to leverage this opportunity to network with someone important from Jayrodale!”
Andrew’s expression softened slightly as he asked, “Who exactly is he?”
Dylan spoke up gravely, “Mr. Lloyd, I know about this old man. He’s the third son of the Ramseys from Blumedale. He’s made quite a name for himself around Gabo Creek, networking with both martial artists and businesspeople. Because of his connections, he often gets his hands on rare items.”
Natasha scoffed, “Without the Ramseys backing him up, Ernest would be nothing—nobody would give him the time of day. He’s notorious for never doing anything unless there’s profit involved, and he’s both a womanizer and a money-grubber. If he didn’t have the herb you needed, darling, I wouldn’t even bother with him.”
Andrew stood up and said, “If he won’t sell it through you, I’ll meet this Ernest myself. Natasha, please come with me. Dylan, prepare for tonight’s operation.”
Dylan nodded firmly, “Understood, Mr. Lloyd!”
Soon after, Natasha accompanied Andrew to another room where Ernest was waiting. He was a middle-aged man with a bald head, wearing a gold Rolex watch and designer clothes, and with a prominent belly—the typical image of new money.
Upon seeing Natasha, Ernest immediately displayed a sleazy smile. “Natasha, so you’ve been hiding away with this pretty boy, huh? I really don’t understand your taste—how could some inexperienced kid compare to a mature, wealthy gentleman like me who knows how to treat a lady right?”
He chuckled at his own joke, revealing a set of stained teeth.
Natasha forced a smile and replied, “Oh Ernest, you know I adore mature gentlemen like yourself. However, this isn’t just some pretty boy—this is Mr. Lloyd, the one I mentioned who wants to purchase the rare medicinal herb.”
Ernest narrowed his eyes as he sized up Andrew, then sneered dismissively. “Get lost, kid. You’re nobody important enough to do business with me. Do you even know what this rare medicinal herb is? You’re not worthy unless you bring a high-ranking official or corporate CEO to negotiate with me.”
From the moment Ernest saw Andrew, he had taken an instant dislike to him. He thought, “Damn, so this is why the beautiful Natasha had disappeared—to meet with this pretty boy.”
Learning that Andrew was to buy the rare medicinal herb made him even more contemptuous.
Natasha frowned and said, “Ernest, please do this as a favor to me. Mr. Lloyd genuinely wants the herb you have. If you’re willing to sell, both Mr. Lloyd and I are open to negotiation.”
Ernest tilted his nose up and snorted sarcastically, “Natasha, you seem quite protective of this pretty boy. Unfortunately, the more you favor him, the less inclined I am to help. I’ve been coming to West End for quite some time now, and you know what I want. If you agree to be with me, I’ll hand over the herb right away without hesitation.”