Caroline’s POV:
"Charles, I need to go back as soon as possible.I’m really sorry."
I looked into his eyes with tears in mine.
"It’s fine.We’ll have other chances to go on vacation together in the future."
Charles cupped my cheek and gently caressed it to comfort me.
Just then, my phone rang.It was Victoria, the public relations manager.
"Miss Wilson, something has happened in the company.There’s a group of people causing trouble at
the west coast construction site this morning.Our sécurity guards were unable to stop them!" Victoria
said anxiously.
I tightened my grip on the phone.
A growing sense of uneasiness washed over me.
"How could that happen? Have you found out who’s behind it?"
Naturally, a large-scale, organized riot like this one was premeditated.
"Just like we’ve agreed upon, we’ll pay fifty percent of the cost of construction this month, and the
balance will be paid before the first quarter of next year.However, the contractor changed their mind all
of a sudden.They instigated the workers to come to the site to demand their salary, and they even
made a scene in the city hall."
Victoria paused for a moment before she continued, "Miss Wilson, the government has issued an order
to our company that we should pay for all our debts.If the situation gets any worse, it could spiral out of
our control.Unfortunately, we don’t have any extra funds in our account to pay these debts."
"I see."
I maintained my composure and didn’t allow anyone to notice my inhibition.
"If there’s no better way, inform all the departments to suspend payment for this month’s bills.Figure out
a way to delay payment until next month.And as for these rallyists, let’s go talk to them."
"Miss Wilson, I’m certain that Adam is behind this.Those who took the lead during the rally are from the
engineering team.I’m afraid it’s useless to reason with them," replied Victoria.
I leaned against the backseat of the car, feeling powerless and weary, ‘Adam is already a drowning
dog, fleeing to wherever he can.
How in the world did he manage to make the Wilson Group suffer in such a short amount of time? It
seems that I’ve underestimated him again"
During the end of every year, funds would always be extremely tight.
The Wilson Group had a lot of debts and liabilities to pay.
Our company was like a ship, sailing across the turbulent seas.
And now, the ship’s hull had been breached and water was slowly pouring in.
If I were to fail in patching up the breach as soon as possible, the Wilson Group would be as good as
doomed.
We didn’t have any extra funds to pay for our debts, and we also had to pay off a loan next month.
If we failed to pay for that loan on time, the bank would probably stop loaning us any money.
And if such a thing were to occur, the Wilson Group would go bankrupt.
Once I’d been forced into that desperate situation, Adam could easily take over the company.
Needless to say, it was a well-thought-out plan! "What’s your opinion on this, Victoria?"
"These people are hooligans.Using civilized means to deal with them will be useless.I think we’ll have
to use force to subdue them," she replied.
"I’m sorry, but that’s not a good solution.If things take a turn for the worse, all of the work we’ve done
will ha in vain," I countered.
"But…"
"Didn’t you hear what I said? Violence will only worsen this conflict! If things spiral out of control, Adam
will use it as an opportunity to shift all the blame on me.Listen to me, Victoria, don’t do anything
reckless.Collect as much evidence of the violations they’ve committed, find a reporter to follow Adam
around, and make sure to take photos."
After the phone call, I searched for news reports regarding the incident for the past two days.
As I read every negative news on the Internet about our company and its plummeting stock price, my
heart sank.
I pondered on the matter for a while, until I checked my address book and called Simon.
"Simon, have you spoken to Mr.Roger Henry already?"
"Yes, but he insisted on terminating his partnership with us," he replied.
"Why did he suddenly make that decision? There weren’t even any signs, and he didn’t even warn us,"
I responded.
"The health of Mr.Henry’s father is getting worse every day.It appears that he needed to withdraw a
large sum of money to stabilize his father’s conditions.I’m afraid this sort of thing has no room for
negotiation.There’s nothing we can do,"
Simon explained.
I bit my lower lip and said, "Simon, I need your help to stabilize the situation in the company for now.I’ll
be back soon."
After hanging up on Simon, I called Dad next.
The phone rang for a long time, but he didn’t answer.I kept calling several more times, yet I couldn’t get
through to him.
The automated response reached my ears and it only made me feel even more uneasy.
Charles and I took the earliest flight back to Los Angeles.
Once the plane had landed, i hailed a cab by the roadside and told the drive my father’s address.
Just as I was about to get into the car, Charles grabbed my wrist.
"Caroline, I’m worried about you.Let me come with you."
"Sorry, Charles, but I don’t think my dad would want to see you.You should go home for now.I’ll meet
up with you again next time," I told him.
"Okay.Just remember to call me if you need any help," he said.
"Okay."
I stood on tiptoe, held his face, and kissed his cheek.
Afterwards, I went into the cab.
The moment the driver started the engine, I rolled down the window and waved Charles goodbye.He
stood on the roadside, watching me drift farther and farther with worried eyes.
After getting off the car, I rushed to my dad’s house and rang the doorbell anxiously.
It took a while before someone finally opened the door.
Olivia was standing at the door, wearing a sexy silk slip dress, crossing her arms.She seemed
surprised to see me.
