"Ste, are you really going to abandon all of us who have supported you, and all for one man?!"


    "No matter what," Ste said firmly, "I refuse to use someone else''s life to secure my own gains."


    "Ste, you are being hopelessly stubborn!" President Crawford yelled in frustration.


    Time was running out, and Ste had no desire to argue with him any longer. She strode out of the office, leaving his voice behind her.


    "Ste, you will regret this!"


    Ste didn''t know if she''d regret thister. All she knew was that if she didn''t go now, she would regret it for the rest of her life.


    ...


    Ste arrived at the location quickly. It was a vi in a very remote area. Stepping inside, she found the main hall sparsely furnished with only a single sofa, giving therge space a cold, empty feeling, as if it were uninhabited.


    Israel was sitting on the sofa, smoking a cigar. When he saw her enter, he nced at his watch. "You got here pretty fast."


    Ste looked at him coolly. "Where''s Joshua?"


    Israel didn''t y games. After taking a drag from his cigar, he stood up and walked toward a room on the second floor. Ste followed.


    He pushed the door open, revealing Joshua tied to a chair inside. Two burly men in ck stood behind him.


    Even though he was at their mercy, the man''s aura was stillposed and elegant, showing no signs of distress. He didn''t look like a hostage; rather, he seemed like an invited guest.


    Ste quickly assessed him and was relieved to see he was unharmed.


    Israel''s voice came from the side. "Ste, due to your recent series of disastrous decisions, The Williams Group has suffered heavy losses. And this man, Joshua, is very likely the one who leaked ourpany''s secrets..."


    "Get to the point," Ste cut him off tly.


    Israel sneered. "This man stole trade secrets from The Williams Group, and not only did you fail to deal with him, but you also sent people to protect him. Ste, I think you''ve been utterly bewitched! Since you''re unfit for your position and can''t manage the Williams Group


    properly, then you shouldn''t manage


    it at all. Besides, those shares were never meant for you in the first ce."


    Ste stared at Israel''s loathsome face in silence.


    Israel paid her no mind and pointed to a corner of the room. "Ste, see that?"


    Her gaze shifted to a camera.


    Israel smiled faintly. "Everything happening here today is being live-streamed to the board of directors."


    Ste''s expression flickered. To the


    board members of The Williams


    Group, Joshua was a prime suspect for leakingpany secrets. Regardless of whether they


    hovel.n


    supported her or not, they would all see his


    death as no cat loss and..


    would be eager to get rid of him. The death of one Joshua meant nothing


    to them. If she shed with Israel


    over him today, she, who had already lost much of their trust, would disappoint them even further.


    As for the despicable means Israel used to obtain the founding shares, no one would care. To everyone watching, her choosing Joshua. would be no different from


    voluntarily giving up her shares. No Wonder President Crawford hade to her beforehand with that warning. It was clear now: if she chose Joshua, she would lose everything.


    Ste''s fists clenched unconsciously, and she remained silent for a long time.