Chapter 3

At 8:15 p.m., the first bank sent over an official demand for payment.

At 8:20 p.m., the equipment at the Southfield construction site was seized.

At 8:30 p.m., the last bit of available cash in Stewart Group's accounts was frozen.

The bad news kept coming.

The mood in the conference room grew more tense by the minute.

The suppliers had also completely lost their patience.

Reggie was the first to stand. "Mr. Stewart, our company has thousands of employees too. If you don't pay us today, I won't be able to answer to them. I need to see the 50 million dollar payment by 9:30."

The other creditors quickly joined in.

Some demanded that Stewart Mansion be used as collateral.

Others wanted Landon's remaining private shares.

Some even demanded that I use my own assets as security.

Even our relatives, who usually treated Landon and Noah with the greatest respect at the company, had become hostile.

Eunice sat down beside me.

For once, she didn't scold me. "Talia, listen to me. Give those five companies to us. We'll sell them for whatever we can get."

I lowered my head and played with my phone. "We can't sell them."

Eunice looked confused. "Those companies are about to be shut down. What's the point of keeping them?"

I answered, "To collect money."

She froze. "Collect what money?"

I looked up and smiled. "You'll find out in a few days."

Her face darkened. "How can you still joke around at a time like this? If our family really goes bankrupt, do you think you can still act like some uptown princess? Once the gates are locked and the drivers and maids are gone, there won't even be electricity in those unfinished buildings of yours. Are you planning to sleep on the street with a company seal in your hand?"

I started imagining everything she had described.

Just then, Noah walked over and snatched my phone away.

The screen showed a list of debts.

He glanced at it and quickly lost interest. "What kind of business game are you playing now?"

"Give it back."

"Tell me the transfer password first."

"That 2.8 million dollars has to go into the company account."

I reached for my phone.

But he shoved it into his pocket. "I don't have time to play around with you anymore. I'll apologize after we get through this crisis. But right now, you need to listen to me."

He had always told me to listen to him when we were kids.

When I bought my first unfinished building, everyone in the family said I had been scammed.

But Noah stayed up all night and brought people to block the seller's way. He insisted on getting my money back.

When I spent 30 million dollars buying my first bankrupt company, he was afraid people would make fun of me. So he quietly paid the media to keep the story out of the news.

He always thought I was stupid, but he had also always been the one cleaning up my messes.

This time, though, he could barely save himself.

I stopped trying to take my phone back.

Connor glanced at his watch. "One hour left. Mr. Stewart, my patience is limited."

Noah picked up the agreement and checked the terms again. "After Hooper Group takes over, you can't lay off the employees. Stewart Group's current management team can resign voluntarily, but they can't be held responsible for the company's past operations."

Connor nodded. "Agreed."

"The Westfield housing project must continue."

"Agreed."

"Talia's assets have nothing to do with this deal."

Connor glanced at me before answering without hesitation. "Of course."

This agreement had clearly been designed specifically for our family.

Connor had calculated exactly what each of us cared about most.

Landon suddenly asked, "Connor, why do you want Stewart Group so badly?"

Connor leaned back in his chair. "Business acquisitions don't need feelings. They only need the right price."

He was lying.

His right hand was pressing down on the attachment to the agreement.

That attachment listed Stewart Group's most valuable logistics channels and industrial parks.

Once those assets fell into Hooper Group's hands, they could be used to pay off the debts of the five companies I had bought.

He wasn't here to save us.

He wanted to swallow our entire family business and use it to escape the money he owed me.

His plan was perfect.

At 9:40 p.m., the bank made its final call. "Mr. Stewart, if the payment isn't received within 20 minutes, we will officially begin legal proceedings."

Landon hung up.

He stayed silent for a long time.

Then he finally reached out toward Noah. "Give me the pen."