Betrayed by Four: Reborn, Their Rival Mafia Lord Became My Husband - Chapter 18: Chapter 18
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The top-floor conference room suffocated under crushing pressure.
Derek slammed his tablet against the wall with violent force. The shattering screen made every executive flinch in unison.
"Three days! Just three fucking days and we've lost 50% of our market value!" His bloodshot eyes swept across the room. "Who leaked the financial fraud news?!"
The CFO stammered nervously, "Mr. Derek, the audit report shows eight billion in missing funds that we can't account for..."
"Shut up!" Derek grabbed him by the tie. "I pay you people to solve problems, not create them!"
He whirled toward the legal team. "Sue the Hollis family for commercial defamation. Now!"
The legal director wiped sweat from his brow. "Mr. Derek, Asher's evidence chain is airtight. He even has secret recordings of our bank conversations..."
Derek went dead silent.
He released his grip and slowly walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows. London's most prosperous financial district sprawled below.
"Good. Very good."
He let out a cold laugh and dialed a number. "Lucien, activate Plan B."
Atop Hollis Group Tower, I leaned against Asher's desk, flipping through documents.
"Derek liquidated all his overseas assets," I said, tapping a data line with my fingertip. "Looks like he's going all-in."
Asher kept signing papers without looking up. "Lucien and Caleb terminated three joint projects with us this morning."
"Raven's even more ruthless," I chuckled. "He's actually trying to poach our chip R&D team."
Asher finally raised his head. A flash of cold light flickered behind his gold-rimmed glasses. "Let him try."
I raised an eyebrow.
"The core team members already signed non-compete agreements," Asher removed his glasses and rubbed his temples. "This little stunt will cost Raven at least two billion in penalties."
I suddenly leaned forward, my fingertip tracing the crease between his brows. "Mr. Asher looks quite sexy when he's sleep-deprived."
Asher caught my wandering hand. "Miss Sienna, this is an office."
"So?" My red lips curved upward. "It's not like we're..."
Before I could finish, Leon burst through the door. "Mr. Asher, Derek's united the other four major families. They're shorting our new energy sector!"
Asher and I exchanged glances and smiled simultaneously.
The following week unleashed a heart-stopping corporate siege and counter-strike.
Derek mobilized every connection to crush Hollis Group's stock price. Asher used the opportunity to buy back shares at rock-bottom prices.
Lucien poached key personnel, only to get strangled by non-compete clauses draining his cash flow.
Caleb spread rumors about product quality. I countered by launching 24-hour live streams from our factory floor, slapping his face hard.
Raven had it worst. His blockchain investment got exposed as a Ponzi scheme, making him overnight laughingstock.
"Mr. Asher, Miss Sienna, I've got breaking news," Leon rushed into the office.
"Derek mortgaged his family's ancestral estate."
I was adjusting Asher's tie when my fingers froze. "Has he lost his mind?"
Asher covered my hand with his. "Cornered dogs jump walls."
I collapsed into his arms, laughing.
Meanwhile, Derek's side had descended into chaos.
"Useless! All of you are fucking useless!" Derek trashed his office into ruins. "What about the banks? Why won't they extend our credit?"
His secretary answered tremblingly, "Asher... convinced the European Central Financial Authority to intervene with regulatory oversight..."
Derek went rigid.
He grabbed his car keys and bolted, only to get swarmed by reporters in the underground parking garage.
"Mr. Derek, how do you respond to allegations of embezzling employee pension funds?"
"Mr. Derek! Sources say your father revoked your inheritance rights. Can you confirm?!"
"Rachel claims she's pregnant with your child. Please comment..."
Derek scrambled into his car, only to find Rachel already sitting in the passenger seat.
"Derek, darling," her eyes were bloodshot, "I have a way to turn this around..."
"Get out!" Derek shoved her away. "If you hadn't provoked all this, none of this would've happened!"
Rachel slammed against the car door, her tears instantly turning venomous.
Late that night, I drove alone back to my apartment.
I'd just parked when urgent footsteps echoed behind me. Before I could turn around, an ether-soaked cloth clamped over my mouth and nose.
Through my struggles, I glimpsed Rachel's twisted face:
"Princess, time to pay your debts..."
In my final conscious moment, I managed to reach the phone in my pocket.
Asher was in a meeting when his phone vibrated.
A location ping flashed on screen, followed by red exclamation marks: [SOS Emergency Alert Triggered]
Everyone watched in terror as their boss slammed his fist on the table. "Get the car! Now!"
