"Especially Israel. You bought out hispany''s stock at rock bottom, crippling its future development. He hates you to the bone for that.


    This time, they didn''t openly turn on you only because they didn''t want to be a public spectacle.


    Don''t be fooled by the fact that you''re family. To Jonathan, Coleman, Israel, and Aurora, you''re nothing but an outsider who''se to carve up their resources and snatch their inheritance.


    The Williams Group''s assets and resources are no small sum.


    History is filled with stories of families turning on each other for far less.


    You didn''t grow up with them, so there are no emotional bonds. Their attitude toward you ispletely expected.


    Before, they didn''t make a move because theycked the opportunity and justification.


    But now... you''ve handed them both on a silver tter. Why wouldn''t they use it?"


    Ste asked, "What exactly happened to Joshua?"


    President Crawford replied, "Israel has already had Joshua apprehended on the grounds of leaking corporate secrets.


    If you want to save him, you''ll have to trade the equity and founding shares you hold.


    If you refuse, he''s going to... get rid of Joshua."


    Ste''s pupils contracted. "Get rid of Joshua? What do they n to do?"


    "Make him disappear from the face of the earth, or arrange for a fatal ident," President Crawford said gravely. "While the Williams family doesn''t often resort to such methods, it doesn''t mean they won''t. When you truly want someone gone, there are countless ways to do it."


    His tone was heavy with meaning. "If you refuse Israel, there''s nothing they can do to you. Ste, this is


    yourst chance. You absolut


    cannot give up your shares for man. If you sign that transfer agreement, you''ll never have a chance to make aeback."


    President Crawford looked at her intently. "This is Solmaris, where capital is king. It''s not your home country. You''ve lived here long


    vel


    enough to know that things li


    justice and thew don''t apply in the same way. Thews and sense of fairness in Solmaris are fales made for ordinary people. Once you lose your power and influence, you''ll be at their mercy,pletely unable to fight back. It may sound cruel and cynical, but the power struggles within wealthy families are just this, ruthless. You may think they''rewless, but capital is theirw. Unless they get too arrogant and bring about their own downfall, you won''t stand a chance against them without your own capital."


    Ste didn''t reply.


    Logically, she understood Crawford''s point.


    Emotionally, though—leaving Joshua behind wasn''t an option.


    "President Crawford," Ste asked, "are you saying... Joshua is in Israel''s hands right now?"


    Last time, Joshua had been in a car ident. He''d imed it was an ident, but Ste''s gut told her it wasn''t that simple.


    Recently, the rumors about her and


    Joshua had been swirling, and


    fearing someone might harm him


    again she had already told him to stoping to work at The Williams Group.


    With his arm injured and needing time to heal, he had been resting at home. She


    had even assigned a few people to protect him discreetly.


    But from what President Crawford was saying, Joshua had been captured anyway.


    And she hadn''t heard a single word about it.


    The thought made her heart leap into her throat.


    Ignoring the directors in her office, she grabbed her phone and dialed Joshua''s number.


    A cold, robotic female voice came from the other end.


    "The number you have dialed is currently switched off. Please try againter..."