Chapter 144

Benjamin collapsed into the chair, consumed by fear and despair. He thought, "It must be Gilmore Reed! He recorded my conversation with Carol and sent it to the media! I can't go down like this! No! I don't want to be expelled from my family! I don't want my reputation ruined!" Just then, his phone rang. The sudden ringing shocked him; his body quivered involuntarily. Gilmore's earlier call had clearly traumatized him. He hesitated before answering, his hands trembling. "Hello…"

"Mr. Palmer, your two uncles just broke in. They brought people with them. We were outnumbered and couldn't stop them. They have the chairman's documents and…" The woman's voice on the phone was shaking. It was Benjamin's secretary.

"I see…" he replied, then hung up.

The office door burst open. Two guards in black uniforms and sunglasses barged in, followed by two middle-aged men in suits and ties. A young assistant stood beside them, holding a briefcase. The two middle-aged men smirked. "We're here to check on you, Benjamin."

They were Benjamin's uncles, Russell and Herbert Palmer. Benjamin looked at them with sharp eyes. "You're not here to laugh in my face, are you?"

Russell sneered. "Benjamin, what are you talking about? We're your uncles. We'd never do that."

"Yeah, we just heard you almost destroyed our family business, so we're here to take over Castronova Ventures," Herbert snickered.

"So what? I'm still the vice president of Castronova Ventures. I won't budge unless Grandpa tells me to," Benjamin said, glaring at his uncles.

Russell and Herbert nodded. "Fair enough. Your grandpa has the final say." They gestured to the young assistant. "Show him the document!"

"Yes," the assistant replied, taking a document from his briefcase and placing it on Benjamin's desk. "Mr. Palmer, the chairman has already signed this document. Please take a look."

||| 13:05 Fri, Aug 23 Chapter 141

Benjamin looked down at the paper. After reading it, he slumped heavily into the chair, his face pale with shock. The document stated that his grandfather had fired him from the company, expelled him from the family, and designated Herbert and Russell to take over Castronova Ventures. His grandfather's signature made it official. Benjamin had lost everything.

Seeing Benjamin's dejected expression, Russell sneered and ordered, "Guards! He's no longer the vice president of this company. Get him out of here!"

"Yes, Mr. Palmer," the guards answered, dragging Benjamin out like a corpse.

Russell and Herbert smiled victoriously as he was taken away. Once outside the building, the guards threw Benjamin to the ground and kicked him. When he recovered, he was already expelled from the company and his family.

He got up, ran back to the company gate, and shouted, "You can't fire the vice president of the company!"

A group of reporters, microphones and cameras pointed at him, stopped him in his tracks.

"Mr. Palmer, why did you try to ruin Evermore Diner's reputation?" "Mr. Palmer, did you just say you were fired from the company?" "Mr. Palmer, do you know that malicious slandering is a serious crime? Why did you knowingly break the law?"

Overwhelmed with questions, Benjamin was on the verge of a breakdown. "Get away from me!" he shrieked, elbowing his way through the reporters and fleeing. They pursued him relentlessly.

"Mr. Palmer, can you answer my question?" "Mr. Palmer, please stop." "Mr. Palmer…"

In Claire's office at Newhaven Commercial Plaza, Gilmore, Claire, Gerald, and Gilmore's parents watched TV. The screen showed Benjamin running and screaming, pursued by reporters.

Chapter 11

Everyone in Claire's office laughed.

"Karma," Harlan said. "Serves him right."

"Yeah! How dare he slander our Evermore Diner? He dug his own grave!" Sophia echoed.

Claire turned to Gilmore. "You saved Evermore Diner. If it weren't for you, Benjamin would have succeeded, and the restaurant would be a mess right now." Gerald had already told her how Gilmore had saved Evermore Diner's reputation—installing pinhole cameras at Lunar Café and orchestrating a show for Carol and Benjamin. Claire had then contacted major media outlets and sent them the footage. That's why reporters were at Evermore Diner.

Benjamin said calmly to Claire, "I couldn't just watch Benjamin destroy our business, could I?"

Claire nodded. She had become increasingly dependent on Gilmore. She believed everything would be alright as long as he was around. She then asked, "Gilmore, how did you know Benjamin would try to bribe our chefs at Lunar Café?"

Gilmore replied, "The people on his side gave him away."

"The people on his side?" Claire asked, puzzled. Gerald and Gilmore's parents were also confused.

Gilmore explained, "Yeah, Benjamin's two uncles told me about his plan. They wanted to seize the family business from Benjamin, so they delivered the information to me. That's why I saw through his scheme."

Claire understood. Benjamin's father was supposed to be the successor; after his death, it became Benjamin. In the power struggle, his uncles betrayed him.

She didn't doubt Gilmore's words. Gerald and Gilmore's parents were convinced.

"Uncles' betrayal, huh?"

Chapter 111

"He deserves it."

"That's right, they deserve to suffer," Gilmore echoed, relieved. "I can't believe they bought it. Thanks for covering for me, Benjamin's uncles!"

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