Chapter 178
Chapter 178
“You should eat more,” Liam said as he pushed a small plate toward Izzy. On it was half of the sandwich he had just finished making from the corner of the table–thick slices of tomato, eggs, cheese, and a light smear of mustard between toaster 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 at the same time as if it was normal to be sharing food at a table like this.
Seeing this. Philip didn’t react. He turned a page of his newspaper and took another sip of tea as if nothing was happening in front of him.
Then Margarette looked at them briefly glancing away, adjusting her utensils even though she wasn’t eating. Her hand hovered over her cup but didn’t lift it. There was a tightness in her posture.
Meanwhile, Olivier hadn’t touched his breakfast since the tea exchange. His eyes were locked on Liam, flicking occasionally to Izzy as if the sight physically irritated him. When Liam reached over and wiped a crumb from the corner of Izzy’s mouth, Olivier’s knuckles turned white around his knife.
They ate in silence for a few more minutes as Izzy leaned into her chair, chewing slowly, still holding the sandwich Liam made. Then he poured her a glass of water from the pitcher without asking, set it beside her plate, and then poured one for
himself.
She smiled at him again, quietly.
The clink of silverware and the faint hum of conversation between the maids in the hallway were the only sounds.
Then Olivier set his cup down–loudly. It wasn’t slammed, but it was hard enough to break the rhythm in the room.
“Are you ever going to apologize?” he asked, eyes fixed on Liam.
The quiet stopped completely. Margarette froze mid–reach. Even Philip paused, though he didn’t look up.
Liam didn’t answer right away. 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 air was obvious. 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, slower this time, but still didn’t lift his head. He didn’t interrupt.
Liam snorted. “I mean… I know that I am pretty smart, but I couldn’t read minds.”
“You-”
“Alright, that’s enough,” Margarette immediately intervened. “Your father is just tired. He–he wasn’t able to sleep last night,” she turned towards her husband. “Isn’t that right, dear?”
In response, Olivier glared at his own wife. However, Margarette was not done yet. She quickly added, “Last night, your father did some research about some land in Arizona.”
Margarette straightened in her seat. “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
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importance of domestic resources? I thought Olivier’s proposal made sense. What do your thinks
Philip finally folded the newspaper and set it beside his place. He adjusted his chair slightly and looked at Olivier. “What’s the potential there?”
Olivier paused. His grip tightened on the edge of the table. Father, Philip wouldn’t even look at the file. Now, just because Liam was 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 sire’s been dormant for a long time. It used to be a small copper operation, shut down decades ago,” Olivier began. “But lat 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 rss main areas with high mineral density”
Philip didn’t interrupt. He just waited.
“There’s potential for copper. Possibly lithium. Lithium prices have been fluctuating, but they’re expected to spike again with demand in battery production,” Olivier went on. “If we secure the lot and do our own private testing, we can either develop it or sell the claim if it turns out 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 get into the bidding pool. The number might go higher depending on interest. Most of the 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’s 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 right away. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, eyes still on Olivier. “Sounds risky,” he said. “But so are most resource bids. Depends on how much you’re willing to lose.”
Olivier clenched his jaw. He wasn’t sure if his father had asked Liam just to get under his skin, but it worked. He shifted slightly in his seat, then returned his attention to Philip. “If we act now, we secure the position before outside investors catch wind of it. The market’s volatile, but that’s where the margin is. We don’t have to develop it immediately. Just getting the rights would put us ahead if the survey results are confirmed.”
Margarette nodded along, trying to maintain the mood. “It could be worth it. Especially with everything moving toward green energy and battery storage.”
Philip didn’t say anything 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 while reading the documents.
“Father, why are you asking Isabella about this?” Olivier couldn’t help but ask.
Philip didn’t look up from the file. “She’s in real estate. She’s dealt with land acquisition before. I assume she knows ho read beyond just the mineral potential.” He turned another page. “I want to hear what she thinks.”
Olivier sat back slightly, jaw tight. His eyes flicked to Izzy, then to Liam, then back again.
Izzy glanced at Liam. He gave a short nod without saying anything.
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
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compared to when it was mined last,”
+53)
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 raise more attention. The government’s more sensitive to extraction methods tied to water usage.”
Margarette blinked. Olivier still didn’t say anything.
“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 offset the investment. Even if you win the bid, you could end up sitting on a dry lot.”
Olivier narrowed his eyes on her. “That’s speculation. Pure and utter bullshit.”
“It’s risk analysis,” she said plainly, “You’re banking on survey flags that weren’t verified by drilling. There’s potential, yes, but it’s a gamble. I wouldn’t recommend betting company capital on it unless you’re prepared to absorb the loss.”
Philip finally looked up from the file, eyes on Olivier.
Of course, Olivier wanted to take this opportunity to show his father that Izzy was talking nonsense. “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 safe all the time. Of course, someone like you wouldn’t know about these things.”
“Someone like me?” Izzy lifted an eyebrow. “May I know what that means?”
“Alright… that is enough,” Margarette smiled. Again, she held her husband’s leg. Then she looked at Izzy. “Darling, let’s leave the men to discuss these things. How could someone like us talk about hundreds of millions worth of investment? How about…” she got up. “How about we go to the garden and talk about that tea and perhaps some… flowers?”
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