The project development director was the first to speak up.
“Ms. Shaw, this is obviously a setup! If anyone tries to force you out<b>, </b>the entire project team walks.”
His voice was firm, and he met the opposing side’s gaze without flinching.
His words hit the stagnant air like a stone thrown into still water.
“R&D supports Ms. Shaw!”
“Finance is behind Ms. Shaw!”
“Admin answers only to Ms. Shaw!”
Several more departments moved decisively to the project team’s side.
The long conference table now had a clear divide down the middle.
The three people on the other side looked increasingly ufortable.
Just then, Ryder arrived with several suited men behind him–obviously there to help him take over Shaw Enterprises.
“Zara, why make this so difficult? Just sign the papers. Everyone saves face, and it’s better for thepany.”
Ivy immediately stepped forward and pushed a document across the table to me.
I nced down at it.
“In a hurry? You think just anyone can captain this ship?” <fn6a57> Th?s chapter is updated by F?nd-Novel</fn6a57>
The smile faded from Ryder’s face, and his voice turned cold.
“Zara, don’t be stupid! Look at the situation you’re in. Do you really have a choice? Sign it. This is for your own good, and for
yourpany’s good!”
“For my own good?”
Iughed like I’d just heard the most ridiculous joke in the world.
“Are you done ying all your cards, Ryder? Because now it’s my turn.”
My assistant put up the prepared materials on the screen.
It was detailed bank transfer records showing $2 million moving from a private ount to Ryder’s offshore ount.
Next came screenshots of text conversations between Ryder and Ivy:
[Ryder: Did you get the money? Are the reporters all set? Make it fast, and it has to look real.]
[Ivy: Don’t worry, babe. Got the best people on it. Just make your suicide look convincing and the inte will totally side with you. Then we can force her to cave anytime.]
[Ryder: Good. Send me photos of how you set up the hospital rooftop scene. Make sure you get Shaw Tower in the shot.]
Then my assistant yed an audio recording:
“I can get a doctor to write up a depression diagnosis, prove that my behavior was just due to stress… Problem solved… Nobody loses, everybody wins… Six hundred million. That’s my final offer. Take it or leave it.”
The smug expression frozepletely on Ryder’s face<b>. </b>
He instinctively took a step back.
The three men behind him went pale.
Finally, there was a screenshot of messages between Ryder and his cousin:
[Cuz, make sure you keep those swing votes on the board in line. Once Zara signs that resignation letter and gets lost<i>, </i>you take over business development immediately. I’ll email you all the files for Shaw’s core projects within three days.]
An even deeper silence settled over
“This… this is impossible!”
Ryder finally found his voice again.
“You faked all of this!”
the room.
There was another knock at the conference room door.
Two court officers walked in.
One of them stepped forward. “Mr. Ryder Montgomery? This is a summons from Ms. Zara Shaw’swsuit against you for embezzlement. Please sign here.”
Ryder stared at the summons, then at the damning evidence on the screen.
Finally, his unfocused gazended on my face.
I nced at my assistant in the back row, who was livestreaming everything, and smiled.
“How was that performance? What do you think, judges?”
The livestreamments exploded:
[Six hundred million hush money? Stealing Shaw’s project files? Holy shit, I’m speechless!]
[I was just calling Zara a control freak and now my face hurts from being so wrong! Turns out I was the idiot!]
[This guy is evil as hell! Faking suicide, conspiring with outsiders to destroy his fiancée’spany? He’d sell his soul for money!]
[Court summons and everything–this is rock solid evidence! Can’t wait to see Ryder and his side piece behind bars! <i>Go </i>Zara!]
Ryder stared at thements, his lips trembling, unable to make a sound.
The stage he’d so carefully constructed hadpletely copsed, burying him alive.