Chapter 4

What’s that supposed to mean, Brock?”

I dusted off the speck of dust from my jacket, my tone chillingly flat.

“As I told you, false accusations can get you into serious legal trouble.

“It’s true that the photo was taken at The Garden of Eden, but you stood in front of this entire room and publicly accused me of engaging in illegal sexual services there. On top of that, you encouraged everyone here to insult and humiliate me.

“Knowingly making false accusations that damage someone's reputation can expose you to a defamation lawsuit. And now I have evidence of exactly what you said and how you said it.

“Every accusation you made, every lie you spread, and every insult our family threw at me has been captured on this recording.”

I gestured toward the miniature recorder in my bag before flashing my pearly whites.

“Tell me, Archie. How confident are you that you can explain all this to a judge?”

Silence gripped the room once more.

The family members shouting for my head seconds ago went dead quiet, exchanging glances laced with sudden panic.

Not one to stand there and take the insult, Chloe was about to blow up and scream at me for being appreciative.

The hall’s heavy doors burst open with a bang.

All eyes snapped to the doorway.

Four executive bodyguards in fitted black suits and earpieces filed in first, taking up flanking positions on either side of the doors.

Then, a young man in a bespoke suit walked in with purpose.

He held a gold-embossed black leather folder, his eyes sharp and demeanor poised, as if nothing in the world could rattle him.

It was none other than my chief of staff, Toby McFly.

Toby often appeared alongside me as I attended high-level economic summits and multinational acquisition talks.

I preferred staying completely out of the spotlight, so every press conference, networking event, and multi-billion-dollar contract signing was attended by Toby in my place.

So while plenty of industry insiders had never seen me in person, everyone knew Toby, the formidable representative of Wayward Entertainment with a reputation for getting things done.

The moment Toby showed up, the Bournes who’d been watching me squirm looked as though they had seen a ghost.

Chloe’s sister and VP of the Bourne Group, Emma Bourne, was most dramatic, dropping her cup with a loud shatter. She seemed oblivious to the hot liquid soaking her pants.

“I-Isn’t that Toby McFly of Wayward Entertainment?”

She exclaimed, her voice trembling.

“What? Wayward Entertainment? The same powerhouse that just secured the East District redevelopment rights and is taking over the entire supply chain?!”

“What is Mr. McFly doing here? Don’t tell me Chloe actually pulled off a meeting with Wayward Entertainment?”

The sound of Emma’s voice snapped Chloe out of her daze.

In a bid to save the failing family business, Chloe had practically camped out in the lobby of Wayward Entertainment, hoping to catch Toby and pass along a business proposal.

Too bad Toby never so much as spared her a glance.

She had even sent Wayward Entertainment an invitation to the family gala, never imagining anyone from the company would actually show up.

It was like a switch flipped in Chloe. She rushed over in quick strides, her face lit up.

“What an honor, Mr. McFly! I’m Chloe Bourne of the Bourne Group. It’s a privilege to have you here. Please, come and take a seat at the head table.”

She beamed at him, practically dripping with flattery, and eagerly reached for his hand.

However, Toby walked right past her, his eyes scanning the hall until finally falling on me.

His icy composure melted into absolute reverence the moment he spotted me.

Toby made a beeline, cutting straight through the paralyzed crowd. Keeping his head down, he spoke in a clear, authoritative tone, “Mr. Walker, your ride is right outside.

“One more thing—the legal team has finalized the liquidation proceedings tied to our acquisition of The Garden of Eden’s parent entity. The safety hazards you pointed out during your last site visit have been documented, and the contractors are scheduled to begin demolition and reconstruction tomorrow morning.

“Should we head back to the office, or would you prefer to return to your estate?”