Chapter 74 Reaching a Consensus
"Illegal operations? At a beauty salon? What kind of shady stuff could they be up to?"
"Maybe selling fake products or something, but Heather caters to the elite women of Dawnlight City. She wouldn't push it too far. Otherwise, Gavin wouldn't back her."
As Gavin's wife, Maeve knew his character well. He might seem to pamper Heather now, giving her anything she wanted like she was his precious treasure, but Gavin valued the Martinez family business more than his own life.
In his eyes, not even his sons could compare to the importance of profit and status.
Otherwise, at sixty-four, he would have retired and handed the company over to his three sons by now. But most of the Martinez Group's ventures were still tightly controlled by him, with only David managing a few subsidiaries.
David had even been sent home and suspended for over half a month for mishandling a matter recently.
Gavin only loved himself, money, and power. This was why she went to watch the show yesterday.
But thinking about Heather's demeanor and Gavin's reaction at the time made her face darken. She put down the paper and took a sip of coffee to calm her anger.
"Are you talking about those things that were investigated yesterday? False advertising, counterfeit products?"
She dismissed it lightly, "Unless this stirs up the elite women of Dawnlight City and affects the Martinez Group's interests, it's a minor issue."
Rachel shook her head. "Heather is bolder than you think."
Maeve paused. "What do you mean? She did more than that?"
"Of course. No matter how fake her products and advertising are, they couldn't generate such high monthly profits, especially in February this year when Radiant Beauty Spa had only been open for a few months."
Rachel added, "And there's no mention of membership cards here. The monthly profit was as high as $297,000."
Maeve looked closely and saw it was true. She knew Radiant Beauty Spa had a significant investment, but to recoup it so quickly in just a few months, especially with Gemstone Beauty Parlor, a six-year-old competitor, across the street, seemed impossible.
"What else do you know?"
Rachel lowered her voice and spoke directly. "Gigolos, specifically for the elite women. And a gold digger training program designed to train women to seduce wealthy or influential men one-on-one."
Maeve was shocked and stunned. Male escorts and a gold digger training program?
"How could she dare to do such things?"
Her illegal business would be at risk if she misread her clients.
Rachel chuckled. "It's often said that greed kills. Under the lure of enormous profits, even people can turn into monsters."
"You might not know this, but she was once a product of the gold digger training program herself. Now, she's given the Martinez family a son and has secured a life of luxury."
"From these few ledgers alone, it's clear how lucrative her business is. The longer it runs, the more mature the illegal operations become, and the profits will only grow higher."
"No one ever thinks they have too much money."
Maeve and Gavin's marriage was a business arrangement, always prioritizing interests.
She agreed with Rachel's words but couldn't help feeling a bit suspicious. She looked at Rachel. "How do you know all this?"
Rachel remained calm and composed. Her reasoning was similar to what she had told Michael yesterday. "I noticed something odd before and was initially suspicious. But when Radiant Beauty Spa was shut down for tax issues, I confirmed it."
Maeve didn't doubt Rachel's words. Rachel had been part of the Martinez family for over three years. Even if they hadn't interacted much, Maeve had a good sense of her character.
Rachel wouldn't use something this significant to deceive her, especially since Heather was her mother-in-law.
Maeve took another sip of coffee, thinking it over. "If this is true, why don't you report it directly? Why bother teaming up with me?"
Rachel wasn't surprised by the question.
It was often said that things hit differently when they happened to you.
Besides, she and Maeve weren't related. Cooperation was only possible if both their interests were harmed by the same issue.
"Everyone in Dawnlight City's elite circles knows my mother-in-law is part of the Martinez family. Although there's no formal marriage bond these years, she's lived with the Martinez family for over a decade and even gave them a son."
Rachel said calmly and steadily, "Even if we don't consider how many enemies this might make for the Martinez family in Dawnlight City, just the impact on the family's reputation and the company could be significant."
"Gavin will retire in three or four years at most. The company will eventually be handed over to David and Peter. Any damage to the company's reputation affects them and your interests."
Maeve paused. She wasn't foolish. She had already considered this when Rachel mentioned how she discovered the issue.
When Gavin insisted on bringing Heather and Steven back to the Martinez family, she had caused a scene, thinking that if she couldn't have peace, no one else should either. It became widely known, but it had negatively impacted the family's reputation and the company's stock, causing millions in losses in a single day.
She knew all too well how crucial a family's and company's reputation was. She and her children, including her grandchildren, had shares in all the Martinez family businesses. Her status as Mrs. Martinez was solely because of these inseparable interests. If Heather's actions affected her and her children, it wouldn't be a worthwhile trade-off.
She put down her coffee cup, now viewing Rachel with a bit more respect and appreciation. "Go on."
Rachel let out a self-deprecating laugh, and said somberly, "I used to treat her like my own mother. I thought I was lucky to have a good husband and a flawless mother-in-law. Last year, when she said she was short on cash for the beauty salon, I gave her $300,000 without hesitation."
"After the salon opened, she generously let me invest and made me the legal representative. I was truly grateful, thinking she had my best interests at heart."
"But when I discovered her secret businesses, I realized I was just a scapegoat, a pawn in her plan to take over Stargaze Gallery, which my mother left me."
Maeve's face showed surprise and anger. She couldn't help but be taken aback. "I never imagined she could be so ruthless, not even sparing her own daughter-in-law."
But from Rachel's words, she also understood her intent. Rachel wanted to extricate herself cleanly from Radiant Beauty Spa, while Maeve's goal was to remove Heather from the Martinez family. Their objectives naturally aligned—to take down Heather.
"What do you plan to do?"
"First, we need evidence," Rachel said. "These ledgers are just a small part. I need your help covering for me while I gather more."
"Are the ledgers at The Martinez Manor?"
Rachel nodded.
Maeve thought for a moment. "I understand. Let's exchange WhatsApp numbers. Contact me whenever you need."
"Alright."
After exchanging numbers, Rachel saw Maeve stand up and added, "When I mentioned inviting Alice to Stargaze Gallery yesterday, I wasn't just being polite."
Maeve paused, then smiled. "I know. I'll tell her when she comes back this weekend."