Hearing Jason's words, Professor William paused, a subtle feeling flickering in his chest.
Jason had just helped his family in a big way — and right after that, he was asking for a favor. For a moment, it almost felt as if everything the hospital had done was meant to make him owe something in return.
But then William shook his head at the thought. That was too cynical, too absurd. Jason had already donated millions to the university — clearly not someone who needed to manipulate connections for small favors.
And besides, this wasn't about personal gain. Jason hadn't helped him with hospital bills or some under-the-table deal; he had spent over two hundred million dollars to acquire Starlight Medical Center and turned it into an insurance-approved hospital. Could a mere favor from him really be worth that much?
Still, William didn't overthink it. Everything Jason had done was legitimate and publicly beneficial. Even if someone were to investigate, it wouldn't look like bribery — it would look like civic generosity.
He owed Jason a huge favor, and the young man's request was simple — not illegal, not inappropriate. Just asking him to accompany him to meet the mayor. As a university professor, why wouldn't he support his student?
William smiled and asked, "Why is the mayor meeting with you, Jason? Is it about Medical Center?"
Jason chuckled. "No, sir, it's about the redevelopment project. It's a three-hundred-acre commercial site connecting the downtown. It's projected to become the most vibrant coastal district in the entire city once complete."
He paused before continuing. "The mayor wants to discuss my development plans — how we're structuring it, our environmental strategy, and the construction timeline."
William blinked in surprise. "You managed to acquire that land for commercial development?"
Redevelopment projects of that scale usually involved multiple departments — Urban Planning, Construction, Environmental Management, and the Economic Development Office.
But This wasn't just any project. It was a cornerstone initiative for the city's next decade — the kind of project that could define a mayor's career.
If handled properly, it could transform the city's waterfront economy and tourism. That kind of success would absolutely make headlines.
Jason nodded. "Yes, sir. We've already prepared the preliminary materials — master plan, construction blueprints, environmental impact reports, safety compliance documents, all of it. But I'm not sure if it's up to the mayor's standards."
William leaned back, thoughtful. "Send everything to me first. I'll take a look tonight. What time is the meeting tomorrow? I'll go with you."
William had studied architectural design in college, and even though he worked in education now, his understanding of urban development was extensive. His review would make the proposal far stronger.
Jason didn't hesitate — he sent over the full proposal. William took the files home, spent hours reviewing every section, and left detailed notes. Where there were small gaps, he suggested adjustments until the entire plan was nearly flawless.
The next morning, Jason and William met at the university gate, then got into William's black Lincoln and headed downtown to City Hall.
As soon as they entered the lobby, a secretary came forward to greet them and guided them upstairs to the mayor's office.
Mayor Robert Harris was already waiting. When he saw Jason walk in with William beside him, his brows rose in mild surprise.
"Professor William? What are you doing here? This meeting's supposed to be about development projects, not education."
William chuckled. "Mayor Harris, Jason's one of my students. If my student is investing in and helping shape this city's future, how could it have nothing to do with me?"
The two men exchanged an amused glance. Mayor Harris might have been the city's top official, but Professor William was no ordinary academic — he sat on several policy advisory boards and was often rumored to be the leading candidate for the next city council appointment.
They were equals in both reputation and influence — and their easy tone showed it.
Mayor Harris chuckled. "Professor William, I never realized you were this protective of your students."
Jason smiled and greeted politely, "Good afternoon, Mayor Harris."
"Jason, please have a seat," Harris said, gesturing warmly, his tone more like that of an elder than a government official.
The mayor's attitude toward Jason wasn't just because of Professor William's presence — it was also because of Jason Carter's increasingly mysterious reputation.
Not long ago, when Jason had managed to acquire the District redevelopment site — a massive industrial area later rezoned for commercial use — there had been whispers and even formal reports filed against the director of the City Planning Department.
But when the Ethics Committee launched an investigation, they found nothing improper. Other than attending the same charity gala, no private contact, no shared accounts, no suspicious transactions. Everything checked out, every dollar accounted for, every tax document clean.
Still, the investigation only deepened the city officials' curiosity. How could a university student from a working-class family suddenly have the funds to acquire a project worth hundreds of millions?
Mayor Harris had personally reviewed Jason's file. His parents were small business owners from a modest town, yet Jason's portfolio included multiple legitimate companies, audited assets, and full tax compliance.
The numbers were clean — too clean, in fact. Every trace led to real, verifiable businesses, not shell corporations.
Harris couldn't come up with a reasonable explanation. Eventually, he arrived at the only conclusion that made sense — Jason Carter's true background must be far more powerful than anyone realized, and for reasons unknown, he was keeping it hidden.
It was just a hunch, but Harris had learned to trust his instincts. Better to stay polite with someone like that than to accidentally offend the wrong person.
Still, he had no intention of breaking protocol. He would treat Jason fairly — no favoritism, no unnecessary distance — and if their interests aligned, all the better.
"Mayor," Jason said respectfully, placing a thick binder of documents on the table, "these are the design proposals, architectural blueprints, safety and environmental reports, and construction oversight procedures."
Mayor Harris flipped open the file and scanned the pages. He then shot Professor William a knowing glance — it was obvious the documents had passed through his hands first.
So Harris didn't waste time with the administrative sections. Instead, he focused directly on the design concepts and construction blueprints. Within minutes, his eyes began to shine.
The design was bold, modern, and elegantly functional — miles ahead of the other developers' proposals he'd seen. He knew that Olivia Enterprises had already submitted a rival plan backed by several major investors and a top architectural firm. Yet Jason's proposal surpassed theirs in both vision and practicality.
After a moment of silence, Harris finally spoke. "This proposal is impressive, Jason. Truly. But with such a large budget — can you actually deliver? And how soon?"
Jason didn't waste words. He quietly opened his tablet and showed a digital account summary.
Harris's eyes widened. The available balance displayed was $420 million — in liquid assets.
He knew the industry well enough to understand what that meant. Most developers couldn't even afford the land outright; they relied on loans, mortgages, and speculative presales to fund construction.
To pour nearly half a billion dollars in cash into a project upfront was nothing short of extraordinary.
After giving the mayor a moment to absorb it, Jason said evenly, "As for the timeline — my team and I plan to complete the Bayline District redevelopment in three years. Accounting for holiday delays, that's two years and eleven months."
Both Harris and Professor William froze for a moment.
The number wasn't random — two years and eleven months was exactly the time remaining in Harris's current term as mayor.
Jason's message couldn't have been clearer:He intended to finish the entire commercial district within the mayor's administration, ensuring the success — and political credit — would fall directly under Robert Harris's leadership.
For a brief second, the room was silent. Then, the mayor leaned back, smiling faintly — a spark of admiration flickering in his eyes.
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