Ch. 396..400: Begging For A Reconciliation Chapter 396-400
Chapter 396 Learning To Grow
Everyone felt Leah's words had a point.
"That makes sense. Money does the talking in an auction, so she can compete fairly as long as she has the money."
"Even if the source of her money is questionable, it has nothing to do with us."
As the public's opinion shifted, Anna's eyes flashed with grievances.
This lady has changed.
She has grown in her personality and her approach to handling matters.
Anna kept her smile, "That seems to be right. I shall not bother you, Sarah. Excuse me…"
Anna had already bid for the ancient drawing, and Anna had no reason to bid for the finger ring with Owen.
Watching her leave, Owen showed a mix of disappointment and resentment in his gaze.
Nana was still mad at Own because of a man.
Then, Owen looked at Leah with growing hatred.
All I have to do is to eliminate Leah for Nana…
Owen summoned the auction attendant, and Owen whispered into his ears.
As the jade finger ring's price raised to fifty million, the people in the venue erupted in excitement.
"What's going on? Is Sarah serious about going against Mr. Lancaster? Who does she think she is?"
"If you think about it, Sarah has a complicated relationship with Mr. Hendrik, Mr. Howard, and Mr. Ford. Someone among them must have instructed here to do this!"
Leah's palms were sweaty out of nervousness, but Leah became speechless after hearing the onlookers commenting about her status with the three big shots.
After taking a deep breath, Leah raised the bid to seventy million.
Hendrik mentioned that as long as it was something Owen liked, they had to bid for it, no matter the price.
This had far exceeded Owen's ideal price. Owen clenched his fist that was hidden under his clothes.
Owen felt this was an unprecedented provocation to his pride and status.
Owen wanted nothing more than to kick this woman who went against him. However, Owen was in a public space, so Owen had to act nobly.
Owen could not afford to tarnish his royal status.
However, as Owen watched the auction attendant bring the red wine to Leah, Owen's anger dissipated.
On the contrary, Owen smirked.
The show is about to start!
After the auction attendant handed the red wine to Leah, he said respectfully, "Miss, here's the red wine provided by the venue for everyone to enjoy."
Leah held the wine glass with a complicated expression.
The scarlet liquid gave Leah an uneasy feeling. Based on her experience of being targeted multiple times, Leah suspected something was wrong with the wine.
Leah thought to herself, Hendrik once said that this place belonged to him. This should be fine.
The rich aroma of the wine dispelled Leah's suspicion since she was thirsty too.
The slightly spicy and sweet liquid flowed down Leah's throat. Leah felt a warm and comfortable sensation spread throughout her body.
The warm dissipated the cold troubling Leah.
Soon, Leah felt drowsy, and she heard Owen raising his bid to 80 million in a daze.
Leah raised her hand, wanting to continue the bid. However, Leah was fast asleep.
At the last second when Leah fell unconscious, Leah felt despair in her heart.
There is something wrong with the wine. Leah was foolish. Leah realized something was wrong, but she still fell for the trap.
In the end, Leah failed to compete further in the bidding. Owen bid on the jade finger ring for a price of 80 million.
The auction was filled with flattery.
"Mr. Lancaster is definitely the richest person around. None of the three men that Sarah seduced can compare to him!"
"Sarah makes the wrong bet. Since Sarah is kept as a sugar baby, why doesn't she choose Mr. Lancaster?"
Owen felt his frustration dissipate, and he was overjoyed with everyone's flattery.
Owen exchanged a few compliments with the people in the venue before leaving with his jade finger ring.
The auction attendant serving Owen received the hint, and he brought the asleep Leah out of the Ocean Hotel.
Owen knew this place was under Hendrik's control, and Owen was aware that it was unrealistic to make a move against Leah at this place.
In the evening, Leah was brought to a cheap hotel.
A splash of cold water woke the sleeping Leah.
"Who are you…" Leah choked on the water. Then, Leah realized the thugs in the room stared at her lustfully, and she panicked.
Leah's drenched clothes clung tightly to her skin, accentuating her sexy and toned figure. The thugs in the room were surging with lust upon the view.
