?Chapter 308:


    Perhaps Eileen’s letter had left a mark on Bryan.


    He became even more reserved than usual, interacting mainly with Raymond at work.


    Z had been cklisted by him; all coborative documents and matters now went through Raymond.


    As a result, Z had not seen Bryan for a considerable amount of time, and it had also been a while since shest saw Kian.


    When she unexpectedly encountered Kian at Apex Group, a sudden surge of tension coursed through her.


    She quickly set aside the document she was holding and approached him.


    “Kian, it’s been ages since you were here. Is it about that project?” she asked, her tone carefullyposed.


    “I’m here to see Bryan,” Kian interjected, his cold gaze barely ncing at her.


    His demeanor radiated a mix of distance and barely concealed disdain.


    Before Z could process it, Kian had already moved past her.


    After exchanging a few words with Raymond, he headed straight into Bryan’s office.


    On the desk, a cup filled with a reddish-brown liquid caught the sunlight, sparkling brilliantly.


    Bryan held the ss, his eyes casually sweeping over Kian before he took a sip.


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    “You knew all along?” Kian leaned against the desk, his eyes full of reproach as he stared at Bryan. “You knew that Vivian’s illness was her doing?”


    Bryan remained calm, reclining in his chair as he met Kian’s furious gaze.


    “I found out a bit earlier than you,” he admitted, his tone even and unbothered.


    Frustrated, Kian mmed his hand down on the desk. His palm turned red immediately, but he didn’t seem to feel any pain.


    “Bryan, all of this happened to Vivian because of you!” he shouted.


    Bryan set his ss down, his voice remaining eerily calm.


    “If that’s what you choose to believe, I have nothing more to say,” he replied tly.


    “Then why won’t you hand over control to me?” Kian’s eyes were bloodshot, his voice trembling with suppressed rage. “You hold all the power in the Warren Group and push me aside. What are you nning?”


    Seven years ago, Z had orchestrated Vivian’s move overseas.


    Her intent had been to stop Vivian from marrying Bryan, which had led to Bryan marrying someone else.


    While Vivian had been deeply hurt, she had managed to keep her sanity intact.


    But Z feared that Vivian’s return might soften Bryan’s heart and reignite their past romance.


    To prevent this, Z had kept Vivian overseas, medicated her to destabilize her mental health, and pushed her toward a breakdown.


    When Vivian finally returned, she disrupted Bryan’s marriage and was soon branded as mentally unstable, ensuring that the Dawson family would reject her.


    These weren’t conclusions from Kian’s investigation but deductions based on Z’s intentions.


    Whether entirely urate or not, it was indisputable that Z had inflicted harm on Vivian.


    The woman Kian had cherished for a decade had cruelly targeted his sister — and used him as well.


    It was only then that Kian came to the realization that Z had never truly cared for him.


    Now, with his influence diminished, Kian felt powerless to seek justice for Vivian.


    “She aimed to marry you, and I’m certain she’s implicated in your current troubles with Eileen. I can’t believe you don’t resent her. Why not hand control over to me? I want to exact revenge for Vivian!”


    Kian pounded the desk with all his might, desperation thick in his voice as he tried to convince Bryan.


    But he was only met with Bryan’s derisiveugh.


    “I have plenty of ways to handle her,” Bryan replied, his voice calm butced with menace. “And you will also face the consequences of your actions.”


    That night, Eileen had nearly died under the crystal chandelier, and Bryan had never let go of that grievance.


    Watching the person responsible for Vivian’s suffering walk free while being unable to exact revenge was agonizing for Kian.


    He felt like he’d rather die than endure it any longer.


    “Bryan, you might as well just kill me!” Kian screamed, veins throbbing in his neck as rage overtook him.


    His outburst prompted Raymond to rush in, prepared to step in if necessary.


    “You’re not worth it,” Bryan replied icily, his words cutting through the tension like a de. “The day Z is punished will be the day your family crumbles.”


    His intention was clear — he wanted Kian to feel utterly helpless.


    After making his point, Bryan gestured to Raymond.


    Raymond moved swiftly to escort Kian out.


    “Mr. Warren, please make this easier for me,” Raymond said in a firm yet polite tone.


    “Fine, fine!” Kian spat, his smile cruel and menacing. “Bryan, you’re heartless, but I’m eager to see how long you can keep this up. Apex Group is nearly destroyed by Z, and I’m curious to see how you n to fix it!”


    With those parting words, Kian stormed out.


    Outside the office, Z was waiting.


    Seeing Kian storm past, she approached him.


    “Kian, did youe to see Bryan for rification after receiving the WhatsApp message I sent you?” she asked, her eyes scanning his face.


    Not being able to meet Bryan directly had made it difficult for her to address several problematic projects, resulting in a series of failures.


    She had been forced to take the me for some of these issues.


    Unable to resist venting her frustrations, she turned to Kian, who had been ignoring her messages.


    She assumed he’d been too busy and hade directly to confront Bryan on her behalf.


    Z continued, “Kian, I must admit, I’m not capable enough to handle these project issues alone. You know about Bryan and his father’s bet. He won’t assist me, which, honestly, I understand.”


    She reached for Kian’s hand, her touch gentle, her demeanor soft and caring.


    “Please don’t argue with him anymore,” she pleaded. “It could drag you into this mess. If you truly want to help, find a way to sort out these project issues.”


