Chapter 602 I’ll Also Give You Ten Minutes

Chapter 602 I’ll Also Give You Ten Minutes

James had another breakfast with Wendy, then headed back to JZL Medical Clinic to see patients.

At three in the afternoon, he drove over to the nursing home to check on Valentin. Everything looked good, so he updated the prescription and headed back.

On his way back, James passed by the Mary Corporation Building and found a huge crowd gathered out front, with plenty of banners being held up.

The banners were covered in things like "Heartless Company" and "They Don't Care If People Die." At the front of the crowd, a middle-aged heavyset man was shouting slogans at the top of his lungs.

Dozens of uniformed security guards stood at the building entrance, all of them built like tanks, keeping the angry crowd at bay.

It looked exactly like what had happened outside Wendy's company.

James hesitated for a moment. He almost drove away, but ended up pulling over instead.

He called his secretary Poppy, then made his way around to the back entrance.

Poppy was already waiting there, her pretty face tight with anxiety. She kept glancing around nervously, like she was afraid someone might spot her.

"Poppy, why are you being so sneaky?"

James walked over. "What's going on with the company?"

The moment she saw James, Poppy's face lit up with a mix of relief and excitement. She rushed over, grabbed his arm, and hustled them both through the glass door.

Once the door swung shut and locked behind them, she finally relaxed.

"Good thing those troublemakers didn't see us. We could've gotten jumped out there."

Then she broke into a big smile. "Mr. Williams, I'm so glad you're here."

James asked again, genuinely curious. "So what exactly happened?"

"It's all because of Alice and Reese."

Poppy was dressed in her usual professional all-black outfit, which made her look tall and sharp, with an air of cool elegance. But around James, she was nothing but warm.

"Back when Ms. Smith was trying to take control of the Thirteenth Branch as fast as possible, she went with a results-first approach and handed out a bunch of positions to new people to give them a shot."

"That's how Alice and Reese ended up running a struggling company called TG Company, which made health wines and beauty wines."

Her expression soured. "And that company turned into a huge mess for Ms. Smith and the whole Smith Clan."

James nodded slowly. "I know about that. They tried to trash Wendy's company's reputation and knocked off their secret formula. Wendy's company ended up suing them."

He'd been there himself. He was the one who stepped in and saved Wendy's company. Without him, Alice and the others would have torn it apart.

"Exactly. That's the mess I'm talking about."

Poppy wasn't surprised he already knew. She pressed on with the story.

"Wendy's company didn't just shut TG Company down — they had Alice and Reese arrested too."

"Kaitlyn eventually called in some favors and got them out on bail, but that wasn't the end of it."

"The people Alice and Reese had hired to smear Wendy's company started breaking out in terrible skin sores. They looked like they had rabies — terrified of water, sensitive to light, the whole thing."

"They were taken to the hospital and put in isolation, but some of them couldn't handle it and took their own lives."

"The ones who managed to hold on are looking at spending the rest of their lives in the hospital."

"Their families blame Alice and Reese for everything. They're furious at Heavenly Winery and hold them responsible for destroying their loved ones."

She let out a quiet sigh. "So they filed a lawsuit against Heavenly Winery and started showing up here at the Smith Corporation headquarters to cause a scene."

James gave a small, noncommittal smile. "Alice and Reese are scum, sure. But those people they hired weren't exactly innocent either."

If they hadn't been chasing easy money, Alice never could have used them. And they never would have ended up like rabid dogs, terrified of light and water.

"You're right, they weren't good people either. And that's why their families aren't being reasonable about any of this."

Poppy pressed the elevator button and led James inside.

"Three days in a row now, they've been showing up and blocking the entrance. It's been a complete nightmare."

"Because they're the victims, and there are dozens of families involved, the police haven't been able to do much."

"Ms. Smith had security hold the line while she sent people to negotiate with the families, hoping to settle things with money."

"But the families are demanding a hundred million per person. Ms. Smith won't go above ten million. That just made things worse."

"To put more pressure on the company, some of the family members started getting aggressive."

"A group of them put on masks and started targeting Smith Corporation employees — ambushing them on the way in or out and beating them up."

"From yesterday afternoon to this morning, over thirty employees ended up in the hospital with serious injuries. A few female secretaries nearly had their clothes torn off."

"Ms. Smith's car had its windshield smashed too."

"Ms. Smith wanted security to step in and take them down, but then the elderly and the kids in the group would rush forward to block them. With reporters livestreaming the whole thing, security couldn't use force."

"So it's just been a standoff ever since."

"But now that you're here, Mr. Williams, I'm sure this can all be sorted out."

After everything that went down at the Glowing Oasis auction, Poppy had complete faith in James. As far as she was concerned, no problem in the world was too big for him to handle.

So seeing him walk into the building had genuinely made her day.

As for the complicated history between James and Mary, Poppy kept her head down and focused on work. She didn't know much about that side of things.

"Ah, so that's what's going on."

James put the pieces together, then gave a casual smile. "Sounds like your Ms. Smith has a real headache on her hands."

He could tell just from a glance that the crowd outside was going to be a tough one to deal with.

Poppy said softly, "She really does. But now that you're here, it'll be fine."

"I'm not here to deal with that."

James paused, looking a little uncertain. "I just came to say thank you."

The whole situation with John's suicide evidence — he owed her a thank you for that.

Poppy blinked, caught off guard. She started to say something, but the elevator doors opened, and she had to lead James out instead.

Up on the eighteenth floor, in the president's office, Mary was sitting across from a young man in expensive clothes.

Two cups of hot coffee sat nearby, one on each side. Behind both of them stood bodyguards, secretaries, assistants, and legal staff.

The tension between them was obvious. This was not a friendly conversation.

"Bobby, we're done here. Get out of my office."

Mary's voice was ice cold. "I'm not going to be blackmailed. Not by you, not by anyone."

"Ms. Smith, there's no need to get worked up. That's not good for you or for the Smith Corporation."

The young man's voice dripped with mockery.

"You don't really have any options right now. And I'm not blackmailing you — I'm doing you a favor."

"Here's the deal: ten million to make this go away. The moment that money hits our account, I pull every trending story and news piece, and I personally clear out those families camped at your front door. Free of charge."

"If you say no, enjoy having your entrance blocked for the next year or two."

"And the Heavenly Winery scandal? I'll push it out to every corner of the country."

"Once my exposé drops, your company will be in chaos. You're looking at losses in the billions."

He leaned back, crossed his legs, and twirled an unlit cigar between his fingers with a smug grin.

"I think you know which way the math goes, Ms. Smith."

Mary didn't miss a beat. "Get out."

His expression hardened. "Mary, don't be stupid."

"Ten million is us being generous — to you and to the Smith Clan."

"Anyone else, and I'd be asking for half the company. And a lot more than that."

"You've got ten minutes to move the money."

"If it's not in my account by then, you and the Smith Corporation are finished."

He looked at her with open contempt. "Don't believe me? Try me."

"I'll give you ten minutes too. Get on your knees, apologize, and cut off one of your own fingers."

Before Mary could say a word, the office door swung open and James walked in.

"Otherwise, I'll make sure your company goes under and you rot in prison..."