"You're quite attractive. No wonder so many big shots are drawn to you. Today, let our brothers have a good time with you…"
The thugs inched closer with lustful smiles.
Perhaps it came from Leah's survival instinct, or it could be Leah's growth.
Leah's trembling body suddenly stopped. Leah expressed her anger as she stared at the thugs, "Since you know many big shots are backing me up, how dare you lay your hand on me?"
"Are you not afraid of losing your life?"
Leah heard Han's words that were filled with killing intent many times. At this moment, Leah had easily replicated the tone.
The thugs shuddered with their brows furrowed. Then, the thugs discussed softly, "Boss, any of the
men behind her can make us disappear quietly in Linkville."
"It isn't worth it to gamble our future for the money."
As the thugs talked among themselves, the thugs lost their previous lust. Their expressions were filled with unwillingness and hesitation.
"That's a lot of money. Since she is already here, we just have to get rid of her later. Then, we will quickly flee overseas…"
Hearing the thugs' plan, Leah devised a new plan.
Leah took a deep breath to suppress her panic. Leah tidied her hair leisurely with a sneer, "Are you trying to challenge their ability?"
"I have bodyguards keeping tabs on me in secret. Soon, this place will be surrounded. If you make a move on me, you will have no chance to survive."
In comparison to the confidence Leah displayed, Leah felt unsettled in her heart.
There were no bodyguards. Lead made it all up to delay the time and find the opportunity to escape.
Leah could not wait for someone else to rescue her every time. Leah wanted some form of growth in herself.
Charlotte would grow up day by day. If Leah had stayed naive, she would not be able to escape danger. Things would happen like what Han had said.
Leah would not be a qualified mother who could protect Charlotte.
"Ah…" The thugs were terrified because of Leah's words. They quickly went to the window to check on their surroundings.
A couple of cars happened to be parked below the hotel. The thugs' faces turned pale, "There are really cars here. These are special taillights exclusive to luxury cars! Rich people wouldn't come to this kind of hotel. This is not good…"
Leah was surprised, and she breathed a sigh of relief in her heart. It seemed luck was on Leah's side.
Leah cleared her throat, and her beautiful eyes were clear, "As long as I walk out by myself now, you guys will be fine."
The thugs had seemingly found their last straw to survive, and they pleaded for Leah to leave quickly, "Miss, please just go. It is all a mistake!"
However, Leah sneered, "Before that, tell me who gets you to make a move on me."
The thugs were so anxious that they only wanted Leah to leave quickly, and they immediately blurted out, "We don't know. It was a deal made online…"
Chapter 397 Admiration
Leah left the room after a short interrogation when it became clear that none of them knew who the mastermind was.
She felt fear washing over her when she recalled what had happened in the room moments earlier but it didn't take away from the indescribable pride welling within her.
Her eyes reddened as tears misted her eyes.
She did it with her own power.
Luck perhaps played a massive role but she was no longer a passive bystander.
She wiped her tears away and got ready to leave when the elevator doors opened to reveal Vesper waiting within.
"Mr. Thompson?"
What is he doing here?
"Didn't you say you were going to take me to Hendrik to buy the genuine piece tonight?" He took notice of how the woman was soaked to the bone and had his bodyguard lend her his coat.
"What happened there?"
The unfamiliar scent of the man's coat left her a little uncomfortable. She politely returned the article of
clothing. "I'm fine. Thank you."
She left the hotel alongside Vesper and told him everything when they got in the car. "I was kidnapped and made up a lie to escape. I thought the goons noticed when you saved me…"
Leah smiled bitterly. If the goons hadn't noticed Vesper's limousine, her shoddy lie would've come apart at the seams.
Her bravery wouldn't have changed anything if it weren't for her luck.
The man didn't hesitate to hand over a phone when he noticed how lost she looked. "This is the phone you dropped."
"You've done a good job of holding up in the face of danger."
She took it. "Thank you. I thought you hated me. Why did you come to save me…?"
She had repeatedly asked for his cooperation but was ignored.
Vesper smiled faintly. "I had never had a good impression of you until today. You do get smear campaigns online."
"But after getting to know you, I don't think you're that kind of person. I'm not sure whether or not you're telling the truth about the bracelet but I'm still interested in that bet treaty with you."
