Chapter 145 Choosing Inferno Over Paradise
Paige, taken by surprise, dismissed the matter with a wave of her hand. "I don't have the luxury of time to attend to them."Pearl interjected, "Xanthe, it's not your personal line that's ringing. It's this office phone I have here. The number is still under wraps, known only to a select few executives in the company."At this, Paige, who had been engrossed in the documents before her, snapped her gaze upwards.She turned to Pearl, a wry smile playing on her lips. "They do have a knack for finding their way, don't they?"Pearl couldn't help but return the smile, albeit a bit grimly. "They've gone to great lengths to get their hands on this number!"Paige found the situation almost comical. Wasn't there a saying about digging one's own grave?Wasn't this exactly that?It reminded her of the phrase, 'out of the frying pan and into the fire.'The phrase seemed to have been coined specifically for the Sacklers. They could have allied with any other corporation, but they chose to knock on her door.The mere thought of Mrs. Sackler's current predicament filled Paige with an intense disdain for the Sackler clan..As the phone continued its incessant ringing, Paige's expression hardened. Then, with a cold, cynical smile, she instructed, "Ignore this call. If they ring again, you answer and find out what they're up to, what they want.""Apparently, the lesson they learned at the Hawke Corporation's anniversary celebration wasn't enough. This time, we'll settle the score once and for all."Pearl nodded in agreement. "I'll take care of it."Paige's voice was distinctive, one they would recognize instantly.On the other hand, they would certainly not be familiar with Pearl's voice, which was perfect for finding out exactly what they were after.The phone eventually fell silent on its own. Paige was already eagerly waiting for the Sackler family to fall into the trap she had set.A few days later, Mrs. Sackler's condition had improved slightly, and she was likely to meet with Xena. Paige decided then, as long as Xena and her group were willing to visit Mrs. Sackler, she would give them the chance to come see her.By then, the behind-the-scenes dealings between the Sackler family and the top brass of the Universe Group must have reached a boiling point.Paige saw this as a golden opportunity to knock the Sackler family down a peg.Meanwhile, at the Sackler residence, Xena had her phone on speaker. She had tried calling the number Leander had given her, but there was no answer.Previous attempts to reach this number had resulted in a disconnected line.When the call finally connected, Xena was ecstatic.However, the phone just kept ringing, with no answer in sight.Xena's face fell as she showed the phone to Margaret beside her.Margaret instructed, "Try again."Xena responded with a hint of helplessness, "Grandma, isn't it a bit rude to keep calling like this? We're trying to reach the elusive CEO of the Universe Group. Even Mr. Wen has never met him in person or contacted him. Aren't we overstepping our bounds?"Margaret retorted, "If Leander was competent, we wouldn't need to make this call. He's one of the top executives at Universe; he should be introducing us to their CEO, which would be much more convenient. Why should we be wasting our time like this?"Margaret's annoyance was evident. She had always looked down on Leander's family background when he pursued Xena.However, Xena had suggested they could leverage his position, which is why they were entertaining the idea.Margaret's words made Xena feel that Leander was useless when it mattered the most.She had coaxed and pestered, and had even nearly compromised her principles, all for a phone number that either didn't connect or wasn't answered.Xena suggested, "Grandma, how about we reach out to Elowen again? She is on our side after all, and as an executive, she might have an easier time contacting the CEO of the Universe Group."Margaret shook her head, "It's pointless. Those Universe people are all slippery; not one of them will stick their neck out for us. We're lucky to have gotten a referral, but we've got to handle this on our own."Margaret's point was clear, and Xena nodded in understanding.Then, she dialed the number once more.While dialing, she remarked, "Why is the CEO of the Universe Group such an enigma? Have they never shown their face in all these years?"Xena couldn't fathom why the CEO of Universe Group would be shrouded in such mystery.YThe truth was, if she had paid closer attention, she might have noticed something at the anniversary celebration of the Hawke Corporation. The CEO of the Universe Group's Country M division had bowed and scraped before Paige.
Perhaps, in that moment, she might have grazed the edge of truth. However, reality often proved a cruel mistress. In her calculated move to undermine Paige that fateful day, all in the name of securing a seamless marriage into the Hawke Corporation, Xena nearly shattered her own reputation. The scandal, while contained, had come at a steep price. The Sackler family had been forced to pay a considerable sum to ensure the silence of the attendees. The consequence was a lost opportunity for Xena. She had forfeited the chance to form a marital alliance with the prestigious Carnegie family, and with it, severed any ties with Louis. From that day forth, Louis had become a distant memory for Xena. Her pride had prevented her from reaching out to him. Instead, her grandmother, ever the pragmatist, had encouraged her not to be swayed by such trivial setbacks. There were other affluent families, other elite circles to infiltrate, even without the Hawke Corporation. Thus, their gaze shifted to the Universe Group. Their endeavors within the Universe Group had been progressing smoothly. However, to secure a contract for a significant project, they required the approval of the Universe Group's CEO. It was a recent development. Months prior, such large-scale projects hadn't necessitated the CEO's direct approval. Nevertheless, now, the CEO's signature was irequired. This led Xena and Margaret to exhaust every possible avenue to establish contact with the elusive CEO of the Universe Group. Once again, Xena dialed the number. She stared at her phone with bated breath, hoping for a response from the other end. Instead, after a prolonged silence, there was no answer. Meanwhile, Pearl presented Paige with the work phone that Xena had been desperately trying to reach. Paige responded with a frosty chuckle, "I suppose if they don't receive an answer this time, they'll attempt to call again, won't they?" "It appears the Sackler family is quite desperate to secure a new source of power and prestige," Pearl noted. "There's no need to rush. Let's keep them waiting," Paige replied nonchalantly. A smirk tugged at the corners of Paige's lips. This game of cat and mouse might not have been entirely gratifying, but it was certainly intriguing. At the very least, it added a dash of excitement to her otherwise monotonous life. Upon hearing Paige's words, Pearl instantly understood. Paige was indifferent to the incessant ringing of the phone; she simply continued to immerse herself in her work. Xena, caught in a whirlwind of anticipation and disappointment, was mentally oscillating. Just as the clock was inching toward noon and Xena was on the verge of surrendering, the call connected. The sudden connection, after a morning of waiting, left Xena at a loss for words, uncertain of how to proceed. In any case, the person on the other end of the line spoke first. A cool female voice echoed, "Hello?" Caught off guard, Xena was unable to respond. Margaret, however, swiftly seized the phone and promptly began, "Hello, good morning, I am..." But before she could complete her sentence, the call was abruptly terminated, leaving behind the sound of a busy signal.
