Chapter 18 

On the top floor of Emmons Corporation, the conference room air was suffocating. 

James hurled his tablet against the wall. The sharp crack of shattering glass made every executive flinch. 

“Three days! Our market value has plunged by 50% in just three days!” His bloodshot gaze swept the room. “Who leaked the news about our financial fraud?” 

The CFO’s voice trembled. “Mr. Emmons, the audit report shows there’s indeed eight billion dollars unaccounted for…” 

“Shut up!” James seized him by the tie. “I pay you to fix problems, not dump them on me!” 

He turned to the legal team. “File a lawsuit against Ashford Corporation for commercial defamation. Now! 

The head of legal dabbed at the sweat on his forehead. “Mr. Emmons, Derick Ashford’s evidence chain is airtight. It even includes our confidential recordings with the bank…” 

James suddenly fell silent. 

He let go of the tie and slowly walked toward the floor-to-ceiling windows. Beyond them stretched the most bustling artery of Gildford’s financial district. 

“Good. Very good.” His lips curved into a cold smile as he dialed a number. “Nolan, initiate Plan B.” 

On the top floor of Ashford Corporation, Adrianna leaned against the edge of Derick’s desk, flipping through a stack of documents. 

“Emmons Corporation has just dumped all its overseas assets,” she said, tapping a line of figures with her fingertip. “Looks like they’re going all in.” 

Without looking up from the papers he was signing, Derick replied, “The Livingston and Hargrave families pulled out of three of our partnerships this morning.” 

“Liam’s even bolder,” Adrianna said with a faint laugh. “He’s actually trying to poach our chip R&D team.” 

Derick finally raised his head, a shard of cold light flickering behind the gold rims of his glasses. “Let him try.” 

Adrianna raised an eyebrow. 

“The core members of that team have been locked in with non-compete agreements for years,” Derick said, removing his glasses and massaging the bridge of his nose. “Liam will owe at least two billion dollars in breach penalties.” 

Adrianna suddenly leaned forward, her fingertip brushing the crease between his brows. “Mr. Ashford, you look rather sexy when you’re running on no sleep.” 

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Derick caught her hand mid-gesture. “Ms. Quinnen, this is the office.” 

“So?” Her red lips curved into a smile. “It’s not like we’re-” 

Before the words had even left her mouth, Yannick burst through the door. 

“Mr. Ashford, James has joined forces with the Four Great Families. They’re shorting our entire new 

energy sector!” 

Adrianna and Derick exchanged a glance, identical smirks tugging at their lips. 

In the following week, the business world witnessed a breathtaking game of siege and counterattack. 

James pulled every string he had to drive down Ashford Corporation’s stock price, only for Derick to 

swoop in and buy back shares at rock-bottom prices. 

Nolan tried to poach the core team, but the non-compete clauses bled his cash flow dry. 

Conrad spread rumors about product quality, and Adrianna went live from the production line to shut him 

down in front of millions. 

Liam suffered the worst. The blockchain project he invested in was exposed as a Ponzi scheme, turning him into an overnight laughingstock. 

“Ms. Quinnen, Mr. Ashford, here’s the latest update.” Yannick strode into the CEO’s office. “James just 

mortgaged the Emmons family estate.” 

Adrianna was adjusting Derick’s tie when her hands paused mid-motion. “Has he lost his mind?” 

Derick clasped her hand. “Just a cornered animal lashing out.” 

Adrianna collapsed into his arms, laughing. 

Meanwhile, Emmons Corporation was in utter turmoil. 

“Useless! Every last one of you is useless!” James had torn his office apart in a fit of rage. “What’s up with 

the bank? Why won’t they renew the loan?” 

The secretary replied nervously, “Derick Ashford convinced the central bank to impose regulatory 

oversight…” 

James froze instantly. Snatching up his car keys, he stormed out, only to be ambushed by a swarm of reporters in the underground parking lot. 

“Mr. Emmons, how do you respond to allegations of misappropriating employee pension funds?” 

“Mr. Emmons! Is it true your father has revoked your inheritance?” 

“Ms. Reed claims she’s pregnant with your child. Care to comment?” 

Disheveled and breathless, James ducked into the car, only to find Cecilia already waiting in the passenger seat. 

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Her eyes were bloodshot. “James, I have a way to turn this around-” 

“Get out!” James shoved her hard. “If you hadn’t provoked Adrianna, none of this would’ve happened!” 

Cecilia was slammed against the car door, and her tears turned into seething malice in an instant. 

Late that night, Adrianna drove back to her apartment alone. 

She had just parked her car when she heard hurried footsteps rushing behind her. Before she could turn, a chloroform-soaked cloth clamped over her mouth and nose. 

Through the haze of panic, she caught a glimpse of Cecilia’s twisted face. “Your turn to pay up, Adrianna…” 

In the last instant before darkness claimed her, Adrianna’s fingers brushed the phone in her pocket. 

Derick was in the middle of a meeting when his phone suddenly buzzed. A location ping lit the screen, followed by a flashing red exclamation: “SOS Triggered”. 

Everyone in the room froze in fear as he slammed his fist onto the table. “Get the car now!”