Chapter 568 The Turner Group Crisis, Irreversible
Sebastian's retort left Lawrence speechless, his heavy breathing the only sound on the line.
"Mr. Turner, I'm swamped. If you want to sell the Turner Group to me now, I can offer you a decent price." Sebastian added.
Given the company's massive issues, Lawrence's debt situation was dire.
Lawrence slumped into his chair, eyes wide, staring blankly out the floor-to-ceiling window at Aucester. The Turner Group, once a towering giant, had stood shoulder to shoulder with MBK. How had it come to this? How had it fallen so far?
"Sebastian, are you really... really not going to give me a way out? Are you going to watch the Turner Group disappear? Sebastian!" Lawrence's voice was heavy with despair, anger, and helplessness, his decades of dignity shattered before Sebastian.
"Mr. Turner, a way out isn't given by others; it's something you fight for yourself. I've given the Turner Group many chances, but you didn't cherish them. Think about it, Mr. Turner, haven't I given the Turner Group enough opportunities?" Sebastian's deep voice carried an air of absolute victory, his attitude impeccable.
He left the problem for Lawrence to ponder.
Lawrence's mouth moved, but no words came out.
"If there's nothing else, Mr. Turner, let's end this call." With that, Sebastian hung up and tossed his phone onto his desk.
Lawrence's arm went limp, and the phone slipped from his hand, hitting the floor with a heavy thud.
Megan grabbed Lawrence's arm, her eyes wide with worry. "Dad... what did Sebastian say? Is he willing to give the Turner Group a chance? What did he say?"
Lawrence suddenly raised his hand and slapped Megan hard across the left cheek.
The force of the slap left Megan stunned, her face burning. She clutched her cheek, looking at Lawrence in disbelief, her lips trembling. "Dad, you hit me? You actually hit me?"
Lawrence stared at his hand, shocked by his own actions, then let it fall limply.
Megan's left cheek was red and swollen, a vivid handprint marking her face. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Dad... you've never hit me before. Now... you hit me? I'm your daughter. What's more important than me?"
Lawrence was furious, but Megan's tear-streaked face left him at a loss for how to vent his anger. He sighed deeply. "Megan, how could you... How could you give such a large sum of money to Simon? Even though you're married, the Turner Group is in a critical moment. Do you know what that money means? You!"
Megan lowered her head, tears streaming down her face. She bit her lip, her voice choked with pain. "How was I supposed to know the Turner Group would face this? We're married now, we're a couple. If his company is in trouble, am I wrong to help him? Sebastian pushed me to the brink, and Simon helped me. Shouldn't I help him when he needs it? Sebastian is sabotaging the Turner Group. Even if I didn't give Simon the money, the Turner Group would still..."
"Shut up!" Lawrence was enraged by Megan's words, raising his arm to slap her again. But seeing her tear-streaked face, he couldn't bring himself to do it. "Megan, I'm not blaming you, but the Turner Group is really in crisis. This time, the Turner Group might..."
"Mr. Turner!"
Lawrence turned to see his assistant rushing in, sweat on his forehead.
"What's the matter? Why are you panicking?" Megan stood up, wiping her face, her expression haughty once more, her makeup pristine and untouchable.
The assistant, out of breath, glanced at Megan before speaking. "Mr. Turner, Ms. Turner, several shareholders want to sell all their shares immediately. The company's current liquid assets aren't enough to cover it. Mr. Turner, what should we do?"
Lawrence's face turned ashen, his body sinking into his chair, struggling to catch his breath. "What... what can I do? Get out!"
The assistant fled at Lawrence's shout.
Megan realized the gravity of the situation, beyond her control. She lowered her stance, no longer arguing. "Dad, is there really no way out? What about the bank? With the Turner Group's reputation, we should be able to get a loan. Let's try the bank!"
Lawrence shook his head, the world seeming to collapse around him. "I've asked all the major banks. They won't lend us a cent. If they know the Turner Group's situation, they'll come after us for debts. The last project used a lot of cash."
Megan slammed her hands on the table. "I'll go to Simon, see how much he can come up with."
Lawrence laughed bitterly. "Go to him? Do you think he'll help? Megan, don't be foolish. The money you gave him only covered his losses. He doesn't have the funds."
"Loan? In his name? Or... Dad, we can mortgage some factories to the bank. There has to be a way. I can't believe the Turner Group, with decades of history, is just gone. I can't believe it!"
Lawrence stood weakly, looking out at Aucester. This city had once been his domain, where he enjoyed admiration and respect. But wealth was fleeting, beyond anyone's control.
"Megan, the factories mortgaged to the bank will soon be seized. The factories outside Aucester already have bank seals. Didn't you know?"
"What?" Megan's face went pale, her fingers slipping.
"With shareholders pulling out and the stock plummeting, the Turner Group is on the brink of bankruptcy. We either declare bankruptcy or sell the Turner Group."
"No... no! I won't accept it! It's all Sebastian's doing! I'll make him pay!"
"Megan! Stop! Going to him now is suicide!"
"I don't care!"
"Stop! As my daughter, you will stop!"
"Dad! I gave up my acting career for the Turner Group, and now you're telling me it's gone? I won't accept it! How can I accept it?"
Megan's phone rang, displaying James's number.
"Dad... It's James. Why is he calling?"
James sat in his office, looking out the window at Aucester from the Infinite International Group's chairman's office, enjoying the view. "Megan, I saw the news and the stock market today. I bet you're scrambling for money."
James sipped his coffee, sweetened to perfection.
"Why are you calling? If you're here to mock me, save it!" Megan replied.
"Megan, your attitude doesn't match someone drowning in debt. The Turner Group's debt exceeds a billion dollars. A billion might not seem much, but do you know how a snowball grows? It gets bigger and bigger until it crushes you. That scene will be... gruesome."
"James! Shut up! Shut up!"
James calmly put on his suit jacket. "Megan, if the Turner Group declares bankruptcy, all your assets will be seized. You might end up homeless. Be nice to me, and I might give you a small house."
"Don't pretend to be a good guy!"
"True. But remember, Simon is there to help you. You can keep being arrogant. By the way, everyone in Aucester knows about the Turner Group's mess. No one will touch it. Tell your dad to sell it to my friend, Sebastian. You know him."
"James! Do you know who you're helping? He ruined your sister! She's in prison because of him!"
James hung up, smoothly putting on his suit.
"Mr. Rivera, the car is ready. Where to?"
James smiled, in a good mood. "To see Sebastian."
In another skyscraper in Aucester's CBD, Sebastian put on his suit and walked out of his office, picking up his phone. "Bring the car to the front. We're leaving now."
"Yes, Mr. Kingsley."
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