Chapter 35

Bruce smoked two cigarettes in a row, his throat parched. His handsome face darkened. He couldn't take it anymore. He took out his phone and called Joanna.

"Ring!" Joanna's phone rang, but she missed the call; she was in the bathroom, practicing facial expressions and body movements. "Ring!" The phone remained unanswered.

"Hello, the person you've dialed is currently unavailable"

"Damn!" Bruce cursed, slamming the phone to the ground. "That damned woman! How dare she not answer my call!" he thought.

Andy frowned. He picked up the phone, removed the SIM card, and inserted it into another phone. This was Bruce's fifth broken phone that month. "No wonder they say the rich can do whatever they want," Andy mused.

"Andy, notify the Well Street financial market to block Haynes Group"

"Noted! I just heard that Miss Haynes is holding a press conference tomorrow. There might be an announcement!"

Bruce gulped, scowling deeply. "What? Joanna is holding a press conference?"

"Yes!"

"When did you get the news?"

"Just now."

"Haha! What is this damned woman up to now?" Bruce laughed, raising a well-groomed eyebrow. He had thick, heavy eyebrows that, when raised, gave him a poised, elegant appearance. Unfortunately, his venomous tongue often undermined this image.

Meanwhile, at the Haynes residence, Roxanne exclaimed, "Look at this, Mom! Joanna is holding a press conference tomorrow. I wonder what she's going to announce!"

Ingrid glanced at the news and swore, "That bitch is getting bolder. A press conference, huh? Perfect! Tomorrow, have your uncle and the laid-off staff protest outside her company during the press conference. Get two more people to cause a scene—splash her with feces and make her look like a pig!"

The next day, the Grimm Group press conference venue was impeccably decorated. Grimm Group had graciously allowed Joanna to use their office building. Jaydon personally arranged the invited press, excluding unscrupulous reporters and unwanted individuals.

Whispers circulated among the assembled journalists:

"I heard Haynes Group is going under." "I wonder if the news is true!" "It must be. Haynes Group's shares have plummeted in the last few days!" "Is Miss Haynes going to announce bankruptcy?" "Very possibly!" "I heard Mr. Everett embezzled funds! And Haynes Group laid off many employees this month." "I heard Haynes Group is being acquired!"

A reporter sighed, "I said she wasn't up to the job. She led the company into bankruptcy in less than two months!" "Who cares? This will be tomorrow's headline!"

Early that morning, Bruce turned on the TV to watch Joanna. The venue's live broadcast was ready. At nine o'clock, a limousine slowly pulled into the Grimm Group building's parking lot, causing a commotion. Reporters who weren't invited waited impatiently downstairs.

"Hurry! Miss Haynes is arriving!"

The reporters surged forward, but the area was fenced off, with numerous security guards maintaining order. The Rolls Royce stopped. Jaydon exited first, then gallantly helped Joanna out. She smiled and waved.

"Wow, is thatMiss Haynes?" Entertainment journalists were astonished. "She's so beautiful!" "I thought she was a new artist signed by Starlight Media!" "Click! Click! Click!" Cameras flashed wildly.

Joanna wore a white dress, delicate makeup enhancing her fair features. Her iridescent eyes sparkled; her hairstyle was sleek and elegant. Her usual plain attire—black-rimmed glasses, no makeup, no heels—had hidden her true beauty. Now, without the glasses and dressed up, her beauty captivated Greyport. "Wow! Miss Haynes is so beautiful"

Joanna radiated confidence and elegance before the cameras.

"First, I welcome you to this press conference. I have three announcements. First, the legal process regarding my grandfather's estate is complete; I will officially become Chairman of Haynes Group. Second, I'll address the bankruptcy rumors. Next month, Haynes Group and CI Technologies will partner. Please continue your support! Third, regarding Haynes Group's alleged stake in Starlight Media—that's a misunderstanding. Mr. Grimm and I are good friends, but our business philosophies differ, so we have no current business dealings."

"Click! Click! Click!" Cameras flashed. All lenses focused on Joanna. Even the notoriously critical Edmeda Media praised her beauty.