Ch. 521..530
My Baby’s Daddy Chapter 521
“Miss Tillman, we have obstructed the needle for President Tillman. We will be able to prevent the administration of Naomi’s drug the moment she makes her move.”
“Miss Tillman, the pinhole cameras are in place.”
“Miss Tillman, Naomi has entered the lobby.”
Standing in front of the French window, Anastasia was like a hunter waiting for her prey to fall into her trap. Thinking back on what Naomi had done to her father, Anastasia wanted her to be duly punished for her crimes.
Oblivious to Anastasia’s plan, Naomi interacted with the nurses as usual and had a few idle conversations with them regarding her husband’s condition last night before requesting to visit Francis.
“Mrs. Tillman, Mr. Tillman showed signs of consciousness last night, as his fingers had slight movement. We believe that he will recover very soon.” The nurse deliberately told Naomi about the ‘improvement’ of Francis’ condition.
With a stiff smile, Naomi feigned joy. “That’s great news! This hospital really lives up to its name.”
“Of course! The doctor treating Mr. Tillman right now is our top neurologist!” Saying that, the nurse pushed the door open and invited Naomi into the ward before closing the door for her.
After that, the nurse immediately went to where Anastasia was and reported to Anastasia who was currently sitting on a sofa. “Miss Tillman, I’ve told Naomi everything just as you instructed.”
“Good. Thank you for your cooperation.” Anastasia nodded. After the nurse left, she opened the laptop in front of her and displayed the camera footage of the four cameras she placed inside the ward. From here, she could monitor every action of Naomi in Francis’ ward.
Through the cameras, Naomi’s expression was as clear as day with her eyes cold. Suddenly, Naomi muttered, “Don’t blame me for this. You forced me into this.”
Saving that, Naomi took out a small syringe and extracted the drug she had in her bag. After that, she used her clothes to block the view of the camera before holding the tube hooked up to Francis and, without any hesitation, injected the entirety of the drug into the tube.
All it took was ten seconds for Naomi to administer the drug. Truly, what she did could be described as killing someone without leaving any trace of evidence. She then kept the syringe back into her bag before she sat back down and looked at Francis as if she had done nothing.
Anastasia tensed up, as she witnessed just how wicked a person could be right in front of her. She witnessed the person who had spent twenty years sleeping on the same bed as her father send her father to the jaws of death without so much as a sound.
At this point, Rey entered the room. “Miss Tillman, should we go in and expose her now?”
Anastasia did not wish to wait any longer, especially since she had recorded everything as evidence. “Let’s go.”
My Baby’s Daddy Chapter 522
Thinking that she had to quickly dispose of the syringe and the lethal drug in her bag, Naomi was about to leave when Anastasia entered. Upon seeing Anastasia, she said in a hurry, “Looks like you’re here. I have to go to the company now, so please take care of your father!”
However, the nurse who led Naomi immediately went to Francis’ side the moment she came in and checked on the contents of the indwelling needle. Unbeknownst to Naomi, the needle was not inserted into Francis but was merely taped onto him.
was
With an expression as cold as ice, Anastasia shot a chilling gaze at Naomi. “You are not to go anywhere from this very moment. Just what did you inject into my father’s IV tube?”
Naomi became nervous but managed to put on her poker face. “What are you talking about? I’ve only been accompanying your father and did nothing of the sort.”
However, Rey hadn’t the intention of giving Naomi leeway to deny her crimes any further. He brought his iPad out and showed her the video of the moment Naomi committed the crime. “Naomi Lowell, we have recorded everything you’ve done in this ward. The evidence that shows you intended to murder Mr. Tillman is now in Miss Tillman’s hands.”
Upon looking at the video of her injecting the lethal drug, Naomi felt weak in her knees and almost fainted due to the shock. How could this be? she thought, as she did not expect what she had done in secrecy to be caught on tape by Anastasia. “Anastasia Tillman, you wretch! You set me up!” Shocked, she roared in anger upon realizing she had fallen into Anastasia’s trap.
“Naomi Lowell, you can save your piece for the police,” Anastasia said coldly. Just then, two uniformed officers entered and held Naomi by her arms. “Naomi Lowell, you are under arrest for the attempted murder of Francis Tillman.”
“Let go of me! I didn’t do it… It was all Anastasia! She’s the one who set me up! I didn’t do anything… Release me!” Naomi’s screams, similar to the wails of a ghost, resounded down the corridor,
Anastasia watched the nurse transfer the content of the IV tube into an empty bottle that would
be sent to the police as evidence of Naomi’s crimes. Then, her heart ached the moment she noticed how pale her father’s face had become. Does he know what is going on?
