The air froze, and one could hear a pin drop.


    Avery gazed at his father, his eyes as cold and calcting as a wolf''s, yet a casual smile yed on his lips.


    "Dad, it''s just you and me left in the Chambers Group. Why bother with pretenses? Let''sy it all out on the table."


    Jeff snorted derisively, picking up a document from the desk and throwing it forcefully at Avery.


    The papers rustled as they fell to the ground as Avery looked down with a cold re.


    "Avery, you''ve really made a mark. Your first grand gift to me as CEO is embezzlement and fraud."


    Jeff''s eyes were icy, his cheekbones tightening. "You think you could secretly stash awaypany funds into your offshore ount through the collusion of the CFO and only you would profit?


    That old dog was also siphoning off his share in secret. His greed led me to uncover your little schemes! Not only did he cough up the money, but he also spilled everything about your behind-the-scenes maniptions!


    He''s been with me for decades, and you think you can just waltz in and use my people for your own ends? You''ve got some nerve, and quite the imagination!"


    Avery didn''t stoop to pick up the papers. Instead, he stepped on them, grinding them into a crumpled mess under his shiny leather shoe.


    He''d been aware of the CFO''s actions but didn''t care.


    He only used greedy people; those who weren''t greedy were too dangerous to employ.


    Avery saw the CFO as just a sewer rat trying to sip a bit of the master''s champagne. But Jeff had caught him red-handed.


    "So, what do you propose?" Avery adjusted his sses and asked with a faint smile.


    Jeff''s anger surged!


    How could he still afford to smile at a time like this?


    "Son, you are my flesh and blood, and I have a father''s fondness for you. I don''t want to push things to extremes. So, I''m giving you two options."


    Jeff leaned back, revealing his true intentions. "One, you can resign voluntarily. I''ll keep quiet about your secret funds. Otherwise, don''t me me for not considering our father-son rtionship. If the authorities get wind of this, with the Ashbourne family already out for your blood, Thaddeus will be all too happy to take you down."


    At these words, Avery remained expressionless, but his fingers tightened imperceptibly.


    "Or two, hand over all your shares in the Chambers Group, and I''ll keep you on as CEO. Choose wisely!"


    Without his shares, his role as CEO would be nothing but a title, a hollow position. Either option was a dead end. Such was his father''s love.


    A cold gleam flickered behind Avery''s sses as he stared at the man who''d schemed relentlessly against him, his smile deepening.


    "Have you revealed all your cards, Dad?"


    Jeff frowned. "What do you mean?"


    "It''s my turn now."


    Avery walked over to the coffee table, picked up the remote, and turned on the TV.


    The dark screen lit up, and in an instant, a scandalous and indecent scene struck like thunder upon Jeff''s head!


    He bolted upright from the sofa, his eyes glued to the screen that disyed his naked form, surrounded by women, his face a mix of shock, rage, and fear. In a fit of panic, his body trembled, his vision darkened!


    "Dad, you and your old pals seem to have a great rtionship. Drinking, gambling, indulging together."


    Avery didn''t look at the screen; it was too distasteful. Instead, he took pleasure in watching Jeff''s varied expressions. "Your ''golf game'' is quite impressive. Your skill is still as sharp as ever."


    Jeff''s heart raced, the room spinning around him!


    "Actually, if you hadn''t crossed me, I might never have brought this video out. We''re father and son, after all; hurting each other isn''t what I wanted."


    Avery sighed, shaking his head in feigned regret. "Don''t me me. If you must, me yourself for pushing me to this desperate situation. I didn''t want it toe to this."


    Jeff red with bloodshot eyes, wanting to snatch the remote control from Avery''s hand.


    But his heartache was severe, his face covered in a cold sweat, making it hard to even stand, let alone anything else!


    "Now, I''m only giving you one option."


    Avery held the remote control in his right hand and tapped it against his left palm, "Draft a formal announcement of your retirement due to health reasons and let me take over as Chairman of the Chambers Group.”


    "You ruthless you''re dreaming!" Jeff clutched at his chest, his body swaying.


    "If you don''t agree, I''ll broadcast this video on the big screens outside the


    Chambers Group building. Not just that, every single employee in thepany, all


    ten thousand of them, will receive this video by tomorrow morning."


    Jeff turned pale, his hands trembling as he reached into his jacket for his heart pills.


    Unfortunately, due to his intense trembling, the pill bottle fell to the ground, rolling to Avery''s feet.


    "Pills, my pills."


    Avery coldly bent down to pick up the bottle.


    At that moment, the words of his mentor shed through his mind.


    He stared at the lifesaving pills in his palm, momentarily lost in thought, as Jeff''s trembling voice bellowed:


    "Little Critter, give me the pills!"


    Little Critter?


    Avery''s pupils shrank, and a surge of crimson rage clouded his eyes.


    Only his beloved Evadne had the right to call him that. Anyone else was courting death.


    "Dad, you''ve really been unfair to me."


    Avery''s pale lips curled into a sinister smile, slipping the pill bottle into his jacket.


    "If only you had asked nicely, even said a few kind words, you wouldn''t have driven yourself into this corner."