Chapter 128
"This... won't this be a bit too risky?"
Nora's brow furrowed as she spoke, worry evident in her voice.
"If we fail, then..."
"What's there to be afraid of!" Mandy cut her off, her tone heated. "High risks bring high rewards."
"Do you two want to spend the rest of your lives being crushed under Charlotte's heel? Are you really okay with that?"
The moment those words left her mouth, both Chloe and Nora's breathing grew noticeably sharper.
Mandy caught that signal immediately and launched into her plan.
"I got some intel from the servants these past few days. In a couple of days, the Harris Group has a site inspection at Cedar Ridge Park for an eco-resort, and Alexander will be there in person!"
"What are you thinking?" Chloe's breath hitched slightly.
"Alexander is incredibly controlling. Men like him care deeply about their reputation and being in charge! Charlotte's no pushover either—same temper, similar personality. If we engineer a little misunderstanding, say..." Mandy paused, her voice taking on a sharp edge, "like getting some woman to make a scene with Alexander in public, snap some compromising photos, or better yet, make Charlotte see it with her own eyes..."
"With her personality, do you think she'd just swallow that?"
"Once they're at each other's throats, that's when we strike!"
The plan sounded somewhat crude, but it stirred something in both Chloe and Nora—because it wasn't impossible.
"I don't think just finding some random woman will cut it." Chloe's eyes narrowed slightly. "First, Alexander's security is airtight. No ordinary person could get close, let alone seduce him."
"Second, even if we did get photos, he could easily spin it as business entertainment or an accident."
"So to prevent that scenario, we need to be more thorough. Make it impossible for him to make excuses, and make it so Charlotte has no choice but to believe it."
"Exactly." Mandy clapped her hands in agreement.
"What's your plan?"
At Nora's calm inquiry, Chloe's mind began racing, a scheme gradually taking shape.
She needed someone with weight, someone capable of causing chaos, and ideally someone who shared their enemy!
Gradually, a face surfaced in her mind.
"I'll need an accomplice for this." A cold smile played at Chloe's lips. "But don't worry about that—just wait for my signal."
"Mandy, keep digging for details on the inspection—exact timing, itinerary, the works. The more specific, the better."
"Nora, you just stay home and don't cause any trouble."
"Once my plan succeeds, you'll finally get to hold your head high."
With that, Chloe abruptly ended the call, giving the other two no chance to respond.
She scrolled through her phone and pulled up a name.
Staring at it, Chloe's gaze turned vicious.
The call rang for a long time before connecting. Benjamin's voice was hoarse and impatient. "Who is this?"
"Benjamin, it's me, Chloe. I need your help with something."
"Not interested."
Sensing his coldness and disgust, Chloe rushed to speak before he could hang up.
"Benjamin, I know you're sick of being under Alexander's thumb. Sick of watching him take everything you've been dying to have."
"I have a plan that can turn him and Charlotte against each other while giving you a chance to one-up Alexander."
Chloe didn't give him a chance to get angry, speaking rapidly.
"In a couple days, the Harris Group has an inspection at Cedar Ridge Park. Alexander will be there. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
"If you miss this, you'll probably never get another shot at getting ahead."
After delivering that final line, she fell silent, waiting for the fish to bite.
Sure enough, after a long pause, Benjamin spoke, his voice low.
"The plan."
Receiving that answer, Chloe's lips curved with satisfaction.
...
Meanwhile, in the General Manager's office at the Langley Group, Charlotte finally relaxed after handling the remaining project issues, leaning back in her chair.
Staring at the computer screen in the distance, Charlotte's eyes flickered thoughtfully.
Under her management over this period, the projects that Nora and the others had wrecked were finally back on track.
Several clients who'd been wavering had re-signed contracts with the Langley Group. Everything was moving in the right direction.
"Ms. Johnson, here are the compiled meeting minutes and several files that need your decision this afternoon."
Her assistant entered, placing a stack of documents on her desk.
Charlotte glanced at them and nodded. "Alright, got it."
She was about to reach for one when her phone rang.
She looked down and saw it was Alexander calling.
The moment she saw his name, Charlotte's furrowed brow relaxed somewhat. After a moment's hesitation, she answered.
"Hello?"
"Still at the office?"
Alexander's voice was deep but gentle.
Detecting the barely perceptible weariness in Charlotte's tone, he fell silent for a moment. "I was too impulsive this morning. Don't take it to heart."
Hearing that he'd called about that, Charlotte was somewhat surprised, but her mood improved considerably.
"It's fine. It's in the past."
"So that's why you called?"
"Of course not." The man chuckled softly. "You've been working yourself to the bone for the Langley Group lately, so I wanted you to take a breather. Give yourself a break—how about it?"
"A break?" Charlotte sounded puzzled. "This isn't exactly the best time to relax."
"Just one day. Not even one day?" His voice carried a coaxing note. "I'm heading to Cedar Ridge Park in a couple days to inspect a resort project. Beautiful scenery, fresh air."
"Come with me that day. Consider it clearing your head."
"After all, no matter how busy you are, you need to balance work and rest, right?"
Cedar Ridge Park?
Charlotte fell into thought.
If she remembered correctly, the Langley Group had previously planned to acquire land near Cedar Ridge Park to develop a high-end wellness center.
But it had been shelved due to various complications.
Now that the Harris Group was developing a project there, it would surely drive growth in the entire area.
This would be the perfect opportunity to survey the site. If it looked promising, she could revive the project. If not, she'd drop it.
With that in mind, she agreed.
"Alright, when?"
Hearing her ready agreement, Alexander's voice took on a note of pleasure.
"Day after tomorrow, morning. I'll pick you up."
"Okay!"