Chapter 111: How Dare You Offend My Honored Guest

Chapter 111: How Dare You Offend My Honored Guest

"Rihanna, you're right, but we're not done yet. Since he won't take the money, we'll send them to the IRS in a bit and have them look into where all that money came from."

"Once the IRS finishes their investigation, then I'll deal with this Anthony myself, on a personal level."

What he meant was clear — send Anthony to the IRS first, then settle the score later.

Hearing that, Rihanna couldn't help but let a smug, cold smile spread across her face.

If things went as expected, Anthony was about to get destroyed by Armand.

Just thinking about it made her feel like all the humiliation she'd swallowed earlier had finally been released.

Rihanna burst out laughing. "Ha! Poppy, you think just because Anthony gave you twenty million, that money is yours to keep? For all you know, it's dirty money."

"Once we hand you both over to the IRS, if they find something, you'll get dragged down with him. You might even end up rotting in prison."

Those words hit Poppy like a bolt of lightning, leaving her visibly shaken.

She suddenly remembered — that twenty million was money Anthony had forced Zachary to hand over. And Anthony had killed Zachary.

If all of that came out in an investigation, would Anthony be arrested and thrown back in prison?

The thought terrified her completely.

Flustered and desperate, she was ready to offer a hundred thousand as compensation and settle things quietly.

Anthony saw right through her and stopped her on the spot.

"It's fine, Poppy. Don't be scared. If he wants to play it this way, I'll play along."

Nearby, Armand froze for a moment.

Based on what Rihanna had told him, that twenty million had to be sketchy. After dropping that threat, this couple should have been completely panicking by now.

He had noticed that the woman looked a little rattled and was trying to settle out of court, but why was this Anthony guy still so calm?

Could it be that the money was actually clean, and that's why he wasn't afraid?

But how was that even possible?

A castoff from the Bruce family, fresh out of three years in prison — how long had he even been out? And he just casually throws twenty million at some female classmate? That's a serious amount of money.

Even Armand himself, as the sales center manager, had chased plenty of women and never spent anywhere near that much.

Though, he had to admit, this classmate of Rihanna's was genuinely something. Fresh-faced and beautiful, with a better figure than Rihanna and an even more captivating face.

Armand's greedy gaze drifted over to Poppy.

Maybe there was a way to get close to this girl and pocket that twenty million in the process...

Lost in that thought, he set his face and let out a cold snort. "Kid, you say the money is clean — then tell me, where exactly did you get it?"

"You're just an adopted son of the Bruce family. Where does someone like you get that kind of money? I couldn't even pull out twenty million myself." He wasn't exaggerating.

The crowd watching nearby nodded along. "That's right — twenty million might be pocket change to the ultra-rich, but for most people, that's an astronomical number..."

Hearing the murmurs, Armand grew even more arrogant.

"Ha! Anthony, you hear that? Most of the people here buying property are wealthy — rich or well-connected. And even they'd feel the pressure putting up twenty million."

"And you still want to claim the money is clean? Kid, you're finished."

"First, I'm putting a home purchase ban on you. It doesn't matter how much money you have — you'll never be able to buy property at any sales center in Colorado again."

"Second, I'm turning you over to the IRS so they can investigate exactly where this fortune of yours came from."

"Because someone like you has no business having that kind of money."

After delivering that speech with full authority, Armand turned to the staff beside him and barked his orders. "What are you all standing around for? Start drafting the industry blacklist now—"

Then, out of nowhere, a clear, sharp voice cut through the room.

"Hold on. Armand, have you lost your mind?"

The moment that voice landed, Armand's whole body went rigid.

The arrogance on his face vanished instantly, and he let out a startled cry. "Ah — President, you — why are you here?"

He spun around in shock, staring at the woman standing in the doorway.

Behind her were four or five staff members, all of them carrying themselves with quiet authority.

The woman in the doorway looked barely in her early twenties, slender and poised. She had already stepped inside, her people close behind her.

"Madam President, what brings you here today?"

The same man who had been insufferably arrogant just seconds ago was now rushing over with a wide smile on his face, bowing and nodding like a doorman who didn't know any better.

"Please, right this way, Madam President!"

She gave a cold snort. "No need for that, Armand. You've got some nerve — offending a guest of mine."

"What — offending your... guest?"

Armand's mouth twitched, his words stumbling out.

"Ma'am, ever since I became general manager of this sales center, I've given everything to this job. Completely dedicated, never any hidden agenda. Even if I've upset a customer here and there, it was always in the interest of protecting the company..."