"I'm impressed by how you escaped from them with just your own wits. I appreciate an empowered
woman!"
He approved of her which took her aback. She smiled. "Thank you!"
I got something good out of a bad situation!
She knew from prior investigations that he had a tragic reason for admiring women with that specific trait.
His wife was a self-reliant and resilient woman but being a young man back then, he often clashed with her.
She eventually passed away from childbirth. He had suddenly become a completely different person within the year.
All the female executives promoted within his company later were competent and hardworking people.
Regret had only set in after he had lost who was dearest to him.
Leah's eyes darkened when her thoughts drifted off to the relationship between her and Han.
He had regretted it back then.
Leah and Vesper soon arrived at a restaurant where they made themselves comfortable in a private booth.
It was dark out. The neon lights added to the mystique of the city.
Leah went to a clothing store a short distance away from the restaurant to buy herself a new set of clothes to change into. She then sent a text to Hendrik. "I'm discussing a possible collaboration with Mr. Thompson. Do you want to bring the bracelet to him? Or should I take him to the villa?"
"I'll be there in half an hour."
Leah slid into her seat opposite Vesper. A fine meal was already laid out on the table.
She once again expressed her gratitude. "Thank you again for coming to save me, Mr. Thompson. I've contacted Hendrick. He'll be here within half an hour."
He frowned. "What relationship do you have with him?"
The name Hendrik had become somewhat of a legend internationally in the past two hours. Those who dabbled in business feared both the man and the Kendrick Group.
It was unbelievable that an ordinary woman like Leah would be involved with such a mysterious person.
She fidgeted awkwardly. "I'm a friend of his. We don't really have anything special going on between us."
"Allow me to demonstrate the project I'm planning, Mr. Thompson…"
She changed the subject to begin discussions.
Vesper appreciated her for being such an independent woman but he wasn't expecting her to come up with anything of interest. That quickly changed. The more she explained, the more interested he got.
"Not bad. I look forward to the results in two years!" He couldn't help but praise her.
His satisfaction relieved her. "You have nothing to worry about, Mr. Thompson. I won't let you down!"
Leah successfully got the Thompson family's unused piece of land on West Street after the contracts were signed.
Hendrick came in with the bracelet in hand and handed over a beautiful wooden gift box.
"I'm here with what you want, Mr. Thompson."
Vesper turned to look at Hendrick who was dressed from head to toe. Not a single patch of skin could be seen. "I'll be taking my leave now."
He neither worshiped him nor asked questions.
That was how the Thompson family worked. They sucked up to no one and stood firm in the business world on their own merits.
Leah was rereading the contract over and over again. Her eyes shone under the crystal chandelier.
She could finally shut the old men from the White Group up with this!
She coughed lightly in her excitement.
She could feel a headache coming on. Perhaps it was because she had cold water dumped all over her earlier.
Han could see how sick she was and held her hand. "Go home. Nothing's going to happen to you with me around."
Leah knew she couldn't hide from him. "I was lucky Mr. Thompson remembered the bracelet and came to save me…"
The two returned to the car. Han looked out the window and said, "My men would've come for you even if he didn't."
"They were held back and didn't reach you in time."
He didn't know why he was explaining this to her. Her tone made him feel stuffy.
"..." She didn't answer.
The silence was deafening.
He frowned, only to see her collapse into him.
He could see the abnormal flush on her face despite the dim street lamps lighting the way.
He reached up and caressed her bare forehead and felt his heart drop.
"To the hospital!"
Chapter 398 Give Him Time
Leah's medical reports were out. She was down with the common flu.
The medical personnel set up a ward for her. "Ms. White is…down with a cold, Mr. Hendrick. She'll be fine after an IV drip. There's nothing to worry about."
It was the first time they had met Hendrick in person, which left them a stuttering mess.
Han frowned and waved the doctor off. He sat down by Leah's bed to watch her.
Her face was as pale as a sheet with her beauty marred by fatigue and discomfort.
The lights in the ward were far too harsh, leading to him switching them off in favor of the night light by the bed.
"Rest well, Leah." He gently caressed her face. The dark circles under her eyes worried him.