After Anastasia stayed with her father for a while, she left the ward to find Elliot walking toward her. In his black suit, he gave off a very strong fearless presence that said as long as he was present, there was nothing to fear, as he could simply breeze through even the toughest of challenges. “Naomi is now locked up in the police station. You did a great job.” Elliot praised Anastasia, as her plan had managed to cause Naomi to essentially self-destruct in the end.
“What I want is for all those who harmed my father to pay. It won’t end with just Naomi alone.” Anastasia knew very well that Colin Smithers, Alex Hunter, and Erica Tillman were involved as well. Although Naomi was the one who had pulled the trigger, the others were all accomplices in Anastasia’s eyes.
Elliot’s heart ached, as he noticed how haggard and thin Anastasia had become due to the current ordeal she was going through. Then, he embraced her in his arms. “Take your time. None of them will go scot-free,” he said, with hints of power and chilliness in his voice.
Back in the Tillman Residence.
My Baby’s Daddy Chapter 523
Erica slept so soundly that she couldn’t hear her mother waking her up. After she woke up, she went downstairs to find the breakfast the maids had prepared for her. Just as she was about to complain about the food and her lack of appetite for it, her phone rang. Taking a glance at the caller ID, she then answered her phone. “Hello?”
“Miss Erica Tillman, your mother has been arrested for the attempted murder of your father, Francis Tillman. I need you to pack two sets of clothes and bring them along with you down the station.”
“What?” To her dismay, Erica dropped the spoon in her hand. After she confirmed that her mother was currently in the police station, she was so frightened that tears started rolling down her cheeks. She immediately dialed Alex’s number and told him about what had befallen her mother.
“Erica, listen to me. When you meet your mother, you must make sure that she admits to everything and does not implicate us in this.” Alex gave a stern warning from the other end of the
line.
Erica was bitterly disappointed, as Alex planned to forsake her mother at a time like this, wanting for her mother to bear the entire responsibility alone.
“Erica, if we are all implicated in this, everything your father has will fall into Anastasia’s hand. And us? We would all be going to jail. Do you understand?” Alex warned once more.
Holding back her grief, Erica replied, “Okay, I’ll beg my mother to do so.”
When Erica arrived at the station, she noticed her mother wasn’t there. Just as she was about to call Alex, her phone rang instead. “Hello!”
“Is this Erica Tillman? Your mother has fainted in the detention center. Please come over to the General Hospital.”
“Alright. I’ll come over right now.” Erica hadn’t expected her mother would faint, so she hurried over to the hospital.
At the entrance of the hospital, there were two police officers standing guard. Erica then asked them in a hurry, “How is my mother? Let me see my mother.”
Just then, the doctor came out and reported, “The patient just woke up. She fainted due to hypoglycemia and can be discharged after an infusion treatment.”
Erica pushed the doctor to the side and immediately entered the ward. Noticing her daughter, Naomi pulled Erica close to her. “Erica, I can’t look after you anymore. Your birth certificate is in my closet. Hurry up and take it to get a marriage certificate with Alex! Let Alex look after you from now on”
“Mom, what happened? Why were you arrested?!”
“It was all Anastasia’s plan. That wretch deliberately set me up.” At the station, Naomi had thought everything through and came to the conclusion that it was all a trap set by Anastasia, as it was
simply not possible for Francis to regain consciousness. However, Anastasia had acted out a play to plant seeds of fear inside Naomi.
“Lowell, stand up! It’s time for the transfer.”
“Erica, listen to me. You need to hurry up and get the certificate with Alex. Take over the company together with him.”
“What about you, Mom?”
“Don’t worry! Your mother will make sure the rest of you are fine.” Naomi showed her mother’s love at such a time. She wanted her daughter to get the shares of Tillman Constructions so that her daughter would have it easy for the rest of her life.
Erica understood that her mother was planning to bear all the responsibilities alone to ensure both she and Alex would be found innocent in this matter. “Mom, I’ll definitely get you out of there.” She followed along as Naomi was being marched away. Looking at her mother getting into the police car, she felt pain and regret, as her mother was her only blood relative left in this world. “Anastasia Tillman, I will never forgive you for this. I’ll come after you even at the cost of my life!” Her eyes were furious with anger; she could not wait to end Anastasia’s life.
Back in her car, Erica called Alex and told him about the matter of the marriage certificate. Alex, on the other hand, had always planned to have a proper status to manage Tillman Constructions. The title of the son-in-law of the current president was the best position he could be in. Considering that he had experience in finance, he would only need to put in some effort, for now, to move the funds of the company, as it would not last any longer due to the absence of Francis. At the end of it all, Tillman Constructions would just be an empty shell that was on the brink of bankruptcy.
