Chapter 92

Whether it was Allison's situation or Macro's, Chris and the Hart family should have been begging Stephanie. Instead, they resorted to pressure and persuasion.

Chris coldly lifted his eyelids and glanced at her. "What do you want?"

"What do I want? Since you know I own this studio, you must also know my annual income," Stephanie replied. These people were accustomed to buying others off with money; now, they were using it to threaten her. Remembering them cutting off her credit card, Stephanie chuckled.

Chris's expression darkened. Stephanie continued, "I make over two million dollars a year. What do I need that I can't buy myself? And no, I'm not a gold digger chasing after unaffordable luxuries. My current income handles all my problems. Mr. Ashford, do you really think I need anything from you?"

Her words left Chris, a man used to solving everything with money, speechless. His eyes narrowed slightly. "If you let those two join her treatment team immediately, I will cut ties with her."

"Do you think that's what I want?" Stephanie countered.

"Then what do you want?" Chris asked.

Stephanie raised an eyebrow and set down her water cup. Listen to him. What do I want? As if he’s made some huge sacrifice. If I ask for more, I'm ungrateful, greedy, she thought. She replied, "What I want? I wouldn't ask for anything from you. You have a bad temper, you're terrible to me, and you have someone else you care about. I make over two million dollars a year; what kind of man can't I find? Why would I need you?"

"You..." Chris began, his mind exploding. His temples throbbed, and veins bulged across his body.

Finally, Chris left Stephanie's studio, lost in thought. Immediately outside, he called Kevin. "I don't care how you do it, make sure her studio goes bankrupt today." Thinking of Stephanie's attitude, he felt her arrogance. All her boldness stemmed from her studio. So arrogant. You think you can make money, huh? That's your source, right? Well, then I'll just cut that off.

On the other end, Kevin hesitated, sensing Chris's fury. "But..."

Chris's voice grew harsh. "Is it difficult?"

Kevin responded, "You want to shut down Miss Glow's studio, but it's not that simple." The air on the phone thickened. "I've been arranging this all morning, but the notices sent out haven't been effective. They're afraid to end the cooperation."

"Afraid?" Chris's expression darkened again. The companies working with Stephanie were refusing to sever ties. Is that man from Cloudridge Valley more capable than we thought? Chris wondered. "There's also another company, Skyriver Travel, very bold," Kevin added.

"Bold?" Chris asked.

"Yes, they outright called the Ashford Group trash," Kevin explained.

Chris froze, his breath catching. In Long Harbor, he hadn't expected a company to openly insult the Ashford family.

Kevin said, "I have a feeling the man behind Miss Giovanni is behind this." Chris suspected as much. He couldn't shut down her studio; someone was supporting her.

Chris closed his eyes, suppressing his anger. Kevin waited for instructions. "So, what do we do next?" They faced a stark reality: they couldn't threaten Stephanie anymore.