She got hurt so easily and even got herself kidnapped the moment he turned away.
He changed out the fever reducer patch when he received a text.
"We found the source of a large number of counterfeit products that have been circulating in the market recently. It was Donald Harper! He manufactured a counterfeit of one of the Kendrick Group's products that seriously damaged the interests of the company. Should we collect the evidence and hand him over to the police?"
Han's grip on his phone tightened as he frowned at the sleeping Leah.
It was Donald.
How was she going to react if he ended up in prison?
He suddenly remembered the text message Donald had sent to her that night.
He answered, "Don't interfere. Let the police look into it themselves. Go teach him a lesson and secret so he doesn't do it again."
He put his phone away and finally removed his mask to reveal his handsome countenance.
He looked at Leah and said, "For your sake, I'll allow Donald to walk free for now."
If he continues with his illegal and criminal activities and ends up dragging both you and Carlotta down, I'll deal with him myself even if the cops don't!
The following morning.
Dark clouds loomed over the sky. The cold, dry autumn breeze took away the last vibrancy of the city's plants.
Leah awoke baffled by the sight of dead leaves hanging onto bare branches.
I'm in the hospital?
She was at a loss as to how she ended up here.
"Mommy! Why do you keep getting sick?" Carlotta's voice rang out.
Han had Carlotta with him, leaving her shocked.
How is he here?
She was with Hendrick yesterday. Where was he?
"Sorry, Carlotta. Mommy caught a cold. I'm fine now." Leah forced a laugh.
She could feel a pressure weighing her down with Han in the same room.
Carlotta ran up to her bed on stubby legs and tugged on her mother's hand. "The doctor says you're okay to leave the hospital now. Let's go home after we get breakfast."
Han set down the food he had got onto the table. "What an idiot. You keep making a fool of yourself."
His reprimands put her in an even worse mood. She got out of bed. "I need to go to work…"
She suddenly turned to give the man a complicated expression. "You should know Hendrick wants me to represent the White Group."
Han took a seat by the bed. "I do."
His indifference only confused her even more.
Why is he being so tolerant of Hendrick? Is he afraid of what he can do?
No, that's not possible.
After washing up, she held her daughter and said, "Mommy still has work to do. I can't join you for breakfast today. I'll take you home now, okay?"
Carlotta sounded lost. "Huh? But Daddy made breakfast for you. Mommy should eat some before leaving."
That got her to turn her attention back to the indifferent Han. "You made these?"
Her heartbeats began to pound at irregular intervals.
"Carlotta asked me to prepare it."
The little girl happily explained it all. "I watched TV, Mommy. Daddies and Mommies have to make each other food when someone ends up in the hospital!"
"Come on, Mommy! Eat, eat!"
Perhaps it was the girl's enthusiasm that drew her in to sit back down.
It would be disrespectful if she tried to leave again. She had no choice but to bite the bullet. "Thank you…"
The aroma of cut fruit and oatmeal hit her nose the moment she opened the container. The sweet and refreshing scent was whetting her appetite.
She served herself a bowl but deliberately picked out the berries mixed into the oatmeal.
Han, of course, noticed her picking at her food. "Hand it over."
He plopped a serving of fruit into her bowl.
"I don't need those. Just the oatmeal is fine…" Her face scrunched up as she tried to negotiate for a middle ground.
She was not fond of the way blueberries coated her throat.
Han spoke sarcastically, "An adult being this picky? It's no wonder you're sick all the time."
Carlotta agreed. "Yeah! You can't be picky, Mommy. Daddy worked hard on it. It's good for you so eat up!"
Leah had no choice but to compromise with two people breathing down her throat. "Alright. Give it to me…"
The child was becoming more and more attached to Han.
She wanted to take her bowl back only for Han to dodge her attempts.
He gave her a cold look, scooped up a spoonful of oatmeal, and brought it to her: "Open up."
His deep voice brought a shudder down her spine.
She twitched. "No need. I can do it myself."
They were just playing up their relationship. There was no reason for him to go this far for Carlotta.
Han wasn't going to force her with how resistant she was being. He simply shoved the spoon into his mouth and leaned in to kiss her.