The next morning, Anastasia received a call from one of the managers in Tillman Constructions. They asked for her to come to the company at ten in the morning, as there was going to be an important meeting. Since Anastasia had received such a call, she would definitely not miss attending the meeting.6
My Baby’s Daddy Chapter 524
Today was Christ
yas Christmas Eve-the day Anastasia and Elliot were supposed to have held their engagement party. However, it was canceled due to Francis’ accident and eventual comatose state. Anastasia had also felt apologetic toward Elliot for this.
In the morning, Anastasia was to head to the company for a meeting, while she would spend the night celebrating Christmas Eve with Elliot back in the Presgrave Residence.
When Anastasia arrived in the conference room of Tillman Constructions, she noticed Erica’s resentful glares at her. The hatred in Erica’s eyes seemed as though it could come bursting out, as she did not even bother to inform Erica when Naomi had been taken down to the station. Anastasia then glanced over to the man beside Erica. Alex only met Anastasia’s eyes one time before he looked away, as he was afraid to make any further eye contact with her.
The participants of the meeting were all key members of Tillman Constructions. When all the managers of their respective departments were present, Erica stood up and led the meeting. “My mother could not attend due to certain matters. Also, I would like to announce that Alex and I have gotten our marriage certificate. Hence, from now on, as my husband and my father’s son in-law, he will be in charge of the affairs of Tillman Constructions instead of my mother and me.”
Everyone present was shocked, yet some seemed to have anticipated such development, as they had seen the ambitions in Alex’s eyes. Thus, it was not surprising for them to see Alex finally obtaining the position he always pined for. On the other hand, Anastasia was slightly shocked, as she had not expected Naomi to make her move so quickly by letting Alex replace her as president of the company and be the pillar of support for Erica.
“Let’s have President Hunter give a few words.” Erica took her seat as she proudly turned her attention toward Alex.
With his ambitions concealed, Alex stood up and feigned a slightly modest expression before addressing the room. “Right now, there is no one in charge. That is why Erica and I have decided to get married this early for me to have a proper cause to manage the company. Everyone, please have faith in my capabilities. I will certainly take good care of Tillman Constructions.”
Since Alex still had several supporters in the company, they immediately voiced their opinions and expressed their trust in him, supporting him for the presidency of the company. Even the others that did not think highly of Alex had to stick by him, as they believed Alex would make things difficult for them in the company in the future if they did otherwise.
At the moment, all Anastasia could do was watch Alex become the president of the company and how quickly he gained everyone’s trust.
“Anastasia, please trust me. I will certainly not let your father down,” Alex said with his eyes on Anastasia with the intent to gain her trust.
However, there was no chance for Anastasia to trust him, as she knew Alex was involved in her father’s coma. Furthermore, considering that Alex was also in charge of the finance department, which was the most important department in the company, it was clear that Alex held too much power in his hand. Given that Erica knew next to nothing about the company’s operation, it was clear as day that Alex would be fully in control of the company. No one would be able to stop Alex from doing anything he wanted at that point.
“Since the company is short-staffed right now, I’ve decided to become a member of the company. Mr. Hunter, since you’ll be the president of the company, then I’ll join the finance department to gain some experience. Surely you have no qualms with that arrangement?” Anastasia would not stand by and watch her father’s company being taken over by an outsider.
“Anastasia, it seems you still don’t trust me!” Alex wore a sad expression.
Erica couldn’t help but refuse. “Anastasia Tillman, you’re not a finance major, so why are you trying to join the finance department? Do you not trust my husband?”
“What if I say I don’t?” Anastasia sneered, “Since I hold 30 percent of the company’s shares, I have the right to enter any department of the company. Even if I want to be the manager of the finance department, you have no right to interfere with my decision.”
Noticing the direction the argument was going, Alex immediately interfered. “Anastasia, Erica is right. You have no experience in finance, but if you wish to be part of the management, the planning department is lacking a manager or two.”
“I want to be a finance manager,” Anastasia said forcefully. “Otherwise, I will not agree with Mr. Hunter becoming the president of the company.”
“You…” Erica choked.
“Then how about this, I’ll be the president instead, and Mr. Hunter can continue his position as the finance manager?” Dressed in a black sweater and black trench coat, Anastasia exuded an indescribable dominance as she asked with her eyebrows raised.
My Baby’s Daddy Chapter 525
Joining
“Anastasia, the operations in the finance department are complicated. How about…” Alex was becoming anxious, as Anastasia was not easy to deal with.
“That is not something you need to worry about, Mr. Hunter. My fiancé, Elliot, is surrounded by finance staff, and they are more than enough to teach me how a finance department operates.” Anastasia said coldly, “It’s decided. I’ll come to work tomorrow.”
