Harvey felt a chill run down his spine, his throat suddenly too tight to utter a word.
"I asked you to keep an eye on Wayne because I suspected he was meeting with someone behind our backs."
Avery's laugh was cruel, mocking. "What did I say? In this world, only the dead can be completely trusted."
"Mr. Chambers, you're like a mind reader!"
Harvey was a mix of awe and admiration. "But how did you figure out Wayne was up to something?"
"That day, out of the blue, he asked about the progress of our new drug development. It struck me as odd. He had never cared about such details before."
Avery turned around and leisurely walked to the desk, picking up one of the many photos scattered across it, his gaze turning icy.
It was the image of Thaddeus passing a lighter to Wayne in a coffee shop - a seemingly mundane exchange that now seemed sinister.
Moments later, Avery's gaze turned fiery with anger as he crumpled the photo in his hand.
"You're planning to...?"
Harvey treaded carefully, "Forgive me for being blunt, but Wayne has been incredibly useful. He's handled so much dirty work without the cops ever catching on, like a headless fly bumping into walls. And although his role in Elmsworth isn't top-tier, he's got enough influence to obstruct police investigations, clearing numerous obstacles for you.
Even if Thaddeus has been in touch with him, we don't know the specifics of their conversations. It could be a trap set by their side to sow discord between you and Director-General Wayne. I don't think he'd dare betray you, considering we have enough on him to ruin his life, not to mention his wife's frail health is in our hands. He wouldn't risk it, right?"
"I don't need him anymore," Avery said with a dismissive tone.
"What did you say?"
"Last night, I got a call."
Avery's cold smirk hinted at his satisfaction. "The boss told me the drug trials have made significant progress. We can halt the experiments here in Elmsworth. Since we don't need the trials anymore, I also don't need Wayne, our 'cleaner', to take care of the messes. From the start, I never intended to keep him around."
Harvey felt a cold shiver run through him.
"He knows too much. No matter how loyal or useful he has been, I can't afford to keep him."
Avery paused, then looked at Harvey with an oddly gentle gaze, "But you, Harvey, are different. You're not just my subordinate; you're like family. I wouldn't have gotten this far without the boss's support and your assistance. Once things settle down, I'll have you join the Chambers Group's board and even make you a shareholder. Your loyalty to me is undeniable, and I, Avery, will not let you down."
Harvey's lips quivered, his eyes brimming with gratitude:
"Rest assured, Mr. Chambers! I swear, I'll never betray you, or may lightning strike me down!"
The Bright Group was experiencing an unprecedented turmoil.
Though York miraculously survived, his advanced age combined with severe shock leading to a stroke resulted in total paralysis.
Zachary faced formal charges from the prosecution for incitement to murder, possession of illegal drugs, money laundering, and bribery.
However, due to insufficient evidence regarding the human experimentation, the police didn't attribute this to the Bright Group in their public statement, which only fueled speculation that higher-ups were suppressing the truth. Overnight, the Bright Group's stock plummeted, losing over two billion in value and hitting the lower limit for five consecutive days.
With their reputation in tatters, the company faced universal scorn.
The Bright Group's doors were besieged by banners with black letters on a white background, decrying them as "inhumane" and "cruel", while reporters crowded outside, fanning the flames of public outrage.
Now, the Bright family was left to Suri and Chasel.
One had married off early and cut ties with the Bright family; the other, marginalized for years despite holding shares, had never been involved in the company's management.
In an instant, the Bright Group was on the brink of collapse!
Today, acting with the authority of the chairman, Suri called an emergency board meeting.
She shed her dress for a sleek white business suit, adorning herself with a fox-tail lily brooch, a blend of white and pink diamonds crafted by Evadne, and walked into the boardroom amidst the directors' predatory stares.
As soon as she entered, she felt their hostility but refused to back down.
The Bright family, she knew, could not fall.
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