Flash Marriage To The Dangerous Billionaire - Chapter 61: Chapter 61

Tucker thought, 'After all, we are family. Even if the trail eventually leads back to me, would Hallie really have the guts to put me behind bars?
'What would people say about her then? About the Levine family? About the company?'
But what Tucker never saw coming was Hallie turning her aim away from him entirely and going straight for the Finance Department instead.
'Those are all my people!' Tucker fumed inwardly.
If those guys got dragged to the police station, they wouldn't just rat him out—they'd blow the lid off everything. It would be a full-blown scandal, and dozens, maybe even a hundred middle and senior managers across the company wouldn't be able to walk away clean.
Tucker seethed inwardly, 'After all these years of carefully building my power base, Hallie thought she could just waltz in and tear it all down? Not a damn chance.'
Forcing a smile onto his face, Tucker stepped in. "Come on now. This is just a minor mistake, and there's no need to make such a big fuss over it.
"The finance team handles all the company's most sensitive information. Why don't we just handle this quietly, do an internal review, and maybe give them a little talk? Hauling them off to the cops right away would make us look heartless, don't you think so?"
Tucker's words sounded gentle on the surface, but the threat underneath was unmistakable.
Until now, Hallie had always held back from going after his people. She knew that if they went to war, it would end in mutual destruction, where no one would walk away unscathed.
However, the situation now was nothing like it had been before. The balance of power had shifted completely.
Hallie smiled faintly. "You're right. I understand your concern. But if we keep letting them siphon money out of the company, it's only a matter of time before we go bankrupt. At that point, what good are all those so-called trade secrets anyway?
"Besides, the value generated by the medicinal raw material project in Kerriston alone is enough to offset most of the company's profits anyway."
"Kerriston?" Tucker racked his brain for a moment before finally remembering that somewhere among the company's endless list of projects, there really was a small one in Kerriston's Berry Bay.
He couldn't help but let out a laugh.
"Hallie, if you're going to make up an excuse, at least pick one that sounds believable.
"That tiny project doesn't even account for one percent of the company's revenue, and you're telling me it could offset the profits from most of our major projects? Who exactly are you trying to fool?" Tucker sneered.
Hallie lifted her gaze, her curved, luminous eyes locking onto Tucker with unwavering intensity as she spoke each word slowly and deliberately. "You'll find out soon enough if I was joking."
At that moment, Tucker finally realized that she was serious. Hallie hadn't come here to play games; she was here to gut his power, one piece at a time.
"Who do you think you are to do this?" Tucker snapped, his face flushing with anger. "I'm a board member, and I won't stand by and let you destroy this company from the inside out."
"You're just a figurehead. You have neither the authority to demand anything from me, nor the power to permit what I do," Hallie shot back coldly, then turned to look at the four senior executives.
She continued, "This matter is settled. If there are no objections, effective immediately, all departments must commence internal audits without delay. We can't risk anyone cooking the books."
"Got it, Ms. Levine." The four senior executives all nodded at once, barely able to hide their eagerness. Now that Hallie had finally stepped up and given the order herself, they jumped into action, determined to move fast.
"Their priority was to get Tucker's loyalists under control before anyone could react.
Once they left, only Hallie and Tucker remained in the finance office, tension crackling in the air between them. With no one else around, Tucker's pent-up rage finally erupted.
His eyes burned with fury as he jabbed a finger inches from Hallie's face, his features twisted in anger. "You ungrateful brat! I'm your father, and you're cutting me off like this? You're completely heartless, and you'll get what's coming to you. Karma always finds its way back."
Hallie didn't even flinch. She looked at him, finding his outburst almost laughably pathetic.
"Tucker, you're the one who deserves punishment for abandoning your wife and daughter, having an affair, betraying the very people who helped you, and for embezzling company funds. My mother gave me life, and my grandfather raised me. Besides blood, there's nothing between us. Nothing at all," Hallie said.
Every word hit Tucker like a cold dagger, cutting right into his deepest weaknesses. But his anger had nothing to do with guilt—he didn't feel even a shred of remorse for what he'd done. He was furious simply because Hallie was in his way.
"Fine, Hallie!" he spat, his voice shaking with rage. "If you want to be ruthless, don't blame me for doing the same. I promise you that I'll make you regret every single thing you did today."
With that, Tucker stormed out, slamming the door behind him with enough force to shake the frame.
Hallie watched his retreating figure, a scornful, almost amused smile playing at her lips. The situation was just ironic and ridiculous to her.
"Dad, how did it go?" Natalie rushed up the moment she saw Tucker storm out, anxiety written all over her face.
"What do you think?" Tucker snapped, his face gloomy with rage. "That little bitch insists on auditing the finances. We won't be able to squeeze a single dime out of the company for a while."
Hearing this, Natalie immediately frowned. "What? Then what am I supposed to do? I have all those business meetings coming up with Miles. How am I supposed to show up without the right designer dresses and bags? I need to look the part!"
"Relax," Tucker said, forcing himself to sound reassuring. "I'll pour every last penny I have into supporting you for now. Just make sure you get Miles to cut us in on those deals.
"Once that happens, we'll turn the tables. No matter how many shares that bitch holds, it won't matter at all."
"Dad, I've got this. Miles already promised me that if I help him win over those government officials, he'll give us a five percent cut of the profits," Natalie said confidently, a smug smile spreading across her face.
Tucker grinned, pride lighting up his face. "That's my girl. Just what I'd expect from a Levine."
Meanwhile, Hallie knew all too well that simply clearing Tucker's people out of the finance department wasn't enough. The heads of all the major projects were still under his thumb.
Unless she could deliver returns from another project that far surpassed all the rest combined, her authority would never truly be secure.
However, there was a catch. Kerriston's medicinal raw materials were practically priceless; yet, any price increase would drive up costs across the entire pharmaceutical industry. That was the last thing Hallie wanted.
Still, it was the only card she could play if she wanted to reclaim real power over the company.
'Is there really a way to have my cake and eat it too?' Hallie wondered. She'd been turning this question over and over in her mind, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't come up with a good solution.
The next afternoon, Hallie sat with her chin propped on one hand, scrolling through detailed reports on the company's various projects on her laptop, hoping to find some breakthrough.
Suddenly, a news alert popped up about the recent land development in Callopston.
Already feeling on edge, Hallie grew even more irritated at the unexpected pop-up that appeared in the corner. She clicked it closed impatiently and went back to the project files.
A few seconds later, she froze as if a lightbulb had gone off in her mind. She quickly shut the document, clicked on her browser, and typed [Latest updates on Callopston's land development] into the search bar.
As she read, the tension in her brows slowly eased. It was as if a ray of light had finally cut through the fog, illuminating a clear path forward.
For two nights in a row, Hallie hadn't come home. Nelson couldn't help but wonder, 'Does this woman actually enjoy pulling these disappearing acts just to make people come looking for her?'