“Anastasia, hold it…” Erica was so angry that her face had gone pale.
“Suspected as the one who poisoned my father, your mother will be facing criminal charges. That’s all I have to inform you.” Anastasia stood up. The stunning presence her desolate eyes gave off was just like a crimson rose, intimidating and petrifying.
All at once, an uproar erupted in the room. Most of the people present were Francis’ employees, so they were all shocked to hear such news.
CWS.
“W-What are you saying? My mother? She loves my father very much. It’s impossible for her to harm him. Anastasia Tillman, don’t you slander my mother like this!” Erica screamed.
“I think you all have forgotten that the initial capital for this company came from my grandmother. Hence, I’m not going to let anyone else take over the company so easily,” Anastasia uttered with her gaze in the direction of Erica and Alex.
Both Erica and Alex felt the oppressiveness in Anastasia’s words at this point.
When Anastasia was done, she stood up and left the meeting.
After the meeting, in Alex’s office, Erica went ballistic. “Anastasia that wretch! If my mother gets sentenced because of this, I will never let her off!”
“Your mother was careless to have made a move at such a time. Obviously, Anastasia found out what was going on.” Alex was rather angry with Naomi’s behavior.
Although Erica was not a bright person, she still figured out the truth of her mother’s incident. Gritting her teeth, she explained, “It was all part of Anastasia’s plan to trap my mother. The doctors in that hospital joined hands with Anastasia to lie to us about the possibility of my dad regaining consciousness next week. It was all to entice my mom to do what she did.”
“If Anastasia takes over the finance department, it would be inconvenient for me in the company.” Alex gritted his teeth as well, as he knew Anastasia had seen through his plans for Tillman Constructions. Looks like I’ve underestimated her intelligence. The upcoming battle would be a battle of wits with her.
“Do we have to let her manage the finance department?” Erica said in exasperation.
“This is all we can do at the moment. Between the president of the company and the manager of the finance department, obviously, I would choose the former.” Currently, Alex was still very much thrilled, as he had finally become the president of the company. At the very least, he had the right to decide the company’s affairs from this moment.
Back in the hospital. Anastasia went to take a rest in her private lounge after visiting Francis, as she had not been sleeping well over the past few days.
Elliot had also rushed over to the hospital from the company. Upon entering Anastasia’s room, he found the woman lying on the sofa. The sight of her flowing black hair and delicate fair complexion in the tranquil noon were just like a painting that had come to life.
Captured by such a sight, Elliot went to take a seat on the sofa next to her as quietly as possible. As he admired how Anastasia looked while she was asleep, his heart started to ache for her once more.
Later, Anastasia woke up to find a pair of legs across her field of vision. As her gaze slowly traveled upward, she saw the man was going through his document intently. With the evening glow behind the man’s back, he looked like a heavenly being with a golden aura surrounding him.
Noticing her gaze on him, he raised his thick eyelashes slightly and met her groggy eyes.
“Did you sleep well?” Elliot asked as he placed the document in his hand on the table.
“Yeah, what time is it?” Anastasia asked before she sat up.
“It’s ten past five right now.”
“It’s time for us to leave for your grandmother’s house, then.” Anastasia ran her fingers through her smooth and silky long hair with clearly defined roots. Even her hair strands were enticing the man before her.
Mesmerized by Anastasia, Elliot couldn’t hold himself back and went over to Anastasia, who had already leaned back slightly with her head raised to look at him. She looked slightly taken aback. Elliot held her chin before kissing her red lips. After that, he planted another kiss on the top of her head before he said, “Let’s go. Jared’s waiting for us.”
Unsteady on her feet due to Elliot pulling her up so suddenly, Anastasia couldn’t help but wrap her arms around his waist with her head leaning against his firm chest. In this position, she felt a
e of security that one would not let go the moment one experienced it.
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With that, she was led by the man to the underground parking lot before heading for the Presgrave Residence.
On their way there, Anastasia told Elliot about Alex’s appointment as Tillman Constructions’ president
Elliot asked right away, “Do you need my help?”
Anastasia replied, “No, I don’t need it for the time being. I want them to give themselves away.” She knew that if Alex were to leave Tillman Constructions, it would be difficult to get anything on them. As long as they still coveted her father’s company, they would definitely give themselves away one day. I’m not gonna let off those who hurt Dad!
“Alright, I’ll pick some capable men for you.” Elliot decided to let her take care of it on her own. As long as she needed him, he would always be by her side.
Christmas Eve was supposed to be a day for reunions, but Anastasia’s heart was heavy when she thought of her father, who was still comatose in the hospital. Still, she would never give up as long as there was still hope for him.
