Their Mistake, Her Rise - Chapter 472: Chapter 472

Emmett had exhausted every connection he had, searching for evidence. If he still couldn't uncover the truth, it meant the other side was exceptionally well hidden—their identity was even more intricate than he'd imagined.
After merely glancing at the information Emmett had found, Zoe quickly figured out who was pulling the strings behind the scenes. All that was left was confirmation.
Before Zoe and Emmett could enter the meeting room, someone came running and shouted, "Emergency! Big trouble!"
It turned out the news came from the secretary's office. An assistant rushed to Emmett and reported, "Emmett, we just got a call from the investment bank—someone is deliberately short selling Marlowe Group's stock, and the price is plummeting. At this rate, we could be facing devastating losses."
"Emmett, emergency! Multiple partners just terminated their contracts—they'd rather pay the penalty to break the deal than keep working with us. But our investments in these projects far exceed the compensation, so this will create a massive funding gap that could cripple Marlowe Group's operations."
"Bad news! Someone's causing trouble at our construction site!"
"Emmett, more trouble—someone's causing chaos at our factory too.
"Emmett, the production line was sabotaged—we can't meet the delivery deadline."
A flood of employees rushed to Emmett with urgent reports.
Emmett's face grew grim as the bad news kept pouring in, leaving him at a loss. Turning to Zoe, he asked anxiously, "Ms. Evans, what should we do now?"
Zoe said calmly, "No need to panic. Since all these incidents are happening at once, the mastermind will show up in person soon."
Just as Emmett was feeling puzzled, his phone rang urgently. It was the front desk. "Emmett, there's a group trying to force their way in—they're demanding to see the Chair."
Zoe knew it must be the mastermind.
Emmett turned to Zoe and said, "Please let me handle this, Ms. Evans. You should take a break first."
"Since she's after me, she won't leave without seeing me," Zoe said firmly, taking the initiative to confront the troublemaker. Emmett had no choice but to follow.
By now, the company lobby was packed with a growing crowd, while curious onlookers had gathered outside, all drawn by the commotion.
"Where the hell is Zoe? Too chicken to face me?" Aileen taunted loudly.
The staff member stepped forward and said politely, "Madam, if you have something to say, we can discuss it calmly."
"I've got nothing to say to you. Call Zoe out here right now—I'm dying to see how she'll handle this mess." Without waiting for a response, Aileen shot the staff member a disdainful look and shoved them aside roughly.
Seeing how rude Aileen and her group were, the security team moved to eject them, only to be confronted by Aileen's elite bodyguards. Their mere presence was intimidating, and tension crackled in the air as the two sides stood on the verge of a clash.
Just then, Zoe and Emmett finally stepped out of the elevator.
Aileen spotted Zoe the moment she walked in. With a sneer, she taunted, "Well, look who finally crawled out of her shell. Got the guts to face me now?"
Emmett immediately stepped in front of Zoe. He said, "Miss, watch your tone. You're speaking to our Chair—show some respect."
"Hmph, the Chair who can't even keep her own company from collapsing? Since when did running a corporation become some kind of joke?" Aileen kept firing one cutting remark after another, all aimed squarely at Zoe.
But Zoe remained silent.
Aileen took Zoe's silence as a sign of fear—rightly so. This time, she was backed by an international conglomerate, one far older and with far more extensive connections than Marlowe Group. Their network had managed to turn so many against Marlowe, leading to contract breaches and order cancellations.
Even within Marlowe, several key people had already been poached. With enemies on all sides, Aileen was sure Zoe didn't stand a chance.
Aileen's attitude made Emmett furious. 'Sure, Marlowe Group is new, but we've assembled the cream of the crop from every industry—how could we possibly go down without a fight?'
Yet Emmett had to admit Aileen was right. With all these coordinated attacks, Marlowe Group was on the verge of collapse. Money alone couldn't save a company—connections and distribution channels were needed. If those were cut off, the company would be doomed.
"Ms. Evans." Emmett looked at Zoe anxiously. At this critical moment, only this legendary woman could turn the tide.
But his plea for help only drew a mocking laugh from Aileen. "Seriously? Zoe is such a loser. I can't believe you're just stupid enough to trust her."
"Miss, I told you," Emmett said coldly, fixing Aileen with a steely gaze, "please show some respect to our Chair."
Zoe wasn't just his Chair—she was his role model. When Aileen insulted her, Emmett's blood boiled and his fists clenched. For a moment, he nearly charged forward to teach Aileen a lesson, but his professional discipline held him back from such rash action.
Seeing that no one dared to challenge her after her tirade, Aileen grew even bolder. She had two goals: to humiliate Zoe and claim Shawn for herself.
Sneering, she said, "I'll give you one chance. Beg me for mercy—swear to give up Shawn, and I might spare your pathetic company. Hell, I might even throw you some resources to help it grow."
Zoe stared at Aileen, still silent.
Aileen sneered, "What, you won't? I'm already being generous—I could've made you grovel. Keep refusing, and I'll raise the stakes. You really think you can handle what comes next?"
Emmett couldn't bear to see Zoe being humiliated. Stepping forward, he said firmly, "If you have a problem, take it out on me instead."
Aileen sneered, "Since when does a lapdog get to talk to me?"
"Hey—" Emmett started, his face reddening with anger at the insult. But then he caught sight of Zoe's composed expression. She was so calm, almost unnaturally so. It made him pause. If she wasn't panicking, maybe there was a reason.
Zoe had a way of staying cool under pressure that he'd always admired, and he knew he had a lot to learn from her.
Zoe's unshaken composure only infuriated Aileen further. Losing control, she suddenly slapped an underling across the face. "Useless trash!" Aileen snarled. "Haven't you seen how arrogant our opponent is?"
"Ms. Carleton, your wish is my command." The man didn't show the slightest anger. Instead, he groveled at her feet, fawning over her.
"You've got half an hour—bring Marlowe Group to its knees. I want them to know I'm dead serious," Aileen ordered. The man quickly gathered a few others and hurried off to carry out her orders.
Aileen sneered at Zoe and said, "See? My people are top-notch. Don't think being Chair of some company makes you special—I can turn you into a street beggar in minutes.
"Oh wait; Marlowe Group isn't enough. Maybe I should go after your family too. When they lose everything because of you, I really wonder... will they still stand by your side, or will they blame you for ruining their lives?"