Israel pointed a shaking finger at Ste, his voice booming with rage.


    "You shameless bitch! Was it you? Did you bribe mywyer, burn my documents, and trick me out of my shares?!"


    Ste took a slow sip of her tea, her expression calm. "What are you talking about? You transferred the shares to me willingly. How is that a trick?"


    Israel froze. "Willingly? It was an exchange! You were supposed to give me ten percent of your original shares!"


    Ste shrugged,pletely unfazed. "If that''s what you want to believe, then so be it."


    His eyes widened in fury. "Ste, don''t tell me you''re backing out of the deal. You''re not going to give me your original shares?!"


    Just then, Joshua spoke up.


    "Mr. Williams, are you confused? You holdmon shares; Star holds founding shares. You wanted to trade ten percent of yourmon stock for the same percentage of her founding shares...Even an idiot wouldn''t agree to such a lopsided deal, would they?"


    It finally dawned on Israel that he had been deliberately swindled.


    He shot them a cold sneer. "Don''t think that just because you bribed mywyer and burned the share transfer agreement, I have no proof. We signed that agreement in front of all the shareholders. Whether the paper exists or not, the agreement became effective the moment we signed it. I have witnesses!"


    Joshua replied calmly, "Then by all means, Mr. Israel, bring your witnesses."


    Israel stared daggers at them. "You just wait!"


    An hourter, the shareholders were once again gathered in Ste''s office.


    This time, not only were Coleman and Aurora present, but Skyler and Jonathan had also arrived. The room buzzed with quiet spection.


    Thankfully, Ste''s office was spacious enough to amodate everyone without feeling crowded.


    As Jonathan listened to Israel''s furious ount of what had happened, his eyelid began to twitch uncontrobly.


    The idea that Israel had lost ten percent of his shares for nothing sounded absurd, almost like a joke. But the more absurd it was, the more it highlighted Joshua''s foresight and terrifying methods.


    Clearly, this wasn''t ast-minute


    decision to bribe awyer; it had been nned for some time. Even the three separate agreements thewyer had prepared served different purposes. Why three individual agreements instead of one? Wouldn''t a single contraet for the


    stock exchange have been simpler?


    Because a single contract wouldn''t have allowed Ste to get something for nothing.


    By separating the agreements,


    Ste''s interests were maximized.


    Themon stock transfer agreement legalized her acquisition of Israel''s shares. The original Share transfer agreement was a smokescreen to lull Israel into a false sense of security And the equity exchange agreement was designed to ensure Ste received Israel''s shares first.


    Ste''s condition had been that Israel had to transfer hismon stock to her name first. It was a transaction, after all. No one sells something before getting paid, especially something as valuable as original shares. Ste wasn''t foolish enough to transfer her shares first and wait for Israel to pay up. That would be no different from handing them over for free. She wasn''t about to let Israel have all the advantages.


    Israel, convinced that Ste had lost all support and couldn''t possibly make aeback, had readily agreed.


    However, not even Coleman, Aurora, or Jonathan could have predicted that events would unfold in such an unbelievable way.


    The trap had been set for Israel from the very beginning.