Wd
She spent the night sleeping with her son at the Presgrave Residence. Jared was very obedient and well-behaved to the point where it made her feel sorry for him. Knowing that she had to look after Francis, he didn’t cry or throw hissy fits at the Presgrave Residence.
Meanwhile, Hayley was staying alone in the master bedroom of Alex’s apartment. Alex and Erica had registered their marriage and were officially husband and wife now, but Hayley believed she could capture his heart with her surgically altered face. Erica was merely a tool for him to get rich, as well as the source of Hayley’s current expenditure.
Thanks to her flair for having men eat out of her hand, Alex lavished money on her. Erica had always looked down on his background, so she treated him like dirt. On the contrary, Hayley appeased and worshiped him, making him unable to resist her.
It was early morning, and the six financial officers of Tillman Constructions’ finance department had just clocked in for work and were gossiping idly. Suddenly, six men and women swarmed into the office. Dressed in business attire, they all gave off an air of shrewdness and competence with bright and piercing eyes.
Anastasia came in from behind them before saying to the financial officers in the office, “Sorry, but you all will be laid off as required by work. Don’t worry, we’ll give you your due by offering you three months of wages as compensation.”
“Why are we laid off, Miss Tillman?!” a female employee asked angrily.
“That’s right! It’s not like we committed any mistakes. We’re doing well at our job!”
All Anastasia could do was apologize to them. With that, the whole finance department was reshuffled and its employees were all replaced by the ones sent by Elliot. Now working for Anastasia, these people started to settle all of Tillman Constructions’ accounts over the last three years.
When Alex hurried to the scene, all his previous subordinates had already been replaced with Anastasia’s people who were sitting in the office. “Miss Tillman, your people don’t understand Tillman Constructions’ accounts. It’s easy for mistakes to happen,” he said, forcibly suppressing his anger.
“I know that, so my people will start by settling my dad’s accounts over the last three years. If anything wrong happens, I’ll take responsibility for it,” Anastasia replied with folded arms.
He let out a sigh and asked, “Miss Tillman, are you displeased because I’ve taken over your dad’s position?”
However, she replied, “Nope, Mr. Hunter. I just thought that you can only do so much. Since you’re handling the company’s projects, it’ll be difficult for you to take care of the company’s finances, so I’m here to take over to ease your burden.”
Alex couldn’t do anything about her. However, his previous plans to transfer Tillman Constructions’ funds fell through. Anastasia was having control over the company’s core department, and the new employees she had brought with her were definitely financial elites trained by Elliot, so Tillman Constructions’ accounts were going to be as clear as day.
A murderous glint flashed across his eyes. He didn’t want to lay a hand on her, but she had indeed become an obstacle to his money-making. “Well, in that case, Miss Tillman, I’ll leave the finance department to you. You can come to me if there’s anything,” he replied with superficial friendliness while concealing his anger.
Anastasia nodded. “Alright.”
At this moment, her cell phone rang; she darted a glance at its screen before picking it up. “Hello?”
“Are you free? Take a look at today’s morning news.”
Walking toward the French window, Anastasia pleaded with the man, “Come on, just tell me what happened. I’m quite busy.”
My Baby’s Daddy Chapter 527
“Riley has been sentenced to death. Aliona and her people aren’t able to escape legal punishment as well.”
“Serves them right. But how did he get sentenced to death?”
“They brutally killed Lucas’ son abroad, so Lucas sued him. He was sentenced to death at the first trial for multiple crimes.”
Anastasia closed her eyes. There’s also the death of my mom and the kidnapping of Elliot when he was a child. This guy deserves death for having blood on his hands, she thought.
“How are my people doing at their job?”
“They’re very professional.”
“I’ll pick you up and take you to the hospital this afternoon.”
“Okay.” Anastasia nodded.
Meanwhile, Alex was in his office, but he was in no mood to work at this very moment. He wanted to get rid of Anastasia so that he could have complete control over Tillman Constructions by manipulating Erica. However, he was fearful of Elliot’s power and influence. After all, Anastasia was Elliot’s sweetheart. If anything were to happen to her, he’d probably get to the bottom of it.
He thought of Erica, who had no brains and could easily be made a scapegoat.
Sitting in Francis’ former office, Alex was enjoying the feeling of superiority when the telephone before him rang. He picked up the receiver, saying, “Hello?”
“President Hunter, President Zimmer from the Golden Meadows Property Group is here. He says he has something to discuss with you.”
Alex immediately instructed, “Show him to the conference room. I’ll be there right away.” He dared not snub President Zimmer, who was one of Francis’ longtime clients and whom he had to keep sweet.
