Haskell smiled. “You flatter me, Larissa. It wasn’t that difficult to guess. You mentioned being a shareholder here, but as far as I know, this restaurant has always been a minor asset under the Schwartz family’s umbrella. It just wasn’t well-known until it was revamped a few years ago and became popular in Regal City.”
Larissa shrugged. “See? I told you he’s sharp. But…” She looked at Haskell, genuinely surprised. “I didn’t expect that you, as the former heir-apparent to the Palmer family, with so much on your plate, would know who owns a small establishment like Paddy's Home.”
Haskell explained, “To succeed long-term, you need a broad perspective. If not nationally or globally, you at least have to understand the major players in Regal City. Know your allies and your rivals, and you’ll always have the upper hand.”
Solon watched Larissa and Haskell interact and silently poured himself another cup of coffee.
“What kind of super-powered freaks are these two?” he thought. “If I ever do go back to run the family business, I hope this Palmer heir goes easy on me. Otherwise, he might just dismantle the entire Schwartz enterprise!”
…
After leaving Paddy’s Home, Honora turned to Finley, her face a mask of apology. “I’m so sorry, Finley. I wasn’t able to help this time.”
Though disappointed, Finley didn’t blame his sister.
“It has nothing to do with you,” he said in a comforting tone. “I was careless. I never expected Larissa to pull a stunt like that and run us around in circles.”
Leopold scoffed. “It’s not your fault, Honora. That brat is just too cunning. There was no way to see this coming!”
“Finley, what do we do now?” Honora asked, her voice filled with worry.
“It seems our only chance to meet the real Field of Lari is at the official fan meeting at the end of the month,” Finley said, unable to hide his disappointment at losing their advantage.
Leopold, seething with anger, glanced back at the restaurant, his eyes practically shooting flames. “No, I can’t just let this go!”

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