The lack of distance between them had her heart beating out of control. Her eyes widened in shock as she tried to push him away.
Is he crazy? He's doing this right in front of Carlotta!
There was nowhere for her to escape with his grip firmly on her. He deepened the kiss.
She was forced to swallow the mouthful of oatmeal. The lack of air had her cheeks stained red.
Carlotta clapped excitedly and was taking photos with her phone.
"Yay! I get to collect photos of Mommy and Daddy showing love to each other!"
Chapter 399 Put on Airs
The window closed off the crisp Autumn breeze from entering the building.
Leah shook, feeling the chill in her bones, but she was more shocked than anything.
After much struggle, she managed to push Han out of the way. Out of breath, she asked Carlotta, “What did you say? What did you collect?”
Deep within, Leah was nervous that Carlotta would acquire such a thing. She hoped her ears deceived her.
Picking on Leah’s body trembles, Han took a glance at the gloomy weather outside the window before pulling her into his arms to sit on his lap.
The little girl excitedly snapped another photo of Leah and Han’s intimate position and showed off the photo on her phone.
Carlotta lifted her head with pride. “Look. These are all the photos I took of Mommy and Daddy together.
“We should get a family photo professionally once Mommy gets better. It will be the perfect keepsake for the future.”
The sparkle in Carlotta’s eyes like never before only broke Leah’s heart.
There was no future between her and Han.
Han was putting on another act as a way to get back at her.
Leah parted her lips but could not bring herself to extinguish the brilliance in Carlotta’s eyes.
Put in a passive position, Leah answered, “Sure. I’ll take you out when I’m done here.”
Carlotta pouted her lips in displeasure. “It’s you two. Both of you must take me out.”
“Mommy, you always forget Daddy. Don’t tell me you move on to Mr. Hendrik!”
Leah was beyond awkward. “Don’t say such things, Carlotta.”
The child sure had a wild imagination…
Raising a brow, Han tightened his grip around Leah’s thin waist. “Did you fall in love with him?”
Leah had no words. “No! Let me go. I need to make a move to White Group.”
Although she had no idea why Han was tolerant of Hendrik’s presence around her, Leah had no reason to hide that fact since Han did not mind at all.
With a deadpan look, Han held her with one arm and continued to feed her. “Finish it.”
Leah’s surprised eyes met his gaze and relented since he had no intention of letting her go until her plate was clean.
The warm food slid through her esophagus, bringing a flushed sensation to her belly.
Despite the cruel winds of Autumn howling outside, Leah was away from the cold sitting in Han’s warm embrace.
His body temperature seemed to be melting the icy walls she put up around her.
Hanging her head low, Leah robotically swallowed the food. Her eyes welled up as her belly was filled.
She could taste the difference in the food he personally prepared, and it tasted so good.
He could have picked many other ways to crush her spirit. Why did he adopt this method?
The mundane yet happy life was what she yearned for from the very start.
At this rate, Leah was afraid she might lose herself into oblivion.
“I’m full.” Feeling stuffed, Leah turned her head away from the incoming spoon.
Han quietly stared at her for a while until he was certain she had her fill before finishing off the remaining food.
Leah wanted to say something about him using the same spoon but shut up in the end.
They had shared a kiss moments ago, so it was no biggie to be eating off the same spoon.
“You can carry on eating. I should get off you.” Leah’s palms were clamming since Han did not have plans to let her go.
The foot traffic in the outside hallway was building. What if someone were to enter the room and see them like this…
With his arm around her waist, Han dined with grace.
Han finished the meal and spoke of something else, “I saw the design sketches for HJ Corporation that you left at home. It won’t do.”
Leah was a designer, and his firm denial rubbed her the wrong way. “And you know better?”
Han curled his lips as Leah did not take the news well. “I know a little. First of all, you’re going at it in the wrong direction.
“The Victor family of HJ Corporation dates way back centuries and is rich in culture and history. Your design demonstrates splendor and glory, but it’s missing something.”
Seeing that he had a point, Leah inquired, “What’s that?”
With getting away from Han’s arms no longer the priority, Leah earnestly drew closer to get an answer.
Han seemed to be in a better mood as he ran his fingers along her waist. “Do you want to know?”
