Chapter 488 Don't Want to Hear Raymond's Name
Daniel stepped out of the café, the cool night breeze lifting the solid-colored scarf wrapped around his turtleneck sweater.
He got into the car.
One hand on the steering wheel, he pulled out his phone with the other and called Margaret again.
He first asked about her move, whether she was getting used to living alone, and if the property management was reliable and safe.
Finally, he brought up Raymond. "Ms. Hughes, I just met with Raymond. He—" He and Sarah are completely done.
Before he could finish, Margaret interrupted him from the other end of the line. "Mr. Taylor, I don't want to hear anything about him."
"Are you really planning to let it go?" Daniel was surprised by her reaction. "You could give him a chance to explain. He's been having a tough time too. He has his reasons."
"Mr. Taylor, if you're calling to be his advocate, then we should probably keep our contact to a minimum." Margaret's tone grew colder.
Sensing how much she resisted the topic, Daniel changed the subject. "No, I wanted to tell you some good news. I gave him a good beating. Hopefully, he'll stop bothering you."
"Thank you." Margaret paused before saying those words.
When she heard that Raymond had been beaten, her feelings were mixed—no joy, no pity, just a complex blend of emotions.
But she was grateful for everything Daniel had done for her.
"You used to worry I'd bully him, why the change now? This isn't like you." Daniel teased.
A bitter smile came through the phone. "You said it yourself, that was before. When I burned those sketches, when I saw he was getting engaged, when I called him for an explanation and he chose to refuse, it was over. The past is completely behind us."
"I'll keep your location confidential, Ms. Hughes."
"Thank you, Mr. Taylor."
"We don't need to stand on ceremony among friends." Daniel wished her goodnight and hung up.
Raymond went to the hospital to get some medication for the swelling and bruises on his face. Rufus was shocked to see him. "Raymond, did you get into a fight?"
A late-stage leukemia patient, acting so impulsively?
Raymond, full of anger, gave him a cold look, and Rufus wisely shut his mouth.
Leaving the hospital, Alvin called. "Mr. Howard, we're coming back tomorrow."
"Did he talk?" Raymond asked, walking through the hospital basement towards his parked car.
Alvin replied, "He's stubborn, won't say a word. When we return, I'll try to get something out of Percy."
"There's something more important for you to handle. Effective immediately, halt all cooperation with The Taylor Group. Withdraw all funds from their ongoing projects." Raymond pressed the car key, and the headlights flashed a few times.
He sat in the driver's seat, fastening his seatbelt as Alvin's shocked voice came through the phone. "Mr. Howard, are you crazy? Mr. Taylor is our friend. Doing this is like cutting off our own foot. Sixty percent of The Taylor Group's partnerships are with The Hughes Group. Stopping cooperation now will hurt both sides."
"The Hughes Group is big enough to handle it, but our joint projects have major shareholders who invested because of your and The Hughes Group's reputation. If we pull out, they'll follow suit and withdraw from The Taylor Group. The losses for The Taylor Group will be irreparable. Plus, Mr. Taylor and Mrs. Howard are close. She'll be furious if you do this," Alvin rambled on, trying to reason with him.
Raymond sneered. "I'm counting on her getting angry. Margaret has been avoiding me. If I don't take drastic measures, she won't show herself."
Alvin instantly understood. Raymond wasn't serious about withdrawing funds; he was trying to scare Margaret.
Alvin quickly suggested, "I'll get the media to expose The Taylor Group's situation. Mrs. Howard won't miss the news."
Alvin worked fast. Before bed, Raymond saw the media headlines: #The Taylor Group CEO Daniel angers The Hughes Group, leading to withdrawal of funds and #The Taylor Group Stock Poised for Sharp Decline, Analysts Warn.
A few days later, Raymond leisurely sipped his coffee in the morning.
Alvin reported, "Mr. Howard, just as you predicted, our withdrawal caused chaos within The Hughes Group, completely paralyzing them. Other investors are also demanding to pull out. The Taylor Group's stock dropped ten points yesterday, losing thirty billion dollars in market value."
"Cade was furious. He called Daniel home and gave him a good scolding. We bribed The Taylor Family's servants to secretly photograph Daniel getting beaten." Alvin said, showing Raymond the photos on his tablet.
Raymond took the tablet and glanced at the photos. Daniel was half-kneeling on the carpet, his white shirt stained with blood, like red plum blossoms in winter.
Impressive, even beaten like this, Cade couldn't get Margaret's whereabouts out of him—
Alvin continued, "I've already given these photos to the media. Just in case Margaret doesn't see the news, I sent them to her phone via anonymous text. She should contact you soon."
The phone on the table suddenly rang.
"Must be Mrs. Howard," Alvin said, satisfied.
Raymond felt a surge of joy but kept his expression calm and composed. He was good at hiding his emotions.
He picked up the phone without looking at the caller ID and answered, "Hello?"
Knowing full well who it was, he still asked.
Alvin was used to this behavior.
Raymond signaled for Alvin to leave.
Alvin took his tablet and left the office.
"If you don't speak, I'll hang up," Raymond said, his lips curling into a smile, fingers gripping the phone, exuding an air of control.
"Mr. Howard, it's me. Sorry for calling suddenly. I apologize for my abruptness."
Hearing the response, Raymond felt a wave of disappointment and bitterness spread through his heart.
"Who is this?" He knew the caller's identity but pretended not to.
He wanted to see the other person squirm. No one knew how much he had suffered these past few days, his calm exterior hiding a burning turmoil inside.
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