CHAPTER 0113 JULIANSPOV Now,asIwassaying…OliviacontinuedconfidentlyasIsatbackdowninmyseat,foldingmyarmsandwatchingthesceneunfold.
Youknowtheworldyoulivein,shesaid,hervoicecoldandsharp,Youliveina worldwheretherich rule.If theywantsomeonegone,theymakeasinglecall,anditsdone.Noquestionsasked.Noconsequences.Nojustice.Thats theworldyouvebeenoperatinginkillorbekilled.Sotellme,wouldntitmakesensetostrikefirstbeforehegetsthe chancetodoittoyou? Shepacedslowly,theechoofherbootsontheconcreteaddingtothe tensionintheroom.Herpresencewascommanding,andIcouldseeitherwordswerecuttingdeep.
Theres achancehere,arealchance,thatyou couldflipthescriptandcomeoutofthisalive,shecontinued.Ifyoucooperate,ifyougiveuseverythingweneedtotakeAdriandown,wellofferyouprotection.Mybrotherhasaccesstomercenaries-trainedprofessionalswhocanprotectyoufrommenlikeAdrian.Youwalkawayfromthisnotonlyalive,butfree.
Iwatchedastheireyesdartedbetweeneachother,theweightofherofferstartingtosinkin.Oliviahadmadethemscared,desperateeven.Herwordswerehittingtheir mark.
Whatdoyou meanbyprotectionfromyou?thereporterasked warily,speakingupforthefirsttime.
Itsexactlywhatyouthink,Oliviarepliedsmoothly.Ifyoumaketherightchoiceandcooperate,wellmakesureAdriancanttouchyou.Notnow,notever.
Shewassellingitwell,Illgiveherthat.Icastherasidelongglance,stillnotentirelysurewhatherendgamewas.ButIhadagreedtofollowherlead,fornow.
Butthereporterwasntbuyingitsoeasily.Herbrowsfurrowedassheleanedforwardandasked,Andwhatsourguarantee?That ifwetellyouwhatyouwant,youwontjustdisappearandleaveusfordead?Likeyousaid,theworldisruledbytherich.FromwhereImsitting,you seemtofallintothatcategory,too.

Itwasafairquestionandadangerousone,evenOliviawascaughtoffguardbythequestion.
Iguessshedidntthinkthat far.
Ishiftedslightlyinmyseat,readytostepinandsalvagethesituation,butbeforeIcouldopenmymouth,Oliviaanswered,andwhatshesaidnearlymademechoke.
Illput myfamilyscompanyontheline,shesaidcalmly.BlakeIndustries.If anythinghappenstoeitherofyou,thecompanywillbesignedovertoyournames.Thatsmy 1/4 CHAPTER0113 guarantee.
Myheadwhippedtowardher,myeyeswideningindisbelief.DidIhearthatright? Wassheinsane? BlakeIndustrieswasourfamilylegacy,ourlifeline.Youdontjustthrowitoutthereasabargainingchip,especiallywheneverythingweweresayingtothesetwowasamanipulation,acarefullyconstructedlietogetthemtotalk.
Istoodup slowlyandwalkedovertoher,myhandgrippingherarmgentlybut firmly.
Weneedtotalk.Now,Isaidthroughclenchedteeth,keepingmyvoicelowsoasnottoraisesuspicion.
Withoutprotest,Olivialetmeguideheroutoftheroom,theheavydoorclosingbehinduswithadullthud.
Assoonaswewerealonein thehallway,Iturnedtoher,whisperingurgently, Areyoulisteningto yourselfrightnow?Iasked,loweringmyvoicesharply.Howcould youputsomethingsoimportantonthelinelikethat? Hereyesdidntevenwaver.ThatwastheonlythingIwassureofthatmightmakethemtalk.There wasnootherguaranteeIcouldoffertheminthatmoment.

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Iletoutaheavysighand ranahandthroughmyhair.Evenknowing thatinafewdaysyoureabouttobecomeCEOofthecompany?Doyouwantmetoprotectthosecrooksaroundtheclock justbecauseyoumadeanemotional promise? Oliviasexpression stayedcalm,astarkcontrasttothestormrisinginme.Relax,shesaidcoolly.IhadadozenreasonswhyIchosethecompanyasbait.Firstofall,Adrianisntactuallycomingafterthem.Thatwholestory?Itsjustascaretactic.Theresnothingforthemtobeprotectedfrom.Andsecond…Shesteppedcloserandlookedmedead intheeyes.Oncetheyspil
leverythingwewanttoknow,wellhavethemarrestedforframing.Simple.Imtrustingyoutotakecareofthatpart.Youcanhandleit,right? Iblinkedather,therealizationof hergameslowlydawningonme.Myfrustrationbeganto cool,replacedbyawaryadmiration.Yeah,Imuttered.Onceallthreeofthem confess,theyllbechargedandlockedup.Noprotectionneeded.
Exactly,shesaidwithasmirk,tappingmyshoulderlightly.Sotheresnothingtoworryabout.Besides,itsnot likeweresigninganylegaldocumentsstatingwellhandoverthecompanyto them.Didweeversayanythinglikethat?Evermentionacontract,orpapers,oralawyer? Shegavemeaknowingwink,anddespitemyself,Ihadtogrin.Iknewexactlywhatshewasdoingnow.Lying?Maybe.Buttactfully,andwithpurpose.
No,Isaid,playingalong.Ineverheardyouguaranteeourfamilycompanyinanyofficialcapacity.
2/4 CHAPTER0113 Good,she said.ThenIllgetbackinthereandwrapthisup.
Assheturnedandwalkedbackintothedimlylitbasementroom,Ifollowedataslowerpace.Watchingherworkthisanglesonaturallymademefeellikethesidekickin myownmission.Thewayshetookcontrol,thewaysheread peopleitwasimpressive,ifnotslightlyterrifying.
Pleasedontletthisbackfire,ImutteredundermybreathasIsteppedinbehindher.
Alright,Oliviasaidasshesteppedinfrontofthetwocaptivesoncemore.WherewasI?Ohyes…Icanguaranteemyfamilycompany.ThatshowseriousIamaboutkeepingyousafefromAdrian.

Eachtime shesaidthosewords,mygutclenched.I bitmylowerlipandkeptmyeyeslockedonthem,prayingtheywouldntgetanysmart ideas.Ifeitherofthemaskedforsomethinginwriting,wedbeintrouble.OliviahadnoplanB iftheypushedforlegaldocumentation,andI didnteither.
Therewasabriefsilenceintheroom.Thedriverturned tothe reporter,andsomethingpassedbetweenthemasilent conversationmadeupofsubtleexpressions,hesitantnods.Awholedebatehappenedinseconds,andthenthedrivergaveasmallnod.
Thatwasallittook.
Fine,thereportersaidatlast.Hervoicewassteadybutlacedwithdefeat.Illtellyoueverythingyouneedtoknow.
Ileanedbackslightly,stunnedby howquicklyOliviahad brokenthem.Allittookwasacleverbluffandsomesharpwords.
Thesepeople,Ithought,aresuchidiots.Theyactuallybelievedeverythingwithoutacontract,withoutwitnesses,withouttheslightestbitofduediligence.Andyet,thiswashowscamsworkedthesedays.Scammers werentslickconmenintheshadowsanymore.Theywerejust aslikelytobeprettyfacesandsharpminds,manipulatingyouintobelievingtheywereyourlasthope.
Oliviasmiledwidely,triumphant.Shehaddoneinminutes whatmyprivateinvestigatorshadbeensweatingoverfor weeks.
Andshediditallwithoutbreakingasweat.
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