A man with a square, solid build stepped into the room. His suit was neatly pressed, the dark fabric stretching slightly over his broad shoulders. Despite his imposing frame, there was an easy confidence in the way he carried himself — the kind that came naturally to men who were used to being obeyed.

He wasn't just powerful-looking; he was striking. His hair was neatly styled with a touch of gray at the temples, and his face bore the calm assurance of someone who knew how to win people over. When he smiled, it was warm and charismatic — the kind of smile that could make even his opponents forget why they disliked him in the first place.

"Mayor Grant," Emily greeted, forcing a polite smile as she rose to her feet.

"Emily," he said, his eyes glinting with recognition. "Always a pleasure. You look as stunning as ever."

She gave a short laugh, more out of courtesy than amusement. "And you haven't changed one bit — still showing up late and full of compliments."

The mayor chuckled as he turned his gaze toward Yohan. "And this must be the man you've been telling me about."

Yohan met his eyes calmly, unsure whether the mayor's charm was genuine or just another layer of political polish. It was his first time seeing the mayor like this up close, he didn't expect him to have such an imposing presence.

"Hello, sir. I'm Yohan Choi, it's an honor to meet you" he said, accepting the mayor's handshake.

As their hands met, Yohan's eyes caught something that made him pause — a dark, intricate tattoo etched across the mayor's skin. It was a horned demon mask, its jagged teeth bared in a wicked grin. The ink sprawled over his knuckles and disappeared beneath the cuff of his suit sleeve.

"The pleasure's all mine — to meet such an impressive young man like you, Yohan," the mayor said, flashing his signature smile. Yet this time, something about it felt different.

"Why don't we sit," he offered, gesturing toward the chairs across the table.

Yohan took a seat, but the uneasy feeling didn't fade. His gaze flicked once more to the mayor's hand before meeting his eyes again.

'Why does a mayor have a tattoo like that?' he wondered. It's the kind you'd expect on a gangster, not a politician.

And it wasn't just the tattoo. There was an air about the man — too calm, too controlled — like someone used to keeping dangerous secrets.

'Helen mentioned a rumor that Hatoru had ties with the mayor… maybe it's actually true' Yohan thought, watching him carefully.

"So, Yohan," the mayor began, folding his hands on the table, "Emily tells me you were the one who recognized the true value in my project."

"Yes, sir." Yohan quickly pulled himself from his thoughts. "From the moment I saw the plans for Jade Island, I knew it was going to be a major success."

The mayor laughed, a deep, proud sound that filled the room. "You've got a sharp eye, son — to see that kind of potential at a glance. My engineers designed those plans themselves, and they made sure every inch of it would be as efficient as possible."

He leaned back in his chair, his confidence radiating through his grin. "Once construction begins, we'll be ready to go public within six months."

Emily frowned slightly. "Isn't that time frame a little too short? Jade Island is almost a quarter the size of the city — that kind of project can't be rushed."

"No, this isn't rushed," the mayor said, his tone firm but confident. "I'm more than certain it can be completed within a few months. You see, we'll be using a new construction method for the buildings."

He leaned forward slightly, the corners of his mouth lifting into a proud grin. "The secret lies in massive prefab concrete panels — they snap together like giant Lego blocks. This approach can cut construction time by up to sixty percent and drastically reduce labor costs."

"If we follow the special plan developed by our lead engineer, the entire project will be finished in no time — and at a lower cost. All of this is detailed in the project file I gave you. I'm sure these are some of the things Yohan noticed…"

Both pairs of eyes turned toward him.

Yohan shifted under their gaze, forcing a small laugh. "Y–yes, you're right," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Such a bright young man," the mayor chuckled.

"Alright, now that we're here, what's the next step?" Emily asked.

"Well, as I explained before," the mayor began, resting his hands on the table, "the city will cover fifty percent of the project, while the investors handle the other half. That means your fifty million will be added to ours, and the combined hundred million will fund the entire development."

Yohan leaned forward slightly. "Does that mean ownership and profit are shared fifty–fifty as well?"

"Not quite," the mayor said with an easy smile. "The project still belongs to the city — and to its citizens. Sixty percent goes to the city, while the remaining forty will be divided between the two of you."

Emily frowned. "That doesn't sound like a fair deal."

"I'm sorry," he said smoothly, his tone almost too polite, "but that's how it has to be… at least on paper."

Emily's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by on paper?"

"Well, you see," the mayor began, his tone turning casual but calculated, "the city is trying to raise funds. We have a certain financial target to hit with this project — and frankly, it doesn't matter how we hit it. Even if that means selling the entire project to get there."

"Sell the whole project?" Yohan echoed

"Yes," the mayor said simply. "We're open to selling it off to the highest bidder. That way, we reach our target much faster."

"So, if we pay more money… we could have the island to ourselves?"

"Not right now," the mayor replied with a small smirk. "But there will come a time — in the next few months, perhaps — when you'll be invited to make an offer, if you're interested."

Yohan exchanged a glance with Emily. "Wait… if the city sells, what happens to our share?"

"In that case, you'd sell your stake as well," the mayor explained smoothly. "Your profit would be fifty percent of whatever price the island is sold for." He paused, leaning back with an amused look. "But of course, that wouldn't matter much if you were the ones buying it."

Yohan considered it for a moment. The man was right — if they played it right, they could end up owning everything in the end.

"Why don't you both think about it and get back to me by the end of the week," the mayor said, rising from his seat, "and we'll finalize everything then."

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