Chapter 197: A USB Drive!
In the afternoon, at the entrance of SR Group.
Ernest Johnson and Karen stepped out of the car.
As they gazed at the imposing SR Group office building, Ernest Johnson expressed his concern to Karen. "Honey, is this really the right thing to do?"
Karen replied with a dismissive pout, "Look at you, getting all worked up. Is this really necessary?"
"It absolutely is! I don't want to screw over our daughter, no matter what," Ernest Johnson answered resolutely.
The couple had visited the old Johnson family home an hour before.
Grandpa Johnson had promised them they could attend the housewarming if they just did him one favor.
He handed them a USB drive, saying that they just needed to plug it into Sarah Johnson's computer at her company for a minute.
That was all the help he required.
It sounded so simple.
Karen had agreed without hesitation, and they hurried over immediately.
Ernest Johnson was still worried. "Honey, since the Johnson family's building material business and Sarah's company are competitors, we'll be in deep trouble if that USB has a virus or leaks Sarah's company secrets. Maybe we should drop this idea?"
Karen glared at him, annoyed, "You’re like this every single day! Can't you man up a bit? The slightest sign of trouble, and you're looking over your shoulder. Have some backbone!
“Even if there's a virus on the USB, or the company secrets get leaked, what's the worst that could happen? Just a little financial loss. Besides, isn’t Ryder Clark always acting like he can handle anything? If he's as competent as he seems, then he'll just have to fix the mess.
“Do you really expect Sarah's company to make a fortune? Do you think she’ll share some of it with you for your retirement? Keep dreaming! I've told you before, the only reliable person in our family is little Kai!"
If Ernest Johnson's startup took off and started raking in the big bucks, the couple envisioned an easy life ahead. "You just can't rely on a daughter for that... ever," they mused.
"But..." Ernest's worry lingered.
He was about to voice his concerns when Karen snapped sharply. "Cut the crap! One more peep out of you and I swear, I'm dragging you to the courthouse for a divorce so you can taste the single life again!"
Ernest winced and zipped his lips.
Triumphant, Karen strutted into SR Group's grand entrance with Ernest in tow.
After announcing themselves at reception, they were courteously escorted to Sarah Johnson's office.
Busy at work, Sarah looked up, taken aback at seeing her parents. "Mom, Dad! What brings you here?"
Karen rolled her eyes as she walked in. "What, can’t I visit my own daughter's company now? If that's the case, your father and I might as well head back home."
Sarah reluctantly stood up and led them to the sofa in her office, pouring them a glass of water each, which seemed to improve Karen's mood slightly.
Looking around the room, Karen cleared her throat and said, "Your father and I made a special trip here today to tell you something. I've given it a lot of thought and decided not to divorce your father after all, so you can stop worrying and focus on your work."
She gave Ernest a meaningful glance.
Ernest nodded, feeling a little sheepish. "Yeah! Your mother’s right."
Sarah's face lit up with relief. "That's wonderful news! I was starting to get really concerned about your relationship. How about we celebrate by going out for dinner tonight?"
"There's no need for celebration," Karen dismissed her with a wave of her hand.
Just then, she grimaced, clutching her stomach. "Ouch! My stomach... It hurts!"
Startled, Sarah asked with concern, "What's wrong, Mom? Do we need to get you to the hospital?"
Karen feigned weakness. "We don’t need to go to the hospital! I probably just ate something bad. I just need to use the restroom; help me there, will you?"
"Of course!"
Without hesitation, Sarah helped Karen to her feet and escorted her to the bathroom outside the office.
Just before stepping out, Karen shot Ernest Johnson a knowing glance.
Ernest Johnson nodded subtly, silently getting the hint.
When Karen and Sarah left, Ernest was the only one left in the office.
He hurried to Sarah's desk and pulled out a red USB drive from his pocket.
He looked at Sarah's computer hesitantly and muttered to himself, "What if... what if the stuff on this drive really gets Sarah into trouble?"
But the thought of Karen's wrath, should he fail this task, sent chills down his spine — it was a risk he wasn't willing to take.
"Maybe there's really nothing on the drive. Maybe they're just testing us," he chuckled to himself, trying to muster up some confidence.
Finally, he made up his mind, plugged the drive into Sarah's computer, and waited.
A minute later, he removed the flash drive and quickly settled back onto the couch, acting as if nothing had happened.
After a short while, Sarah and Karen returned.
Karen's eyes sparkled when Ernest covertly signaled to her with a thumbs up.
She straightened up with a sudden burst of relief. "Hey! My stomachache's gone. A trip to the restroom did the trick! I won't keep you from your work any longer, Sarah. Your dad and I are heading out!"
She waved for Ernest, who hustled over to her, avoiding Sarah's gaze.
Unaware of what had transpired, Sarah expressed her concern. "You and dad head on home then, Mom. If your stomach bothers you again, just call me and I'll take you to the hospital."
"Sure thing!" Karen responded, and with Ernest in tow, she left.
Sarah, who was still in good spirits, settled back into her office chair to continue working. After all, her biggest worry—her parents' possible divorce—was no longer a threat.
But when she moved the mouse, the computer screen went black.
"Huh? What's going on?" Sarah was momentarily startled.
She inspected the computer thoroughly but couldn't figure out what was wrong.
As she was about to call the IT department to check her computer, the screen flickered back to life.
She was completely flabbergasted as she navigated her computer and caught sight of a barrage of chat windows…
Meanwhile, on the twentieth floor of the Maple Real Estate's prestigious head office, Ryder Clark's phone suddenly lit up with a message from Sarah Johnson. He grabbed the device, tapped the screen, and his eyes popped open in shock.
He saw a plethora of pictures from Sarah Johnson—risqué images, some even teeming with passion. A few were downright indecent!
There must have been over thirty images, and the woman in all of them? Sarah Johnson!
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