Chapter 177NEXT DAY, EMC 08:52:33James sat in his office, the looming court appearances for Mrs. Lee, Eric, and his own personal conflict with the ESU agents and Kate loomed over him like a dark cloud.He glanced at the stack of paperwork on his desk, but his mind kept drifting back to the courtroom dramas that awaited him. Mrs. Lee's case was particularly troubling. He knew her innocence, but proving it in court would be another matter entirely.As he pondered his next move, Ellen's call interrupted his thoughts. "Hey, James, are you alright?" she asked, concern evident in her eyes.James forced a smile. "Yeah, just preoccupied with work stuff. You know how it is."Ellen gave him a sympathetic reply. "I understand. Just remember, you're not alone in this. We'll get through it together."Her words brought him a measure of comfort, but James couldn't shake off the feeling of dread that lingered in the back of his mind. He knew he had to stay focused and prepare for the legal battles
Chapter 178James and Eric were still arguing when a message notification beeped on Eric's phone. He picked up his phone to check and saw it was from an unknown number. Out of frustration, he decided to check it out.Swiping his phone unlocked, he read the message, and what he saw startled him. "'Hello, Eric Wood. I'll help you win the case against the ESU agents.'"James leaned in, his eyes wide with surprise. "Who sent that?""I don't know," Eric replied, staring at the screen. "It's from an unknown number."James frowned, his mind racing. "Could it be a trap?""Maybe," Eric conceded, "but it could also be an opportunity. We need all the help we can get.""True," James agreed. "But we have to be careful. Whoever sent this knows about the case and could have their own agenda."Eric nodded, considering his options. "I'll reply cautiously, see what they want in return."James watched as Eric typed out a response, his curiosity piqued. "Be direct. Ask who they are and what they want."E
Chapter 179Liam and Kai were seated comfortably in the back of one of Liam's Rolls Royce, the car gliding smoothly through the city streets. The luxurious interior was filled with the quiet hum of the engine, providing a stark contrast to the tension in the air.Liam’s phone buzzed with a new message. He quickly checked it and a wide grin spread across his face.“What does it say?” Kai asked, his curiosity piqued.“He fell for it!” Liam exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement. “Eric Wood agreed to a meeting to discuss our proposal. They’re interested!”Kai smirked, his eyes glinting with satisfaction. “Excellent. This is the first step in our plan.”Liam leaned back in his seat, feeling a rush of adrenaline. “We need to prepare. We can’t let them suspect anything. We have to be careful and make sure everything goes smoothly.”Kai nodded. “Yes. We’ll need to present ourselves as genuine allies. We should gather more information about their financial status and current operations.
Chapter 180"The Grand Regent Hotel, Conference Room B. That’s where he has agreed to meet us today at 2 PM," Eric said, reading the message from Liam."So fast?" James asked, feeling suspicious. "Liam might have an ulterior motive for making everything fast-paced."Eric nodded. "The earlier, the better. Besides, the court appearances are in three days.""Still, I suspect something is amiss," James said. "You will go alone to the location and make the proper arrangements with them…”"Why do I have to go alone?" Eric asked, interrupting him, his brow furrowing with concern. "Don't you think it's dangerous? At Least come with me."James shook his head and leaned on the desk, rubbing his temples. He looked up at Eric, his expression serious. "I understand your concern, but going alone will make them less suspicious. If they see both of us, it might back them off or make them more guarded."Eric crossed his arms and shifted his weight from one foot to the other, clearly uneasy. "But what
Chapter 181As Eric extended his hand to Liam and Kai, James adjusted the volume on his earpiece, ready to listen to every word exchanged in the conference room above."Good afternoon, gentlemen. I'm Eric Wood. Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice," Eric said, shaking hands with both Liam and Kai.Liam stood and shook Eric's hand firmly, a smile on his face. "The pleasure is ours, Mr. Wood. I'm Liam Carter, and this is my associate, Nathaniel, Nathaniel Grey." He lied.Kai nodded and shook Eric's hand as well. "It's good to finally meet you, Mr. Wood. We believe this partnership could be very beneficial for both our interests."Eric nodded and took a seat, his guards standing discreetly by the door. "I've been briefed on your proposal, Mr. Carter. You mentioned you're interested in buying a share in EMC. Could you elaborate on that?"Liam leaned forward slightly, his expression serious. "Absolutely. EMC is a fast-rising company in the business world, and we see great pote
Chapter 182"Seriously? Nathaniel Grey?" Kai said, shooting Liam a playful glare and giving him a light punch on the arm just as Eric left the conference room.Liam smirked and chuckled. "Well, I couldn't think of any other name. Besides, Nathaniel Grey suits you perfectly.""Seriously? I'm Japanese, and you expect me to have an English name?""I'm sorry, I didn't think about that. You can always say you have an Asian mom.""Now I'm gonna be stuck with a name I don't like for a long time," Kai fumed.Liam laughed again. "It's no big deal. Don't worry about it. Everything is going according to plan.”They continued to banter until Liam's phone buzzed with a notification. He glanced at the screen and saw a message from Alisha: "Hey, you haven't sent me the location for our date yet. Did you forget?"He suddenly remembered he had a date with Alisha that evening. "Oh, crap! I have a date with Alisha tonight," he exclaimed, looking at his watch impatiently.He quickly typed a response, "S
Chapter 183James watched with keen interest as the two men who matched the description that was provided by Eric as Liam Carter and Nathaniel Grey emerged from the elevator and made their way down into the bustling bar below.He observed their demeanor, noting the confident strides and the subtle yet authoritative aura that seemed to surround them.As they walked through the crowded bar, James couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled in the pit of his stomach.There was something off about Nathaniel Grey's appearance that caught James's attention. Despite his English-sounding name, Grey bore the features of someone of Japanese descent. This incongruity only served to deepen James's suspicions about the true identities and motives of these two businessmen.‘Who are these men, and what do they want?’ he thought to himself.As planned, moments after they left the hotel, James casually stood up and followed behind them as they exited the hotel and ventured out onto the bustling
Chapter 184After checking out, Liam and Kai stepped outside. They got into the car, which smoothly pulled away from the curb and merged into the evening traffic.As they continued driving, Kai glanced in the rearview mirror and noticed the same car from earlier trailing behind them. “That car is still following us," he said.Liam turned slightly to peer out the back window, confirming Kai's observation. "Looks like we have a persistent follower. Let's see how serious they are."He directed the driver to take a series of random turns. They wound through busy streets, quiet residential areas, and even a couple of alleys, but the car remained close behind, mirroring their every move."This is getting interesting," Liam muttered. "Whoever it is, they're not giving up easily. Should we confront him?" Liam asked, glancing at Kai.Kai considered the suggestion for a moment before shaking his head. "Not yet. It'll not be easy to confront whoever it is right now," Kai said, his tone decisive.