00
After straightening his clothes, he called his assistant over and went to the conference room with the latter. As soon as he pushed the door and entered, he immediately greeted President Zimmer with great enthusiasm, saying, “Why take the trouble to come all the way here, President Zimmer? If there’s anything, just call me and I’ll come to you right away.”
“What a fine young man who has to be treated with respect, President Hunter! I’ve heard about President Tillman, and I wish him a speedy recovery,” President Zimmer replied. Then, he continued with a grave look in his eyes, “President Hunter, I’m here to tell you something in person. I’m afraid my company isn’t going to be able to fill the order as specified in our contract.
Alex’s heart tensed at once. He couldn’t help but ask with a smile, “President Zimmer, we have a long-standing relationship. Is there anything that you’re worried about?”
President Zimmer shook his head. “No, it’s that I’m going to retire, so my son has taken over my job. He has his own ideas and wants to cancel our collaboration with your company, and I can’t do anything about it. That’s why I went out of my way to come here to apologize to you and tell you about it. I’m sorry, President Hunter,” he said before getting up to leave.
Alex panicked involuntarily. “President Zimmer, we can still talk about this. If there’s anything about us that you’re dissatisfied with, we can—”
“My son has made up his mind on this, so there’s no way I can talk about it,” President Zimmer said before leaving.
Alex’s face darkened for a moment. He knew that the cancellation of their collaboration must have something to do with his appointment as president.
Soon after that, he received phone calls from several clients, who also proposed to renegotiate their existing collaborations.
Alex was panicked by the phone calls. Not only that, but many of his clients canceled their orders in just one day, causing most of the orders Francis had secured for the company to be canceled. Alex was totally incapable of conducting business. He had thought that he could get through the year by relying on these orders. But now, he only had very few projects left at hand just days after the company fell into his hands.
It was justifiable if there was only one person who canceled their order, but now, Alex had a feeling that someone was plotting against him. Who could it be? Who would have such great capability? That person clamped down on almost all of Tillman Constructions’ projects for this year.
Alex’s face changed color; he thought of someone fearsome.
Elliot.
Could he be the one making trouble behind my back? If this is really his doing… Feeling tremendous pressure, Alex couldn’t help but rise from his seat before heading straight for the finance department’s office, where Anastasia had an office of her own and was reviewing the accounts that had been straightened out.
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Francis had been doing a good job over the past few years, so the company’s performance had been very stable.
Just then, Alex came in somewhat anxiously. “Miss Tillman, I’d like to talk to you.”
Anastasia raised her eyebrows impassively. “Is there anything, President Hunter?”
“Could you ask President Presgrave to give us a break and stop targeting Tillman Constructions? This is your dad’s company, after all,” Alex said in an almost pleading tone.
Anastasia frowned slightly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Your dad secured quite some projects last year, but now those clients intend to cancel their orders. I only have a handful of small orders now, but they can hardly sustain the company’s growth.”
Anastasia seemed unruffled on the surface, but she was surprised inwardly. Did Elliot really take action against Alex? What is he up to? “This has nothing to do with Elliot. If the clients want to cancel their orders, you should look within yourself for the reasons instead of blaming him for it,” she argued. Then, she mocked coldly, “Mr. Hunter, I believe nothing will happen to my dad’s company as long as it’s in your hands. You’re such a capable person, after all.”
“In that case, Miss Tillman, please ask President Presgrave if he has anything to do with this. If this is really his doing, please ask him to give the projects back to us,” Alex implored humbly.
However, it was clear that Anastasia wouldn’t help him. “The company’s projects are your own business. I’m only in charge of the company’s finances.”
Alex also realized that Anastasia didn’t care at all about Tillman Constructions’ fate. However, he cared about it. Francis would never regain consciousness for life, which would make the company his property. Therefore, he had to make sure that the company made profits. Now that he had married Erica, he was considered one of the company’s major shareholders. Not only that, but Erica intended to transfer to him the 40 percent shares Naomi owned in the company, making him the company’s largest shareholder.
As soon as he left, Anastasia took out her phone and dialed Elliot’s number.
“Hello?” A male voice answered the phone with a chuckle on the other end as if knowing that she would call him.
“Is it because of you that Tillman Constructions lost a few big projects?” Anastasia asked.
“Yes, it is.”
“Why would you do that?” Anastasia was puzzled.
“I want to acquire Tillman Constructions,” Elliot said.
“How are you gonna acquire it, then?” Anastasia had no objection to his methods.
Elliot sounded like he was talking about something ordinary. “Since Alex wants so much to have your dad’s company to himself, I’ll let him taste what it’s like to be burdened with huge debts. He’s got only himself to blame for asking for trouble.”
“Is there anything that I can do for you?”
“No, it’s not necessary. Let me do it by myself.” Elliot had planned this for a long time. Alex was one of the people he hated the most because he had overreached himself by courting Anastasia. This alone was sufficient to land him on Elliot’s blacklist.
