Tiana hung up with Bryce, having explained the situation in detail, expecting him to come through with help as promised. Yet, Bryce mentioned he needed to make another call.
Tiana’s patience wore thin after five minutes of waiting. She reached out to Bryce again, only to encounter an unsettling change in his tone.
“Ms. Melford, the clout the Sheldon family holds... I’m afraid I’m not in a position to confront it right now. How is Whitney holding up? I’ll head over to the Treasure Restaurant right away.”
Tiana was frustrated with Bryce's vague responses, not even hinting at a solution. “Mr. Lutz, didn’t you boast about having powerful connections in Emperor City? We need to stand up to Hudson and rescue Whitney. Can’t you leverage your network for this?”
Bryce inhaled deeply, his voice tinged with regret. “I’m sorry, I can’t seem to reach the gentleman I had in mind!” In reality, the mysterious benefactor had coldly rebuffed Bryce, “I won’t risk offending Hugh for your damsel in distress. Who knows, I might need Hugh’s alliance against Ludwik in the future.”
Unable to defy the influential figure behind the scenes, Bryce had no choice but to accept his inability to assist Whitney.
Tiana, sensing his hesitation, wondered if Bryce truly couldn’t reach his contact or if they simply refused to help. Anger bubbled inside her as she retorted, “You said you’d protect Whitney no matter what, Mr. Lutz. Is this how you act when you’re about to marry her? You can’t even ensure her safety because you don’t want to upset your connections?”
Fuming, she realized she was wasting her time with Bryce and would have to seek Ludwik’s help instead.
Regretting the precious minutes lost, Tiana worried for Whitney's safety. She remembered her harsh words to Ludwik earlier and shuddered, but pride was a luxury she couldn’t afford now.
Rushing to the elevator, she dialed Parker. “Mr. Doonan, where’s Ludwik? He’s needed at the Treasure Restaurant urgently. Only he can save Whitney now!”
“Whitney? What’s happened?” Parker asked, clearly confused as he wasn’t with Ludwik at the time.
“Mr. Doonan, can you tell me where Ludwik is right now? Please, it’s urgent!”
“He’s in a private room on the fourth floor.”
Hearing the desperation in her voice, Parker added, “You go find him. I’ll be there soon, Tiana. Don’t worry.”
“Thank you.” Tiana’s voice cracked with emotion, tears welling up in her eyes.
Arriving on the fourth floor, Tiana found the place eerily quiet, with only one luxurious meeting room in sight. She caught a glimpse of Felix through the bodyguards at the door.
Gathering her courage, she approached, “Assistant Felix!”
Felix turned, his usually stern face showing surprise. He was in the midst of a tense business meeting, with Mr. Lippert negotiating a multi-billion dollar deal, not the time for distractions.
“Assistant Felix! It’s Whitney. She’s in trouble,” Tiana whispered, barely hiding her desperation.
Felix considered her plea for a moment before nodding and stepping inside the meeting room.
Ludwik was in the middle of a heated negotiation, unyielding on the price. “The Lippert family’s chips are embedded with the world’s leading SkyfaithSharp-F technology. Our partnership could pioneer unparalleled technological advancements. The world’s wealthiest family might soon be the Lipperts of Harmonia Country. Think of the potential benefits.”
Ludwik’s confidence was palpable, his presence dominating the room. Despite being the new CEO, his achievements in just one month had the entire business community of Emperor City taking notice.
Under Ludwik’s leadership, the Lippert Group had integrated his cutting-edge Skyfaith technology into their ventures, sparking a technological revolution. His refusal to lower the price only made the Lippert Group’s chips more sought after, his audacity unmatched.
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