"Oh, it’s you! Caroline, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
She stood in front of the half-open door.
It was as if she was trying to stop me from entering the house.I cast aside my suspicions for now, and
shouted, "Get out of my way, Olivia.I want to see my dad!"
"Edward doesn’t want to see you, so you should just go home," she countered.
"Didn’t you hear me? I said get out of my way! Don’t let me repeat myself again."
I scowled at her, intending to push her away and break into the house.
Olivia was acting stranger than usual today.
In the past, even though we didn’t get along, she would never forbid me from entering the house so
blatantly.
‘Did something happen to my dad?’ I thought anxiously.
The mere thought made me panic and it only made me more eager to enter.
At this time, the door was fully opened.
Inside, I saw Dad, standing in the shadows.
He stood beside Olivia, slowly looking at my direction.
It had only been a few days since I last saw him, but it looked like he had lost a lot of weight.
Aside from that, he looked rather sluggish.
Upon taking a closer look, I found that his eyes seemed to be out of focus.
His face was riddled with frustration, and it looked like time was catching up to him.
Just seeing his face like this rendered me speechless.
‘What is going on? Is this man really my father? How did he end up like this? What happened to him?’ I
wondered.
"Dad, what happened to you? Are you not feeling well?" I asked.
"Charles is trying to hurt me! He’s the reason the Wilson Group’s stock price is tanking! Caroline, if you
insist on being with that man, you will never inherit my shares of the company."
I was taken aback by what he said.
My eyes widened in disbelief, and I held my breath.
"Charles wants to hurt you? Why would he do that? Dad, know you don’t like him, but that’s not enough
reason to suily his name!"
"Why are you taking that man’s side? I’m not slandering him! If you insist on taking his side, then get
out of my house! I don’t have a daughter like you!"
Suddenly, my father became agitated.
The veins on his forehead were pulsating because of how frustrated he was.
the way his eyes looked at me were so filled with animosity.
Having said that, he immediately closed the door.
"Dad…"
I stared at the closed door for a long time before I was able to gather my composure.I had no idea why
Dad was acting so out of character.
No matter how many times I knocked on the door, nobody came out again.
Olivia’s POV:
Edward covered his chest, gasping in pain.
I immediately ran to his side to assist him.
"Can’t you see, Edward? Caroline only loves Charles.She doesn’t even have any room for you in her
heart! She’s an ungrateful daughter!"
"Caroline, you ingrate!"
Edward growled, gnashing his teeth in anger.I picked up a bottle of medicine from the table and handed
it to him.
"It’s time to take your medicine, Edward."
I didn’t expect that the increased dosage would have this kind of effect on him.
Within only a few days, I was able to completely put this old man under my control.
Each time he took the medicine, Edward became more sluggish than usual.
His once bright eyes were now turbid and empty.He sat on the bed, murmuring, "Caroline, you
ungrateful daughter.You’re an ingrate!"
I sat beside him, gently stroking his face.
"Edward, the decrease in the Wilson Group’s stock price is all because of Charles! It’s probably
because you refused to let him be with Caroline, and now he’s using such underhanded methods to
threaten you into submission.
It’s all his fault that the Wilson Group has fallen from grace.
"Is it all Charles’ fault?" asked Edward.
"Of course, it is! Charles wants to destroy your family, and yet Caroline still insists on being with
him.She doesn’t give a damn about you.A woman like that doesn’t deserve to be your daughter!"
Edward clenched his fists, smashing them against the headboard and causing a dull thud.
"I don’t have a daughter as selfish as her!"
I nodded in agreement and continued to manipulate him.
"Edward, Caroline will never go back to you unless she suffers.Do you want to teach her a lesson?"
Edward’s face was as stiff as a soulless machine.It took him a few seconds before he responded to my
question.
"Yes."
Thanks to the medicine’s influence, Edward gradually lost the ability to think for himself, and his brain
was functioning worse and worse.
I figured this would be the perfect time to hand him the will I had prepared.
Thus, I took it out from my bag and nave it to him Once Edward had signed this will, all of his properties
and shares would be inherited by me and Adam, And with all of his fortune, I would be able to live a
comfortable life for the rest of my natural days.
By then, I wouldn’t have to grovel before Edward just to get something! The more I thought about it, the
happier it made me.
"Edward, sign this will.As long as you sign it, Caroline will come back to you and beg for mercy.By then,
she’s going to be obedient to you and do anything you want her to do."
I suppressed my excitement and handed a pen to him.
Edward accepted the pen, but he didn’t sign the will right away like I thought he would.
I was getting impatient, so I told him, "Do you still have such unrealistic fantasies about Caroline? I
heard that she’s having the time of her life with Charles.They even went on a business trip together!"
Edward clenched the pen in his hand.
He pursed his lips, and his eyes were filled with indignation.
"Fine! I’ll sign it and make Caroline regret doing this to me!"
His hand trembled while holding the pen.I was filled with joy when he signed his name on the signature
area as I had instructed.
Once he had finished writing the last letter of his name, everything was settled.
I held the will in my hand, laughing and teetering with excitement.
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