Chapter 504 That Mountain Might Collapse
"Good luck, Mr. Smith. I gotta check on the other guests, excuse me."
With that, Leo turned and walked away.
Seb watched him go, downing his drink in one gulp.
He was sure Leo wouldn't be smiling for long.
Setting his glass down, Seb turned and left as well.
Just as he reached the door, he bumped into Daniel.
Daniel's lips curled into a mocking smile as he looked at Seb. "Mr. Smith, long time no see. I heard Silvercrest Group's been having some trouble with their chips lately. Shouldn't you be dealing with that instead of partying?"
Five years ago, Daniel had sought a partnership with Seb, who hadn't even given him the time of day.
Now, it was his turn to watch Silvercrest Group struggle.
Seb's expression remained impassive. "Mr. Thomas, you seem to know a lot about Silvercrest Group's affairs. Maybe you should focus on managing the Thomas Group instead. After all, you might not be aware of who you're really dealing with."
Seb was well aware of the underhanded dealings between Leo and Daniel.
But Daniel working with Leo was like making a deal with the devil. He wouldn't even know what hit him when things went south.
Daniel's face darkened, his voice turning cold. "Mr. Smith, you should worry about Silvercrest Group instead. It'd be a shame if such a big company went bankrupt."
Seb smiled slightly. "Don't worry, Mr. Thomas. Even if we go bankrupt, it'll be after the Thomas Group."
"Are you threatening me?"
Daniel's eyes flashed with disdain. Did Seb really think Silvercrest Group was still untouchable?
After the Nebula 5 incident, countless eyes were on Silvercrest Group, waiting for a misstep.
The company might look prosperous, but it was walking a tightrope.
"Feel free to take it that way."
Daniel sneered. "I'll be watching."
With that, he brushed past Seb and entered the party.
Seb glanced back at the bustling party before turning to leave.
On the way back, Paul updated him on the latest findings from Falcon.
"Mr. Smith, we've checked the employees who had contact with Vertex Innovations Group. They aren't connected to the data leak."
Seb's face darkened. After a moment, he spoke. "Investigate the management at Silvercrest Group."
If the employees were clean, the problem had to be higher up.
He couldn't believe no one had leaked Nebula 6's data to Leo. Vertex Innovations Group's Galaxy Chip had nearly identical functions to Nebula 6.
Nebula 6 was just one step away from release, but Galaxy had beaten them to it. Something was definitely off.
Paul's face paled. "Mr. Smith, do you mean someone in management leaked the data?"
If that were true, Silvercrest Group was in serious trouble.
After all, if they could leak Nebula 6's data, they could leak other critical information too. The thought alone was terrifying.
"Start the investigation."
"Yes, sir. I'll get on it right away."
Paul finally grasped the gravity of the situation.
This was more than just a data leak.
Seb didn't return to his villa. Instead, he went straight to the office to work late.
The next morning, Paul entered Seb's office with a grave expression, holding a file.
"Mr. Smith, you need to see this."
Seb took the file and read it, his face growing darker.
"Mr. Smith, we've found that Raymond Carter has close ties with Leo, but we can't prove he leaked Nebula 6's data."
Seb's expression was cold. "No need to investigate further. I'm sure it's him."
Only someone in management could have given Leo all the data on Nebula 6.
He hadn't considered management before because any issues with Nebula 6 would significantly harm their own interests.
But it seemed Leo's offer was too tempting, leading Raymond to take the risk.
"What should we do next? Should we call the police?"
Raymond was a key board member, holding 10% of Silvercrest Group's shares. He had been dedicated to the company for years.
Paul had suspected many people, but never Raymond.
Now it seemed the least likely suspect was the true culprit.
"Not yet. Have Falcon find out what other secrets he might have leaked before we decide."
"Understood."
After Paul left, Seb contacted Randy, asking him to come to Silvercrest Group.
Randy arrived within half an hour.
"Uncle Seb, what's so urgent?"
"Silvercrest Group's core data might have been leaked. We could be facing bankruptcy."
If Raymond had given Leo the company's core data, Silvercrest Group would be in a dire position.
Randy's face turned pale. "What? How could the core data be leaked?"
"There's no point in discussing that now. When you get back, start separating the Smith Group from Silvercrest Group. We need to protect the Smith Group."
They didn't know how much data had been leaked, so they had to prepare for the worst. Separating the Smith Group from Silvercrest Group was essential.
"Do we really have to do this?"
The Smith Group and Silvercrest Group had many collaborations. Separating them wouldn't be easy.
"Yes."
Randy took a deep breath. "Alright, I understand. But will Silvercrest Group really go bankrupt?"
He looked at Seb, his eyes filled with confusion and helplessness.
For years, Seb had led Silvercrest Group, standing like a mountain between the Smith Group and any threats, giving them time to grow.
Now, Seb was saying that mountain might collapse.
Randy found it hard to accept.
"We're not sure yet. Just do as I say."
Hearing the seriousness in Seb's voice, Randy felt a heavy weight settle in his heart.
"Uncle Seb, I'll head back now."
"Go ahead."
After Randy left, Seb tried to focus on his work, but his mind was too restless. He put the file down and lit a cigarette, watching it burn without taking a puff.
Meanwhile, Sharon woke up to find that Seb hadn't come home the night before.
She got ready, sent Demetrius to school, and packed breakfast to take to the office.
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