Their Mistake, Her Rise - Chapter 330: Chapter 330

'If Shawn actually springs Zoe, he'll be branded a criminal—dishonorably discharged, harshly punished, maybe even jailed. But he's not thinking about any of that. This is pure madness! That witch Zoe must have hexed him,' the Elders thought.
They blocked the door together, determined to stop Shawn from doing something reckless.
Sophia stood there, utterly dumbfounded. She couldn't believe Shawn cared so deeply about Zoe that he'd throw caution to the wind for her.
She turned to Rick and pleaded urgently, "Do something, please! He can't just break the law like this." All she wanted was to take Zoe down, not drag Shawn into the mess.
Rick's expression darkened. He barked, "Lock the doors and windows. Not a soul leaves this conference room today—not even a fly."
Soldiers outside surrounded the room at once.
Shawn didn't flinch. He was even poised to fight his way out.
At that moment, Chase's urgent voice rang out from outside. "Let me in. I need to see Mr. Ludwig!"
Knowing Chase wouldn't show up without reason, Shawn looked toward Rick.
Outside, had already heard the situation and felt sick with worry. 'Thank God Mrs. Ludwig's message arrived just in time. If Mr. Ludwig really busted into the Economic Crime Division, it would be done for,' he thought.
"Let him in," Shawn said, his voice icy.
The Elders hesitated. Shawn's expression was murderous—if he unleashed violence, the consequences would be catastrophic.
"Let him in," Rick finally ordered.
Sophia clenched her fists, a bad feeling creeping in.
Chase approached Shawn and whispered in his ear.
"Is that true?" Shawn's expression softened slightly.
"Yeah. She's right outside," Chase confirmed.
Shawn strode toward the exit, but everyone was still blocking the doorway, fearing he would act recklessly. "Move," he said coldly.
Chase addressed the Elders. "Don't worry. Mr. Ludwig isn't going out to fight. He needs to meet someone."
"No way! What if he tries to rescue Zoe?" Rick snapped.
"No rescue, and Mr. Ludwig won't act recklessly. I swear on my military rank," Chase said solemnly.
Being military men, the elders understood the weight of honor. Since Chase had staked his career on it, they figured Shawn was unlikely to go rogue. Reassured, they parted ways.
In the courtyard, Shawn found Medusa.
Medusa flashed a faint smile and teased, "Mr. Ludwig, I heard you nearly drove those elders mad trying to save my boss. Aren't you worried this might ruin your military career?"
"I fight for Clusia, not personal glory." Shawn's tone was matter-of-fact. If the country needed him, he'd stand firm. But if the day came when Clusia was strong enough to no longer need him, he'd leave. That was a soldier's creed.
Medusa grinned. "Nicely put. You chose my boss over your career. I bet she'll be over the moon when she finds out."
Shawn stayed silent.
Medusa suddenly asked, "Don't you want to ask about our boss's current situation? And her identity..."
"Is she alright?" Shawn asked. He'd long suspected the truth about Zoe's identity, but he wanted to hear it from her lips, not others.
Medusa caught on instantly. With a faint smile, she said, "Relax. Someone's intervened. This will be sorted soon."
That settled Shawn's nerves. 'Given Zoe's style, now that she's taken this hit, she'll probably strike back ten times harder,' he thought.
But Shawn saw nothing wrong with Zoe's retaliation. When facing enemies, she had to fight fire with fire. Otherwise, everyone would think they could trample all over her.
After a pause, he said, "Tell her I'll be right here waiting for her."
Medusa raised an eyebrow. "That's all?"
Under her eager gaze, Shawn added, "Say the word if she needs anything."
Medusa slapped her forehead with a groan. "You two are really..." She trailed off, biting back a smirk. "Made for each other."
Catching Shawn's confused look, she waved it off. "Nothing. I'll deliver your words exactly as you said them."
Shawn nodded and walked away.
Medusa was stunned. 'He just left? That's way too calm,' she thought. 'I really can't tell if this guy is truly in love with our boss or not.'
Zoe was staying in the presidential suite of Jelonsburg's most luxurious hotel, enjoying the highest level of service. She swirled a glass of red wine in her hand, her gaze icy as she watched the news reports on television.
Now, the internet was flooded with scandals about her. Most netizens, clueless about the real story, had been whipped into a frenzy, hurling vile insults—calling her a traitor to the country and every other nasty name one could imagine.
Just then, a woman walked in. Seeing the news on TV, she promptly switched it off. "Boss, please don't concern yourself with these reports. The tech team will have them suppressed shortly."
"Tech alone will backfire," Zoe said, fixing her gaze on the woman. "Since our opponents have already made their move, I won't just sit idle. Let's give them a real game to play."
The woman said respectfully, "Name your orders, Boss. Everyone at Eminence Nexus stands fully behind you. If Clusia wrongs you, we'll intervene."
Zoe waved her hand dismissively. "If I can't even settle something like this, how could I possibly rein in a bunch of monsters like you guys?"
The woman laughed. "Well, you're the most extraordinary monster of us all."
"Flattery won't cut it," Zoe said coolly. "I have a mission for you."
'Now that someone is out to ruin my reputation—and has even dragged Marlowe Group into this—it's no longer just my personal matter. I owe Walther a proper explanation,' she thought.
Just as Zoe finished giving the woman her instructions, a knock came at the door.
"I'll get it," the woman said. She opened the door to find Emmett, Marlowe Group's special assistant. He nodded to her, and she ushered him to Zoe.
"Ms. Evans," Emmett said respectfully.
"Have a seat," Zoe said.
Emmett shook his head. "Thanks, but I'd rather stand to report.
"The situation is dire. Our partnership with Phillip has resulted in our finances being frozen. Most projects are on hold, and supply chains are collapsing—daily losses are staggering. If this continues, bankruptcy is inevitable within two weeks."