“I’m checking the company’s accounts, and I found some issues. The accounts don’t tally; there’s a difference of several million.” Anastasia took charge of Tillman Constructions’ finances precisely to dig up dirt on Alex. Francis trusted him very much, but had he done something behind the former’s back? Perhaps she could find some issues.
“Alright. I’ll come pick you up.” Elliot wanted to pick her up from work.
“Okay. I’d like to go to the hospital to visit my dad.”
Meanwhile, Alex was sitting in Francis’ former seat. He wasn’t that stupid. Instead, he smelled danger. He was suddenly becoming Tillman Constructions’ largest shareholder. If the company went bankrupt one day, he would have to take on huge debts. Not only would he fail to become rich, but he would also be heavily in debt-all thanks to the tricks played by Elliot, the multimillionaire capitalist.
The conjecture brought him out in a cold sweat. Just then, however, Erica called, saying, “Hey, Alex. I’m now on my way to your office to bring you my mom’s equity contract before we sign the share transfer agreement.”
Alex was caught in a dilemma. On the one hand, there was the temptation of Tillman Constructions’ shares; on the other hand, however, there were Elliot’s overwhelming capabilities. “Damn it!” Looking extremely irritable, he pushed the documents off his desk. Elliot was standing in his way of getting rich, but he was powerless to fight back.
My Baby’s Daddy Chapter 529
Anastasia had just picked up her bag and was about to leave the finance department when Erica came and stopped her face to face. “Let’s talk.”
Anastasia looked at her with folded arms. “About what?”
“My mom will never set Dad up, so you must’ve made a mistake. Please have her released,” Erica uttered between clenched teeth.
Anastasia’s eyes flashed fire. “Erica, if you still have a conscience, please care about Dad instead of making excuses for your mom. He’s hovering between life and death now.”
Erica was visibly startled. “W-What happened to Dad?”
“From now on, you no longer have to know my dad’s condition.” Anastasia clenched her fists. In her opinion, Erica’s actions had made her unqualified to be Francis’ daughter,
“What gives you the right to not let me know his condition? H-He’s also my dad,” Erica protested diffidently. Then, recalling that she was here to beg Anastasia for mercy, she immediately pleaded in a softer voice, “Sis, please let my mom off! Whatever she did, she only did it in a momentary lapse of judgment! She’s my mom and your stepmother, after all. Could you please let her off? Even if Dad wakes up, he’ll surely forgive her.”
Anastasia darted a look at her in disgust. “It’s useless to beg me. You guys never treated me as part of the family, and I always treat you guys as outsiders.”
Erica suggested, “In that case, Anastasia, what do I need to do for you to let my mom off? How about this? I’ll give you ten percent of my shares so that you let her off.” As someone who was greedy for profit, she thought Anastasia was the same kind of person as she was.
Upon hearing Erica’s words, Anastasia only found them an insult to her character. She looked at Erica with darkened eyes, saying, “I’m telling you, no amount of money can save the person who hurt my dad. I want them to pay the price and get their due punishment.”
“You…” Frightened by the look in Anastasia’s eyes, Erica took a step back. Immediately, she said between clenched teeth, “Even if you’ve got my mom arrested, my mom’s shares are now transferred to Alex. You’d better forget about taking away her shares!”
Hearing Erica’s words, Anastasia only felt that all the former could see was the company’s shares. She’s so blinded by greed that she’s got no sense of kinship to speak of. What a sad thing for him to have such a daughter. “Just give him the shares. I don’t care about it.” Her lips curled into a sneer.
Erica was angry deep down. Is there anything else that can upset Anastasia?
With that, Anastasia left with her purse. Elliot has probably arrived downstairs, she thought.
Erica returned to Alex’s office with her purse. Seeing him standing before the French window and looking out the window, she happily walked over to him. “Alex, I’ve brought the agreement here.
At this moment, Alex was looking at the three Roll-Royces at the company’s entrance. He saw the
man who stepped out of the car in the middle, who made him feel inexplicably oppressed even from a distance away.
*Elliot? Why is he here?”
Erica’s heart thumped when she saw the man downstairs. Shrouded in the last rays of the evening sun, he looked as handsome as a god as he stood there. Just then, however, she saw Anastasia walking up to him; he walked toward Anastasia as well. Putting his arm around Anastasia’s shoulders affectionately, he took her bag from her and escorted her into the car.
Eyes ablaze with jealousy, Erica ground her teeth in hatred.
Elliot seemed to sense the gaze from the third floor, for he turned his head and shot an icy look in the third floor’s direction.
