Chapter 86
“Alright, hurry up and get out; I have work to do!” Isabel shot him a sharp glance.
“Even if you tell me to roll, I'll roll?” Tyler replied, actually rolling on the ground.
Soon, dawn would break, and employees would begin arriving. Isabel pulled back the curtains, gazing at the bright sky, a herald of a new day.
“Isabel!” Samuel appeared.
“Dad, why are you here so early?”
“I was worried something might go wrong. You were on duty last night, and I appreciate your hard work. Nothing happened, right?” Samuel asked, concerned. He’d grown increasingly uneasy after returning home, convinced William wasn't as easily managed as he seemed. Thus, he’d come to the office first thing.
Isabel smiled reassuringly. “No worries, Dad! Last night was peaceful; nothing happened!”
“That’s a relief. I hardly slept, worrying! You must be tired. I’m here now, so you should go home and rest!”
Isabel nodded, deciding to finish organizing the remaining documents. The financial records were a chaotic mess, and she needed to get everything sorted. Just then, her phone chimed; a message from Blake.
Blake: [Good morning, darling! Have you missed me? I’ve been thinking of you a lot while abroad—during meals, while walking, even while sleeping…]
Isabel thought, What a nuisance. She was far too busy to deal with him. Meanwhile, Blake felt despondent when Isabel didn't reply. It was night on his side of the world, and he'd stayed up to message her. He immediately called Richard, who yawned when he answered. “Blake, why are you calling so early?”
“What’s going on with Isabel lately? Why is she ignoring me?”
Richard thought, How would I know! “Honestly, I have no idea!”
“Keep a close eye on her and tell me if anything changes immediately!”
Richard looked helpless. “Blake, you don’t need to worry, Isabel isn’t unfaithful. Besides, you two are engaged; she won’t stray! It’s only been a day since you left; there’s no reason to worry.” Richard thought Blake was overreacting.
“Do you think that’s what I’m worried about? I’m worried someone might take advantage of my absence and undermine me!”
Richard wanted to say Isabel was strong enough that even Blake would struggle to influence her, let alone anyone else. “Alright, I’ll keep an eye on her, and you can rest easy.” Richard inwardly rolled his eyes at Blake’s childishness.
After Isabel finished her tasks and updated her subordinates, it was already ten o'clock. “Isabel, Sophia has arrived and is heading toward Samuel’s office,” a subordinate reported.
“Alright, I’ll be right there.” Isabel wondered what Sophia was doing. She usually worked behind the scenes, and this visit certainly seemed ominous.
Guinevere and William were escorting Sophia toward Samuel’s office. Guinevere wore a smug expression; David had confirmed their plan’s success. She was determined to bring Isabel down. William also felt satisfaction. The office door was kicked open, and Samuel stared, surprised, at Sophia in the doorway.
“Mom, what brings you here?” Samuel asked, puzzled.
Sophia huffed, her wrinkled face showing anger. Guinevere and William supported her as she sat on the sofa.
“Samuel, it’s time to stop hiding the truth and come clean,” William said happily.
Samuel was completely confused. “William, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Guinevere sneered. “Samuel, with Grandma here, I suggest you confess instead of hiding.”
“Hiding? Hiding what?” At that moment, Isabel entered, knowing Guinevere was here to cause trouble and bully her father again.
Confident of victory, Guinevere was eager to see Samuel and Isabel ousted from the company and the family. "Isabel, how long do you think you can hide the wrongs you and your dad have done?" Guinevere taunted.
Isabel smiled calmly. “Guinevere, you keep saying we are hiding something; enlighten me. Stop making false accusations!”
“Last night, a huge incident happened at the company, and you still want to hide it?”
Isabel turned to Samuel. “Dad, was anything wrong at the company last night? I was here all night, and I didn’t know of any incidents.”
Samuel, confused, replied, “No, I haven’t heard any departments reporting an emergency. Are you sure you didn’t make a mistake?”
William smugly said, “Samuel, spare us the act. With such a big incident, this charade can’t go on. Tell the truth; Mom won’t blame you! Accidents happen!”
Samuel became genuinely angry. “William, stop making up stories! The company has been running smoothly, so why are you spreading false rumors? Are you hoping for the company’s downfall or conflict?”
Seeing Samuel’s refusal to cooperate, William turned to Sophia. “Mom, look at Samuel; even now, he wants to keep this hidden!”
Sophia glared at Samuel and demanded, “Samuel, did a fire at the Star Electronics warehouse result in an explosion last night? Why would you hide such an important matter from me?”
“Mom, surely you’re mistaken? The warehouse was perfectly fine last night; nothing happened.”
“Samuel, stop. The fire department was called last night, and many witnesses saw flames coming from this place. Are you still trying to deny it?”
Samuel finally understood. “Are you talking about the fire last night? That fire didn’t involve our facilities; it was at the neighboring factory! The fire trucks were there to put out their fire, and it has nothing to do with our company!”
“Samuel, stop making excuses! Do you really think using the neighboring factory as a cover will convince us? The fire clearly broke out at our facility, and you’re afraid to tell Grandma the truth?” Guinevere stepped forward aggressively.
Samuel could only stare in disbelief. He’d checked the company that morning, and the warehouse was fine—there was no breach. The neighboring factory had caught fire last night, but thankfully, the fire brigade had extinguished it in time. While the factory was nearby, it was entirely separate from their company.