Derek slammed his tablet against the wall with violent force. The shattering screen made every executive flinch in unison.
"Three days! Just three fucking days and we've lost 50% of our market value!" His bloodshot eyes swept across the room. "Who leaked the financial fraud news?!"
The CFO stammered nervously, "Mr. Derek, the audit report shows eight billion in missing funds that we can't account for..."
"Shut up!" Derek grabbed him by the tie. "I pay you people to solve problems, not create them!"
He whirled toward the legal team. "Sue the Hollis family for commercial defamation. Now!"
The legal director wiped sweat from his brow. "Mr. Derek, Asher's evidence chain is airtight. He even has secret recordings of our bank conversations..."
Derek went dead silent.
He released his grip and slowly walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows. London's most prosperous financial district sprawled below.
"Good. Very good."
He let out a cold laugh and dialed a number. "Lucien, activate Plan B."
Atop Hollis Group Tower, I leaned against Asher's desk, flipping through documents.
"Derek liquidated all his overseas assets," I said, tapping a data line with my fingertip. "Looks like he's going all-in."
Asher kept signing papers without looking up. "Lucien and Caleb terminated three joint projects with us this morning."
"Raven's even more ruthless," I chuckled. "He's actually trying to poach our chip R&D team."
Asher finally raised his head. A flash of cold light flickered behind his gold-rimmed glasses. "Let him try."
I raised an eyebrow.
"The core team members already signed non-compete agreements," Asher removed his glasses and rubbed his temples. "This little stunt will cost Raven at least two billion in penalties."
I suddenly leaned forward, my fingertip tracing the crease between his brows. "Mr. Asher looks quite sexy when he's sleep-deprived."
Asher caught my wandering hand. "Miss Sienna, this is an office."
"So?" My red lips curved upward. "It's not like we're..."
Before I could finish, Leon burst through the door. "Mr. Asher, Derek's united the other four major families. They're shorting our new energy sector!"
Asher and I exchanged glances and smiled simultaneously.
The following week unleashed a heart-stopping corporate siege and counter-strike.
Derek mobilized every connection to crush Hollis Group's stock price. Asher used the opportunity to buy back shares at rock-bottom prices.
Lucien poached key personnel, only to get strangled by non-compete clauses draining his cash flow.
Caleb spread rumors about product quality. I countered by launching 24-hour live streams from our factory floor, slapping his face hard.
Raven had it worst. His blockchain investment got exposed as a Ponzi scheme, making him overnight laughingstock.
"Mr. Asher, Miss Sienna, I've got breaking news," Leon rushed into the office.
"Derek mortgaged his family's ancestral estate."
I was adjusting Asher's tie when my fingers froze. "Has he lost his mind?"
Asher covered my hand with his. "Cornered dogs jump walls."
I collapsed into his arms, laughing.
Meanwhile, Derek's side had descended into chaos.
"Useless! All of you are fucking useless!" Derek trashed his office into ruins. "What about the banks? Why won't they extend our credit?"
His secretary answered tremblingly, "Asher... convinced the European Central Financial Authority to intervene with regulatory oversight..."
Derek went rigid.
He grabbed his car keys and bolted, only to get swarmed by reporters in the underground parking garage.
"Mr. Derek, how do you respond to allegations of embezzling employee pension funds?"
"Mr. Derek! Sources say your father revoked your inheritance rights. Can you confirm?!"
"Rachel claims she's pregnant with your child. Please comment..."
Derek scrambled into his car, only to find Rachel already sitting in the passenger seat.
"Derek, darling," her eyes were bloodshot, "I have a way to turn this around..."
"Get out!" Derek shoved her away. "If you hadn't provoked all this, none of this would've happened!"
Rachel slammed against the car door, her tears instantly turning venomous.
Late that night, I drove alone back to my apartment.
I'd just parked when urgent footsteps echoed behind me. Before I could turn around, an ether-soaked cloth clamped over my mouth and nose.
Through my struggles, I glimpsed Rachel's twisted face:
"Princess, time to pay your debts..."
In my final conscious moment, I managed to reach the phone in my pocket.
Asher was in a meeting when his phone vibrated.
A location ping flashed on screen, followed by red exclamation marks: [SOS Emergency Alert Triggered]
Everyone watched in terror as their boss slammed his fist on the table. "Get the car! Now!"
End of Betrayed by Four: Reborn, Their Rival Mafia Lord Became My Husband Chapter 18. Continue reading Chapter 19 or return to Betrayed by Four: Reborn, Their Rival Mafia Lord Became My Husband book page.