Alex held his breath; the look in Elliot’s eyes made him feel threatened.
After Elliot’s car drove away, Erica took the agreement out of her bag. “Here, Alex. Sign it.”
Looking at the share transfer agreement, Alex felt incredibly torn. He couldn’t decide whether to sign it or not. He still couldn’t make a guess at what exactly Elliot wanted to do with Tillman Constructions. If he obtained the 40 percent shares, he might be able to make some money. If he didn’t sign the agreement now, he would be nothing.
Driven by self-interest, he lost his ability to reason, and his presence of mind flew out of the window. In the end, he stretched out his hand and signed his name on the document, becoming a slave to his desire.
“Alex, congrats on becoming Tillman Constructions’ largest shareholder. I’ll be depending on you from now on,” Erica said before coming over to give him a sweet and charming kiss.
My Baby’s Daddy Chapter 530
Having lost her mother, Erica could only rely on Alex.
“Erica, Anastasia is checking the company’s finances. I have a few external funds that I’m afraid might get found out. Can you help me when that happens?”
“Y-You embezzled the company’s money?”
“About three million.” Alex wasn’t afraid to admit it. Erica had to depend on him now, anyway.
“What? How could you…” Erica wanted to scold him, but she could only bite back her words when it occurred to her that he was now her husband. “How can I help you?”
“Anastasia is now in control of the company’s finances, so she’ll definitely find out about it. When that happens, just say that you had me divert the money to your bank account for your personal use back then. You’re Francis’ daughter and her younger sister. As long as you claim to be the one who spent the money, nothing will happen.” Alex asked her to take the blame.
Erica said reluctantly, “Okay then.”
Having finished his speech, Alex asked, “Do you know what Anastasia is up to?” Then, he told her about the danger. “She had Elliot steal our clients to cause breaks in Tillman Constructions’ funding chain. She wants to force the company into declaring bankruptcy.”
“What? She wants to make my dad’s company go bankrupt?” Erica was exasperated. “Is she nuts?!”
“As long as Tillman Constructions faces bankruptcy, it’ll undergo liquidation by the bank. When that happens, every shareholder of the company will be burdened with its debts. At that point, we’ll be weighed down by massive debts and be finished for life.”
Upon hearing this, Erica instantly went weak at the knees. She just wanted to get some money from the company, but she never wanted to become saddled with debts. “But Anastasia herself owns 30 percent of the company’s shares!” Is she stupid? she thought to herself.
“Who cares if she gets into debt? She’s got Elliot backing her up. The debts will be massive for us, though. If we can’t pay them off, we’re gonna go to jail.” Alex intentionally aroused Erica’s fear since this was the only way to drive her into action.
And sure enough, her eyes blazed with immense hatred at his words. She uttered between clenched teeth, “If she dares to make Tillman Constructions go bankrupt, I’m not gonna let her off.”
“Erica, now that we’ve lost a few clients, our company is in danger. Hurry and beg her to persuade Elliot to stop,” Alex suggested.
Erica wanted to visit Francis early tomorrow morning. She couldn’t be too heartless. After all, she was now still his daughter and would remain so for life. I’m Francis’ second daughter as long as the secret of my parentage isn’t found out.
It was night. Anastasia’s heart ached in silence as she sat before Francis’ bed and looked at the grayish hair on his temples. The good news was that his vital signs were stable, with no signs of
sequelae. However, it was unknown whether he could regain consciousness. The doctor said he might come round all of a sudden or remain comatose like this, so all she could do was wait patiently.
It was already about 11:00 PM when she finally left his bedside. Tired, she went back to the room, only to see the man working on the sofa. He had a laptop placed on his lap and was tapping away at the keyboard with his slender fingers.
Anastasia was startled. Dressed in a black turtleneck sweater, the man seemed stony and yet charming under the light with a serious expression.
Elliot looked up at her. “You’re back? Take a shower and go to sleep.”
“What about you? Aren’t you going to sleep?” she asked. She didn’t want him to stay up late working either
Of course, Elliot wasn’t supposed to sleep in her room. However, when he heard her question, he immediately looked up in surprise with incredibly bright eyes. “Do you want me to sleep with
you?”
Anastasia looked into his eyes before lowering her head in embarrassment. “Yeah, you can.”
Elliot closed his laptop and didn’t care about his work anymore. “Alright, let’s sleep together.”
By the time Anastasia came out after taking a shower, Elliot was already waiting for her in bed, having taken a shower earlier. She watched as he changed into gray pajamas. Dressed in lilac pajamas, she lifted the covers and got into bed. Then, she turned off the lights and naturally lay down in his arms.
Covers
The man behind her whispered in her ear in a deep voice, “I want you to stop going to work from tomorrow onward.”