Chapter 101
Lily watched in dismay as the value of Blake Group’s stocks continued to plummet on her tablet screen. The downturn wasn't limited to the main company; it extended to its other branches as well. The scandal surrounding her family had severely impacted their businesses. Her phone buzzed, and it was her grandfather calling. Though she hesitated, she knew avoiding the call would only lead to more persistent attempts. Resigned, she answered, “Grandfather.”
“What’s your plan to fix this? Our stock prices are dropping, and I refuse to let them be sold off cheaply. I didn’t spend all these years building this up just to see it crumble over a minor incident. Handle it. I don’t know who that woman is, but she’s going to cause trouble!”
“I’ll take care of it, Grandfather,” Lily assured him before he ended the call.
Caleb then turned to Victor. “Did you gather everything about her?”
“Yes, sir,” Victor replied, handing over a file. Caleb reviewed it and commented, “Ariana Martins… she’s the daughter of the late Rowland Martins, whose business nearly went under but was mysteriously saved from bankruptcy.”
Victor confirmed, “Indeed, sir. According to this, his daughter devised a strategy that pulled them out of financial ruin, but it involved stealing something from Alexander and giving it to their rival. In return, the rival resolved their financial problems. When Alexander found out, he pursued her, but she managed to escape—only to end up in a plane crash.”
Caleb listened as Victor recounted the details, noting, “The reports claimed she died.”
“Yes, that’s the story her family put out, even staging a fake funeral with a decoy body.”
“They were terrified of Alexander, even at his young age,” Caleb mused.
“Indeed, sir. Alexander had already amassed significant power by the age of 21.”
“She’s managed to stay hidden all these years and has only resurfaced now. I need you to discover what she’s been doing all this time and what she’s planning,” Caleb ordered.
Victor bowed, “Yes, sir.”
Caleb couldn’t shake the feeling that Ariana would be a serious issue.
After the call with her grandfather, Lily paced her office, contemplating her next move when her assistant, Katrina, entered.
“Ma’am, the stock price of Kane Corporation has dropped even more than ours,” Katrina informed her.
“What? Let me see,” Lily demanded, taking the tablet and gasping at how much Kane Corporation’s value had plunged.
“Oh my God,” she muttered in disbelief. The aftermath of the party incident was catastrophic. With some subsidiary stock prices so low, anyone could afford to buy them now.
She attempted to call Alexander, but his phone wasn’t connecting. She tried James' number as well, with the same result. They must be busy managing the crisis. Knowing Alexander, Lily was certain he would want to confront Ariana.
Without hesitation, she grabbed her handbag and headed for the door.
“Ma’am, are you going to Kane Corporation?” Katrina asked, trailing behind.
“Yes, I need to see my husband,” Lily replied.
“But ma’am, we need to address our own stock situation; we’re facing the same crisis.”
Lily paused, turning to Katrina with a stern expression. Katrina swallowed, realizing she might have overstepped.
“If you really want to solve this, I need you to follow these instructions,” Lily said, giving Katrina detailed orders before heading to Kane’s headquarters on her own. She was taken aback by the swarm of reporters outside the building. As soon as they spotted her car, they rushed toward it, but she quickly maneuvered into the underground garage and drove to a secure area.
Alexander had anticipated her arrival and deployed a team of guards to escort her inside.
“Welcome, ma’am,” the guards greeted her with bowed heads as they guided her into the building.
They led her to Alexander’s private elevator, ensuring she didn’t encounter the frantic employees in the building. Arriving at his office, she knocked before entering.
“My love, you don’t need to knock,” Alexander said warmly, catching her off guard.
She approached him cautiously, noticing his composed demeanor. Despite the chaos, he appeared unfazed, as though his company wasn’t facing a severe financial blow.
He shifted his gaze from the computer screen to her, “Come here,” he beckoned. Still taken aback by his calmness, Lily walked around the desk and stood before him. He pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist.
She hadn’t expected him to be so relaxed. If he was this composed, then he must be planning something significant. She noticed his suit was buttoned, indicating he was about to leave before hearing she had arrived.
“Don’t worry, I’ll handle this soon,” Alexander reassured her.
“No, I’ll do it,” Lily insisted.
Alexander met her eyes, “Do what?”
“What you were planning to do—meet Ariana and confront her, right?” Lily challenged.
Alexander’s silence confirmed her suspicion.
“I don’t want you near her anymore,” Alexander stated.
“The source of the problem is the key to fixing it,” Lily argued. “And I don’t want you interacting with her because that’s exactly what she wants. We don’t even know if she really lost her memory; this could all be a ploy to lure you in, and you almost fell for it, Alexander,” she said, clearly irritated.
“Ariana wants to compete with me, and the last thing I want is for you to play into her hands,” Lily admitted.
Alexander considered her words and nodded, agreeing to let her take charge.
Meanwhile, at Aurora City Central Hospital, Ariana was in high spirits. It was the best day she’d had since waking from her coma. As she ate her meal, she gleefully read the negative online comments about Lily and Alexander, occasionally glancing at the clock, wondering why Alexander hadn’t shown up yet. Given the drastic drop in his company’s stock, she expected him to confront her in a fury by now.
She kept looking toward the door and even instructed Samson, stationed outside, to inform her when Alexander arrived. An hour passed with no sign of him, and her patience was wearing thin. She began considering how to compel him to visit.
Just as she reached for her phone, the hospital door opened, and Lily entered.
Ariana looked up in surprise, expecting Alexander and seeing Lily instead.
Lily closed the door, her gaze locked on Ariana’s shocked expression.
“You weren’t expecting me, were you?” Lily asked, her voice laced with confidence.
Ariana was at a loss for words.
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