Chapter 193As soon as Mr. Sterling was back in his office, he took out his phone and dialed Williams' number."Williams," he said as soon as the call connected, "it's true. Liam Carter is onto us. He's trying to buy a share in EMC."Williams responded sharply, "And what did you do? As the director of the board, shouldn't you have put an end to it?"Mr. Sterling sighed heavily. "Every member of the board was in acceptance of it, including that little rascal James.""Shit! That's not an excuse," Williams retorted firmly. “You should have done better Mr. Sterling.”“I tried all my possible best but you know I didn't have the final say.”“I suspected this would happen.” Was Williams reply. “Liam Carter knows.”"But how was he able to find out about our operation?" Mr. Sterling quizzed, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. He moved the phone to his left ear."I should ask you that," Williams replied sharply. "The only person who knows about this is Morris. And speaking of Morris, have you q
Chapter 194James was in his office when he heard the news that a street stalker was killed at Azul Bistro yesterday.The report left him uneasy, his mind racing with questions. How could this have happened? Who would have done such a thing?He began to piece together the events from yesterday.He didn't have concrete evidence, but he knew that Liam and his friend Nathaniel had been with Alisha at the restaurant, and James couldn't shake the suspicion that everything was linked to Liam Carter.He scratched his head, deep in thought. "How does this all connect?" he murmured to himself.There was a knock on the door to his office and it creaked open, and just then, Mrs. Lee's secretary walked."Mr. Clarkson! The CEO has demanded to see you right away. He said it's urgent."James quickly got up and rushed down to Eric's office.Eric was busy drafting a legal statement.James knocked and entered. "What's going on, Eric? The secretary said it was urgent."Eric looked up briefly, then conti
Chapter 195**Same Day, 5 PM**Liam Carter and Kai Nakamura, accompanied by their security, drove to the old apartment complex to meet with Williams.The ride was a quiet one, each man lost in his own thoughts.Liam was contemplating how to approach the situation. This was his second time meeting Williams; the first had been a brief encounter. From everything Kai had told him, Liam knew that Williams was not someone to be underestimated—he was still a member of the Shadow Lotus.Kai, on the other hand, was consumed with thoughts of revenge. He couldn’t wait any longer to take down the man responsible for Master Chen's death. His mind raced with various scenarios and strategies.Just as Kai was deep in thought, Liam interrupted, “What are you thinking about?”Kai looked over at Liam, snapping out of his reverie. “Just... strategizing. Wondering if it’s the right time to confront Williams directly.”“Wait, are you out of your mind?” Liam shouted, sitting up abruptly in the moving car. “
Chapter 196Williams was already there, waiting in the old man's study, a place he specifically chose. He sat up as Liam and his security approached, a wary look in his eyes.“Mr. Carter,” Williams greeted him coolly. “I have been expecting you.”“I assume you have questions.” Was Liam's cold response.Williams nodded, his expression serious. “I do. And I expect answers.”Liam smirked slightly. “Then let’s not waste any more time.”Williams stood up and picked up his dagger that was lying on the table. He rolled it in his hands and then stylishly walked towards Liam Carter, standing a few inches from him to sense if Liam was afraid.Liam's security responded abruptly by pointing their guns at Williams.Liam signaled for them to calm down, and they obeyed.Williams laughed, looking at them. He knew he could take both of them down in an instant.He turned back to face Liam seriously. "Why have you been following me?""Hahaha!" Liam laughed hard at the question. "You see, Williams, there
Chapter 197Williams watched through the window as the car pulled onto the road and drove off.'A storm is coming?' he thought to himself. 'What could Liam possibly mean by that?'He concluded it might be an empty boast but couldn't deny the fact that he sometimes got the chills that something grave was coming his way. Still, he was certain that Liam's threats were just bluster.Although Liam was the heir to the second richest family in Emerald Falls, Williams knew they were still far off from the Wanes. He could possibly hack into Carter Comb, Liam Carter's company, with the given resources and time, he thought.In fact, he decided to do that as soon as he got to the office. He would demand some money from Mr. Sterling to get the necessary software and hack into Carter Comb right away.He was still thinking when the old man walked back into the house. Williams had used his ESU agent disguise as an influence and told him beforehand to get away from the house to avoid hearing what they
Chapter 198Just as Williams was about to walk out the front door, Mr. Sterling signaled for him to come back in.Williams turned around and asked, "What is it? I have no time to spare. I need all the time and energy I can get to take down Carter Comb."Mr. Sterling nodded and replied, "I know, but I just wanted to remind you that right now, we're facing two obstacles. As you're going about with the hacking process, don't forget about the court cases.""I know. Everything is under control. You don't need to worry," Williams said, turning to leave. He paused, then turned back to Mr. Sterling and asked, "Have you spoken with the lawyer already?"Mr. Sterling replied, "Yes, we'll be using the same lawyer as the ESU. The lawyer is none other than Harris Drums.""Good," Williams said, nodding in approval. "And how about the judge? Have you bribed him yet?"Mr. Sterling stood up from his seat, walked around his desk, and nodded. "I've asked Harris Drums to handle that for me. I'm expected t
Chapter 199That evening, James was in his suite at Sky Suite, lost in thought despite Eric's insistence that he take the day off.Uncertainty weighed heavily on him; he had never felt this unsure before.His loved ones had been supportive, staying in constant communication. Lana Wane, Ellen and her parents, and especially Ryan Wane—they were all rallying to find a way to help, but solutions seemed elusive.The Wanes faced numerous adversaries with influence in the lower courts, where Mr. Sterling and the ESU agents had filed lawsuits against them.As James sat pondering his next move, his phone rang. Glancing at the screen, he saw it was his uncle Ryan calling. He answered with a mix of anticipation and anxiety."Hello, Uncle Ryan," James greeted him, trying to keep his voice steady despite the turmoil inside."James, how are you holding up?" Ryan's voice, calm and reassuring, came through the phone."I'm trying to manage," James replied honestly. "It's been chaotic, to say the least
Chapter 200Finally, the day of the court hearing has arrived!All parties involved were already in the court as early as 9 am.The court is one of the low courts of emerald falls.It was modestly sized yet carried an air of solemnity and gravity. The walls were lined with dark wood paneling, giving the room a traditional and authoritative atmosphere.High windows allowed beams of sunlight to filter in, illuminating the room in a warm, golden glow.The judge's bench, a raised platform at the front of the room, was imposing, crafted from polished oak. Behind it hung the emblem of Emerald Falls.The judge's chair was a high-backed, leather seat, hinting at the power and responsibility it carried.Rows of wooden benches were neatly arranged, divided by a central aisle, with the plaintiff’s side on the left and the defendant’s on the right.Each bench had a slight incline to ensure visibility of the proceedings for all attendees. At the front, near the judge's bench, were tables for the op