Leah solemnly nodded her head.
He was right. The core elements of her design were splendor and magnificence.
“Kiss me.”
Leah was dumbstruck by Han’s request. She pulled a straight face and jumped out of his arms. “I need to get to the office.”
She should not have expectations. He was merely trying to humiliate her in Carlotta’s presence!
It did not surprise Han that Leah was mad. The glee in his eyes was without the usual sarcasm.
“You should learn more about the head of the Victor household’s preferences. You will be able to get a feel of reflecting the rich family history in your design.”
Leah’s fury disappeared in a poof. She furrowed her brows. “I’ve done the same genre for the HJ design competition. Wouldn’t it be monotonous to do the same for the entire series?”
Han drew near to her and smiled faintly. “You’ll know when you look into their past.”
He then left with Carlotta.
Leah returned to the CEO’s office in the White Group while still figuring out the meaning behind Han’s words.
She had done a run-through on the Victors’ family history while competing at the HJ design competition. Perhaps she did not look at the broader picture.
She guessed she should do more research…
Leah texted, “Ms. Victor, I’m sorry that I would need an extra day for the sketch…”
She just sent Ms. Victor a text about postponing the deadline when Ross stepped into the office.
“Ms. White, the senior executives got together in a meeting, kicking up a fuss and mocking you for failing to acquire West Street’s plot. Do you want to contact Mr. Hendrick to deal with them?”
Ross was anxious. It did not take long for the senior management team to make things difficult for Ms. White.
Snapping out of her thoughts, Leah drew a deep breath and got a grip on herself. “You should go ahead and keep them in line. I’ll be right there.”
That reminded her. Leah was the acting CEO of the White Group now. The sketch for HJ corporation had to wait.
Leah straightened out her appearance and armed herself with a sullen look and Vesper’s contract before strutting to the conference room.
Before she could get close, Leah saw a group of employees gathered in front of the meeting room.
“Poor management team. They yield to the vixen!”
“I heard the woman made a wager with the senior executives that she would acquire a partnership with Mr. Thompson. That’s ridiculous. Who does she think she is?”
“Mr. Thompson won’t fall for her sh*t…”
“Are you done? You can proceed to the HR department and go through the departure formalities if you are,” Leah curtly interrupted their conversation.
After the initial scare of her sudden appearance, the crowd started to express their disapproval of her decision.
“You’re only an acting CEO. You have no right to fire us.”
“That’s right! Mr. Lamere - Jackson Lamere – personally hired us. Even though Mr. Hendrick acquired the company, we only take our orders from Mr. Lamere! Stop putting on airs!”
Chapter 400 Weed Out
The wide hallway started to be packed with people, who could not stay away from getting firsthand gossip.
Most of them spoke out against Leah while only a handful shared opposing views.
“Just to put a point out there. I think Ms. White is not a bad boss. She has kept up with business networking from day one, and she has expressed concern about the employee salary.”
“That’s right. I heard from HR this morning that the company policies on base salary and perks have been revised. Apparently, Ms. White requested Mr. Hendrick for the change.”
“This is between Ms. White and the management team. As employees, we should just keep our mouths shut.”
Leah was surprised and moved that there were people standing up for her.
She exchanged glances with Ross before going ahead into the conference room.
The dozen of senior executives were laughing their asses off at the sight of Leah.
“Oh, guess who finally shows up? Did you nail the thing with West Street? I knew you were bullsh*tting.”
“Don’t say that about her. Give me some time. Mr. Thompson won’t fall for her slop since it’s harder to
get into his bed than Mr. Hendrick’s.”
“You’re right. It’s hard for her since she has to act like she’s working during the day and tends to Mr. Hendrick at night. You guys should cut it out.”
The meeting room was filled with taunts and mockeries. In the past, Leah would have been thrown into a daze.
Yet now, she merely aloofly said, “You can start your apology now.”
Slamming the contract on the table, she curled her luscious lips cynically, “This is the contract with the Thompson Group. We got West Street.”
Silence befell the conference room.
The dozen of senior executives widened their eyes in disbelief as they inspected Mona and the contract.
“Impossible! We weren’t even close to getting the deal with the Thompsons after going back and forth with them for two years! How could you possibly close the deal?”