    Z’s deceit wasn’t just a mask — it was aplete disguise.


    She was the woman Kian had adored for a decade, seen through rose-tinted sses. He had never been able to see through her intricate facade.


    But now, that illusion was beginning to crack.


    Kian summoned all his patience to listen to her until she had finished speaking.


    To fall out with her now wouldn’t serve his interests. Perhaps his tolerance would pave the way for his revenge.


    “What’s wrong?” Noticing Kian’s cold stare, Z felt a tinge of fear rising in her chest.


    Kian quickly softened his expression, forcing a reassuring smile.


    “I’m just feeling sorry for you, considering how Bryan is treating you,” he said, his voice feigning sincerity.


    Hearing that, Z let out a relieved sigh.


    She had thought she’d seen a flicker of hatred in his eyes, a momentary glimpse that made her heart stop. For a moment, she feared that he might have uncovered something.


    But with his softened gaze and reassuring words, her fears eased.


    Looking around and seeing they were alone, she led Kian toward the stairwell.


    Under the dim light, her hand moved from his arm to his waist, her fingers sliding across his back.


    “Kian, there’s a major project I’m looking at that needs a partner. The potential coborator is a seasoned yer in the business world. Could you help me?” she asked, her voiceced with subtle charm.


    “How?” Kian’s tone remained unaffected by her flirtatious touch, finding her act repulsive.


    “Invite this partner to dinner with us,” Z suggested. “He’s previously worked with the Warren Group, so he might be more inclined to consider the proposal if you’re involved. I’ve never met him before, and he might decline if I approach him directly. Plus, it would be awkward since we’re strangers,” she exined.


    Z then stood on her toes and attempted to kiss him. But Kian turned his head, causing her kiss tond on his chin instead.


    Z was momentarily taken aback.


    “Alright,” Kian said simply, agreeing, before stepping away to create some distance between them.


    With a tone of detachment, he added, “This is the office. It wouldn’t be appropriate if someone saw us. You should get back to work. I’ll handle this.”


    “Kian, you’ve always been so kind to me,” Z replied, quickly regaining herposure. She smiled as they walked out of the stairwell together.


    She apanied Kian to the elevator, but as soon as the elevator doors shut, her smile faded. Her expression turned cold as she returned to her office.


    Once Kian was alone in the elevator, his expression shifted dramatically.


    After stepping out of the elevator, he sat in his car, lost in thought for a moment before pulling out his phone to make a call.


    “Benjamin, arrange someone for me,” he instructed with a cold, calcted tone.


    Eileen kept herself updated on the business world through Julio.


    She learned about high-society matters from Phoebe.


    During one of their calls, Phoebe shared how the Warren family was now looked down upon wherever they went, subjected to cold stares and subtle ridicule.


    Phoebe also mentioned that Ste had gone to the mountains to seek blessings and would be gone for at least three months.


    Phoebe’s conversation was roundabout, but her underlying purpose was clear — she was rying information about Bryan to Eileen.


    “Under Z’s management, Apex Group is struggling,” Phoebe said. “One project after another is being taken over by Julio. It’s strange — Julio always seems to know exactly where to hit Apex Group the hardest! With him at the helm, Ferguson Group is climbing fast to the top of the businessdder. His name is bing as renowned as Bryan’s.”


    Phoebe’s ounts were not exaggerated. Julio’s rise was indeed reminiscent of Bryan’s rapid ascent to fame, though Julio’s recognition was slightly less celebrated since it was widely known he had powerful support behind him.


    Clearly, only someone with sharp insight and decisive action could have propelled Julio to such heights.


    The identity of the person backing Julio had be a hot topic of discussion in business circles.


    “Also, while everyone is inspired by Julio, they feel pity when Bryan is mentioned,” Phoebe sighed deeply.


    “People say Bryan has been wounded by love and is on the brink of destroying himself. Even though the odds of him winning his bet with Brandon are high, what good will it do if Apex Group is in shambles by then? How can he possibly recover from such a downfall?”


    The key issue, ording to Z, was that Brandon had a backup n.


    The supposed loss in the bet — which would force Brandon to give up his shares topensate Apex Group and its shareholders — wasn’t going to be as straightforward as it seemed.


    Phoebe asked, “Eileen, you understand the business world better than I do, so tell me — what is Bryan really trying to achieve? Is there any hope for Apex Group to recover?”


    Phoebe had asked Jacob the same question several times, but even Jacob admitted he couldn’t decipher Bryan’s strategy.


    On the other end of the phone, Phoebe’s words weighed heavily on Eileen.


    After a moment of silence, Eileen took a deep breath and slowly replied, “If things proceed as they are, Bryan is likely to win. If Brandon adheres to their agreement and relinquishes the shares, Apex Group might be saved. However, if Brandon follows Z’s suggestion and maniptes the terms, refusing to give up his shares, then Apex Group will run out of operational funds and face inevitable copse.”


    Upon hearing this, Phoebe felt a profound sense of despair.


    “Is that it? After everything, Brandon surely won’t just hand over his shares. Is Bryan really prepared to let Apex Group copse rather than let Brandon win?” she asked, her voiceced with disbelief.


    “Not necessarily,” Eileen replied without hesitation.


    Her response even surprised herself.


    Despite everything, she still harbored unwavering faith in Bryan.


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