RISE OF THE SCORNFUL CRYPTO LORD

6. A GREATER EVIL

Liam's POV

I listened to Claire and I told Elijah to call each shareholder in the company as I leaned back in the leather chair at the head of the conference table as I pressed my fingers against my temples.

Elijah had done his job. Within twenty minutes of my call, the remaining shareholders were seated and I could see it in their faces which is a mix of curiosity and unease.

Claire stood at the far end as she scanned the room.

Vivian, the only other Harrington present, sat quietly to my left, her fingers tapping a nervous rhythm on the table. The absence of the rest of her family was deafening and that will always remind her of how far the Harrington empire had fallen.

Claire didn’t waste time. “My father,” she began, “kept Mr. Charles in check for years. He knew how to handle him, how to keep his influence from creeping into our operations. But now, with the company shifting from us the Harrington's to Liam’s singular control—” she glanced at me, “we need to be proactive. We need security measures, and we need them fast.”

I shifted in my seat as I felt all eyes in the room were on me. The Harrington shares had taken a beating, and with only Vivian here, it was clear the family’s grip was loosening and I'm sure they wouldn't go down without a fight even though I had paid for it.

I nodded at Claire to continue, keeping my face neutral.

“Mr. Charles is not just a competitor,” she said. “He’s a predator. He came from nothing, clawed his way up through backroom deals and tactics that wouldn’t survive a single audit. He doesn’t play by the rules, and he won’t hesitate to exploit any weakness we show.”

A murmur rippled through the room.

An older man, clearly in his sixties, stood up. “Mr. Liam, with no proper introduction, my name is Whitaker, hope we'd get along.” He said and I slightly bowed. Then he turned to Claire “Mrs. Claire, we once painted this grim picture and your mother brought out the files to keep him at bay, so what's the problem now?” He asked.

“Yes —” Claire proceeds to speak, but Vivian hushed her.

“My family won't release those files to the thief who forced his way to own this company. If he wants to fight his way up, he needs to do better than acting all tough.”

I never saw that coming. I thought I already shut them up, why are they still doing this? I wanted to reply, but Claire beat me to it.

“Mrs. Harrington, I know our family resents Mr. Liam here, but my father, your late husband built this company from scratch. I'm sure you don't want it burned to the ground by Mr. Charles.”

The room fell silent. Even I couldn't talk because this is now a battle between families and for once, Claire was fighting for me.

“I still won't release these files to him, Claire.” Vivian said and sat back.

Without a leash holding Mr. Charles, even though I haven't seen him, I know what he would be capable of doing.

“Mrs. Harrington?” I called out.

“Yes?” She replied rudely.

“What would I do for you to release the files to me?” I asked.

“Make one of my family members the CEO of the company,” She replied.

That's far fetched, but with Claire still being her family member, it would be an easy task. But then she shattered that idea immediately.

“Pick one aside Claire.” she said.

“Why don't we discuss this privately at home? But it is certain the file would be released after one of your family members is made CEO?”

“Yes,” She responded and I nodded my head gently.

The room fell silent and Claire continued, crossing her arms. “There is another current problem. Control. He’s been buying up smaller firms, undercutting suppliers, poaching clients. We found out that he’s not just after a piece of the pie, he wants the whole table.”

“Sounds like someone we should meet,” I said, keeping my tone light and my eyes locked on hers. “Set it up. I want to look him in the eye and see what he’s made of.”

A few shareholders exchanged glances. A weary woman spoke next. “Mr. Liam, with all due respect, confronting Charles head-on might not be wise. He’s… unpredictable. Maybe we should focus on shoring up our defenses first by locking down our contracts, secure our suppliers.”

I shook my head. “We’ll do that too. But I’m not waiting for him to make the first move. If he’s as dangerous as you all say, I need to know his next step before he takes it.”

Claire’s lips twitched, almost a smile. “That's bold. My father would’ve liked that. But be careful, Liam. Charles doesn’t just play dirty, he plays to win.”

The room fell silent once more alongside the unspoken fear that this was bigger than any of us had anticipated. But I wasn’t about to let some notorious figure dictate the future of this company—not on my watch.

I stood, signaling the end of the meeting. “We’re not just playing defense here. We’re going to take control of this narrative. Find those files, lock down our assets, and get me in a room with Charles. Let’s see what he’s got.”

As the shareholders filed out, Claire's eyes met mine. “You sure you’re ready for this, Liam?”

I gave her a tight smile. “I owe your father a lot. I'm not giving up now.”

But as she walked away, I knew quite alright that Mr. Charles was already a step ahead and I was right. I got an anonymous call which I knew might be from him and something told me not to ignore it.

“John, we are both adults and businessmen, let's talk. The big restaurant, three blocks from your company in two hours.” He didn’t say his name, but I knew. 

Mr. Charles

The man Claire warned me about, the one gunning for Harrington Tech. I agreed and hung up. His call felt like a chess move, and I wasn’t sure what my next one should be.