“Young lady, I know you’re vain and competitive, but it’s illegal to forge a contract. I would advise you to think twice.”
Leah smiled in contempt. “In other words, you’re incompetent. The contract is real. I have proof of my further collaboration with Mr. Thompson. Please don’t look for an excuse to pass the buck and
apologize to me.”
These people had looked down upon her the whole time. Now that Leah had acquired the partnership, they were probably p*ssed off.
As expected, a few among the veteran executives made faces.
“How can you expect me to apologize when you obtain the contract through filthy means? Who do you think you are?”
“Even if the contract is real, it doesn’t change the fact that you go around seducing men. I will never yield under your power, wh*re.”
Having been embarrassed, they covered their humiliation with rage.
Even though Leah had come back stronger, the waves of criticism washed color off her face.
Only, she kept her cool on the surface. Leah worked the projector and put a video on a huge screen.
Leah then glanced at the management team and smirked. “I was going to let you keep your pride, but since promises don’t mean anything to you, don’t blame me for what’s to come.
“I have turned over evidence of your bribing, power abuse over employees, and misappropriation of company funds to the police.
“I will also let the nationwide media know…
As the proof was being played out in the video, the dozen of senior executives turned pale in the face and shook up.
Refusing to hear anymore, they cut Leah off in a fluster, “Enough! Didn’t you want an apology? Fine, I’ll apologize. Don’t joke about this sort of stuff.”
“…Hang on. Where did you acquire the proof?”
Seeing that the senior team showed no remorse, Leah disappointedly shook her head. “It’s too late. The police are on their way as we speak. Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time. You can explain yourselves to them.”
Leah put Donald on the investigating job. According to Donald, these people did not even bother to cover their tracks. They lived life on the edge, challenging the limits of the law.
The senior executives made a run for the door at the mention of police. However, Ross had put a team of security there.
Five minutes later, the management team was taken away.
It was quiet in the meeting room.
Leah approached the floor-to-ceiling window and looked at the scenery. The bleak late Autumn woe resonated in her eyes.
She could not believe the damage Jackson had done to the White Group.
The whole thing stank.
Leah was heartbroken to see her parents’ lifelong blood, sweat, and tears ruined.
Even though she was only managing the White Group temporarily, she wanted to weed out the bad and return the company to its former glory.
News that the arrest of the high management team stirred a sensation online.
Jackson and Shawn discuss their options in the dark, only to find his spies in the White Group removed. Jackson did not take the news well.
He fell on the ground in agony, gasping for breath as resentment fleeted across his eyes.
“That b*tch…”
It never occurred to him that Hendrick would be fond of Sarah and give her power to fire so many senior executives. The company might just crash.
Hang on. Hendrick was Han!
Shawn looked at the rattled state Jackson was in, feeling disdain.
He was upset too. “We’ll lose all control over the White Group. Not only that, Hendrick has cracked down on my companies from operating!”
Barely able to pick himself up, Jackson spat in resentment and eerily uttered, “Sarah doesn’t seem to
know that Hendrick is Han.
“Say, do you think she will still stay by his side if we tell her the truth?”
With his eyes lit up, Shawn let out a smile that spoke volumes. “That’s a good idea. We can flip Sarah to the other side and get her to turn against Han.
“She absolutely can’t stand people lying to her. She will probably have a breakdown if she finds out that Han is playing with her emotions as Hendrick.”
Ben took Leah to Han’s Victoria residence when night rolled around.
Leah had fished out the issue with her sketches for HJ Corporation during the day, and she had just come around to fixing it.
As Han put it, Leah discovered the Victors’ amazing feats the deeper she dug into the family’s past. Her designs reflected the memories of many eras.
Her designs would give out refined retro vibes if she could bring out the essence of the Victor family’s rich culture and history.
Rather than an air of grandeur, the vintage element of yesteryear suited HJ Corporation best.
Leah altered her sketches before sending them off to Susan. She was about to turn in for the night when she got a call from Shawn.
Leah was hesitant, but considering their past, she accepted the call.
“Sarah, let’s meet tomorrow. I have an important secret to share about Hendrick and Han…”