Tedmond glanced at Persis, his eyes questioning, silently asking if it was true. Persis nodded, confirming it wasn’t a lie. Lisa observed them both, confusion flickering in her eyes at their silent exchange.“She did mention it,” Tedmond replied, though Persis hadn’t told him anything. He was the one who had forgotten to ask her about it. “Why did you want to meet me?”Lisa’s eyes darted between Persis and Tedmond before settling on him. “With her here again?”Tedmond nodded, frowning. “What’s wrong with her being here? We’re super close—unlike you and me.”Lisa’s brows twitch, but she decided to push her concerns aside for now. First, she needed him to listen.Her gaze flickered between them again, suspicion evident, but she didn’t press further. "We should find a place to talk," she suggested, her voice smooth but firm."No," Tedmond replied instantly. There was no reason for a private conversation with her. He already had an idea of what she wanted to say, and he wasn’t interested.

“Did they just leave me to pay for it?” Lisa muttered, not realizing she had spoken aloud.The waiter gave her a confused look. “That’s right. You have to pay the bill.”Lisa’s face twisted in frustration. She had ordered tons of food, expecting Tedmond to foot the bill once their conversation was over. Yet, he hadn’t even paid for the water he drank, and Sierra had the audacity to order takeout as well.“Umm, ma’am, other tables are waiting for me. I can’t stand here forever,” the waiter said, reminding her that she still needed to pay.Groaning, Lisa held out her hand. “Hold up, let me grab my card from my bag real quick.”The waiter nodded, still waiting.Meanwhile, Tedmond stepped into a hotel just across from the restaurant, completely unaware that Persis had even ordered a takeout, leaving Lisa with a massive bill.He wanted to see what would happen next, and staying at the hotel was the perfect option since it had multiple floors, allowing him to observe everything. He only hop

Hino crouched beside Max, speaking low enough for only him to hear. “Stay down. You don’t want to know what happens if I stop holding back.”Max gritted his teeth, humiliated, but he knew he was outmatched.Hino stood up and dusted himself off like nothing had happened. He turned to Lisa, smirking. “Are you ready to go?”Lisa hesitated, glancing between Hino and Max. The way Max lay on the pavement, his pride crushed beneath Hino’s merciless hands, sent a shiver down her spine.This wasn’t supposed to happen. She had planned to control the situation, but now Max had been humiliated in public. And the worst part? Hino wasn’t even fazed.But she couldn’t afford to be dragged down with Max. If she defended him now, she would look weak—desperate. People would pity him—and, by extension, mock her. No, she had to stay in control. If Max was going to ruin himself, she wouldn’t go down with him.And she wouldn’t be able to get what she wanted from Hino. Since Tedmond had completely refused he

The entire family was summoned for an emergency meeting, and to everyone’s surprise, they assembled faster than expected. While they had several locations to choose from, they unanimously agreed to gather at Harold’s house—it was the closest to Duncan and his family, making it the most strategic option.Before long, every member was seated around the long table in one of the mansion’s grand meeting rooms. Their expressions ranged from irritation to concern, each of them clearly displeased at having to abandon their plans on such short notice.Once Harold confirmed that everyone had arrived, he wasted no time explaining the gravity of the situation. As he spoke, the atmosphere grew heavier, tension crackling in the air like a brewing storm.By the time he finished, a wave of panic had settled over the table. Expressions hardened, jaws clenched, and for a brief moment, silence reigned—until the weight of his words fully sank in.The look on their faces said it all.“Where is this guy we

"Take the Griffins down as much as I want to?" Tedmond’s brows arched. He still recalled researching the Harrisons and discovering that Duncan had started his company because he had been a fan of a project the Griffin Corporation had worked on.Harold had been his inspiration to start and run his business. Digging deeper, Tedmond had even found out that Duncan had once sought business advice from Harold. And yet, now they were sworn enemies.Trying hard not to smile, Tedmond took a sip from his glass. Harold would have never expected that the teenager he once advised would one day grow powerful enough to suppress him. Tedmond also highly doubted that Harold even remembered him.Shaking his head, he snapped out of his thoughts and peered at Duncan.Sighing, he rubbed his temple. “I’m a Washington. I have plenty of things. You don’t need to hand me the shares.”Duncan already knew that and didn’t care. Tedmond had helped him gather most of the evidence even before his brother broke into