One hour and thirty minutes later, I went to the restaurant.

The Fresh Laundry Restaurant.

The restaurant was upscale. I watched all the dim lights and clinking glasses. It was the kind of place where deals were made over overpriced prix fixe menus. If I was still the broke Liam, I would never know of this place.

I scanned the room as Claire’s warnings echoed in my mind. Owing a business is so scary. This is day one, imagine year 10? The more I thought about it, the more I praised Late Mr. Edwards.

But right now, I needed to see his face and gauge his intentions. But when I spotted the man waiting at the reserved table, I almost lost my breath.

My father.

I hadn’t seen him since I was eighteen, when I walked out of the orphanage with nothing but a duffel bag and a chip on my shoulder. Back then, he was a humble clerk who’d visit me sporadically, always in worn suits, promising better days that never came.

Now, he sat there in a tailored jacket, his gray hair neatly combed, looking like he belonged in this world of wealth and power. My mind is starting to struggle to reconcile the image.

Was this Charles? No, it couldn’t be. Claire said Charles came from nothing, but my father… he was just a nobody. Wasn’t he?

I approached, forcing my face into a neutral mask. “Dad?” The word felt foreign to me but it is surely a nice way to start a conversation..

He looked up and he was just as surprised as I was. Then a warm smile spread across his face. “Liam! My boy, what are you doing here?” He stood, pulling me into a quick, awkward hug. “Did you finish that interview you were preparing for? The big tech job?”

“How did you know that?” I asked.

“Oh Claire called me a few hours ago and told me about it.” He responded.

Was it after she knew I'm the new owner or before? I kept asking myself, but slid it aside and focused on why I was here.

But then I realized, my father still thinks I'm chasing entry-level jobs, oblivious to the fact that I was the one running Harrington Tech and sitting at the head of an empire.

The disconnect stung, but I swallowed it. “Yeah, it went fine,” I lied, sliding into the seat across from him. “What about you? What brings you here?”

He chuckled, leaning back. “Oh, I work for a big man now. Pays well, better than the old days. I’m meeting the new boss of Mr. Edwards company, the company you just applied to, Harrington Tech. Important meeting, you know.”

The pieces clicked immediately and I realized he worked for Charles.

Silas, my father, the man who gave me the simple life that I once had before I got married was tangled up with the very person hunting my company.

Did he know who I was? Did Charles? I needed to stay anonymous, keep my cards close until I understood the game. But I'm sure, Nathan would expose my little secret given that he also works for Charles.”

Oh shit…

“That’s great, Dad,” I said, remaining calm despite the screams I'm having in my head. “Sounds like you’re doing well.”

He beamed. “Better than ever. This guy I work for, he knows how to get what he wants. You’d like him, Liam.”

I doubted that. I glanced at my watch, feigning urgency. “I’ve got to run, Dad. Let’s catch up soon, okay?”

His face fell slightly, but he nodded. “Sure, son. Don’t be a stranger.”

I stood, my legs heavier than they should’ve been, and left without looking back. I couldn’t confront Charles today. This has become more complicated.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Elijah. “Change of plan,” I said the moment he picked up. “You’re sitting in for me at the meeting with Charles. Keep my name out of it. I’m the anonymous owner, nothing more.”

Elijah’s voice crackled with hesitation. “Liam, that’s risky. If Charles knows you already?”

“No, he doesn't. I would have showed up, but I hit a block. Just stand in for me.. Just go, listen, and report back. Don’t give him anything.”

He sighed. “Alright. But Claire’s right, this guy’s trouble. I’ll call you after.”

I spent the next hour pacing my office watching the city lights glint through the window. My father’s face kept flashing in my mind. His smile, his clueless pride all showered within me. How had he ended up working for someone like Charles? And what did Charles want with Harrington Tech?

And now, with my father involved, the stakes felt personal.

My phone buzzed, and I grabbed it. It was Elijah.

“It’s bad, Liam,” he said, “Claire wasn’t exaggerating. Charles is a shark. He grilled me about the new owner, kept pushing for a name, a face. He’s got plans hinted at exploiting legal loopholes, maybe even strong-arming shareholders. He’s not just looking to compete, he wants control of Harrington Tech.”

“He told you all these?”

“Plainly, right into my eyes.

I gripped the phone. “Did he say anything specific? Any moves we can counter?”

“Not outright,” Elijah said. “But he’s confident, like he’s already got pieces in place. He mentioned old connections helping him out. Liam, this guy’s playing a long game.”

“Did you see someone beside him during your discussion?”

“When I got there, Charles showed up, and the person occupying the seat left.”

My father wasn't there when they were discussing.

“Be careful, Liam,” Elijah said before hanging up.

I sat down, staring at the city below. My father’s involvement was a wildcard I hadn’t seen coming. I couldn’t tell Claire yet, not until I knew how deep this went. For now, I’d keep my anonymity, but for how long? How do I shut Nathan Harrington up?