Chapter 666 Expel Calista!
Calista's talent for reading the room was unmatched. Sensing an opportunity to redeem herself, she immediately pointed at Ernest, who was still writhing on the ground.
"Mr. Baker! That guy with the broken arms started all this trouble! He even threatened to rape Ryder's wife right in front of him! Scum like that should be locked up and shot!" she shouted with righteous indignation, as if she were the greatest victim in all this.
Eli gave her a cold glance, then turned back to Ryder, his tone instantly respectful: "Mr. Clark, don't worry. I'll handle this."
He turned to face the thugs, his demeanor shifting dramatically: "Passion Logistics Management Company is a subsidiary of Maple Group. I'd like to see who's stupid enough to cause trouble on Maple Group property!"
"Who the fuck cares?" Ernest, now completely unhinged, screamed, "Attack! The Silver Wolf Gang will take responsibility for whatever happens!"
Before he could finish, Eli raised his hand to the security team behind him, his voice ice-cold: "Go ahead. Just don't kill anyone."
At his command, the twenty-plus well-trained security guards charged into the group of thugs like tigers descending a mountain. The expected fierce battle never materialized. It was a complete massacre.
The Silver Wolf Gang's street fighting skills were like child's play against these professionally trained security personnel. Amid the dull thuds of impact and the crisp sounds of bones dislocating, accompanied by agonized screams, all the thugs, including Ernest, were on the ground in less than two minutes, curled up and moaning in pain.
The delivery station fell silent once again.
"That's enough, Eli. They've learned their lesson," Ryder said calmly. "Let the police handle the rest."
Sarah nodded in agreement. "Right, let's not take it too far."
"Always the merciful one, Mr. Clark," Eli nodded, immediately dialing his phone. "Between us, these security guys are all instructors from my son's taekwondo school. They're more than capable of handling street thugs like these."
"I see," Ryder replied with a faint smile.
About fifteen minutes later, police sirens grew louder as they approached. When Ernest saw the police, he immediately tried to play victim, crying out: "Officer! They attacked us first! We were just defending ourselves! Look at my arm—they broke it!"
The lead officer gave him a glance and snorted. "Aren't you Ernest from the Silver Wolf Gang? Who in Aurora City would be stupid enough to provoke you first?"
Ernest froze. "You... you know me?"
The officer's eyes were filled with contempt. "A bunch of criminals disrupting public order! I've been looking for evidence of your crimes, and today I caught you red-handed. This should get me that promotion!"
The color drained from Ernest's face.
After briefly questioning Ryder's side about what happened, the officer determined it was self-defense and only requested someone to come in for a statement.
"Officer, I'll go!" Calista immediately volunteered, jumping in front of Ryder. "I'm in charge of the delivery station. I know exactly what happened! I'll cooperate fully and expose all the crimes of these social degenerates!"
And so, Calista marched to the police car with her head held high, like a returning hero.
An hour later, Calista returned. Sarah had already left. In the delivery station office, only Ryder and Eli remained, sipping juice.
Calista knocked and entered, proudly reporting to Eli how "heroically" she had performed at the police station, emphasizing that the police promised to punish the Silver Wolf Gang with at least two weeks' detention.
Eli listened and nodded noncommittally. Then he set down his juice glass and looked at Calista, calmly announcing, "Starting today, you no longer need to come to work. This delivery station will be fully managed by Ryder."
"What?" The smugness on Calista's face instantly froze. She screamed in disbelief, turning to glare at Ryder. "Ryder! What's the meaning of this? I just helped solve your problem, and you go behind my back to complain to Mr. Baker? Have you no shame?"
BANG! Eli slammed his hand on the desk, shouting, "Calista! Do you have any idea who you're standing in front of?"
Calista jumped but remained defiant. "Mr. Baker, everything I did was for the good of the delivery station! Ryder's just a small-time delivery guy—sacrificing his wife to save the station seemed worth it to me! And about the accounting issues, I... I only have an elementary school education, so it's normal I couldn't keep the books straight! You can't just listen to this nobody's one-sided story!"
Hearing this, Eli laughed bitterly, shaking his head and looking at Calista as if she were an idiot.
"Calista, Calista. Open your eyes and see clearly." He pointed at Ryder, emphasizing each word, his voice filling the entire office: "This man you keep calling 'just a delivery guy' is not a delivery person at all. He is the Chairman of Maple Group—Ryder Clark!"
Calista's mind went blank with a deafening buzz. Maple Group... Chairman... Ryder?
She stared in disbelief at the young man she had been ordering around and mistreating, and her legs gave way. With a heavy thud, her plump body fell to her knees.
"Mr. Clark..." her voice trembled uncontrollably, her face drained of all color. "I... I had no idea it was you! I truly didn't mean it! If I had known your identity, I would never have dared, I swear!"
Ryder remained expressionless, picking up his juice and taking a small sip.
Eli looked at her coldly and continued, "You're not being fired because you offended Mr. Clark. You're being fired because you disrespected every hardworking delivery person, and because you abused your position to line your own pockets! That is the real reason I'm firing you!"
"I..." Calista was speechless.
Seeing that begging wouldn't work, her expression suddenly hardened as she got up from the floor and started making threats: "Eli! I have a labor contract with the company! If you fire me, that's illegal! I'll sue you and drag Maple Group's reputation through the mud!"
"You're threatening me?" Eli's expression grew even colder.
"Yes! That's exactly what I'm doing! With my contract, I'm not afraid!"
At this point, Ryder, who had been silent, finally spoke. He set down his juice glass and asked calmly, "Didn't Zane tell you that embezzling company funds is a financial crime?"
Calista froze.
A cold smile played on Ryder's lips. "Yesterday, you and Zane admitted to taking kickbacks from the cash flow. That amount is enough to put you both in prison for several years."
Eli immediately added: "So, Calista, before you leave Passion Logistics Management Company for good, the corporate finance team will come to audit all the accounts. Every penny that you and Zane pocketed had better be returned. Otherwise, you won't be getting a termination notice—you'll be getting a court summons."
Calista's final psychological defense completely collapsed. Her eyes rolled back, and she crumpled to the floor in a dead faint.
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