Chapter 37: The Coercion of the Veteran Employees

The two of them played off each other perfectly, putting on quite a performance.

The mid-level managers who had been watching from outside the door now wore rather complicated expressions after hearing all this.

Seeing the moment was right, Warren gritted his teeth and played his final card. "Since Mr. Wilson can't tolerate us, then we won't stay at Starlight Entertainment anymore! Sam, notify the finance and operations departments - everyone's resigning today! I'd like to see how Starlight Entertainment can function without us veteran employees!"

"That's right! We're resigning!" Sam chimed in loudly, his neck stiff with defiance.

Faced with this blatant threat, Dylan didn't panic at all. Instead, a mocking smile played at the corners of his lips.

He calmly removed his gold-rimmed glasses and wiped them gently with a cloth, not even bothering to look up. "Want to leave? Fine, but don't rush. Starlight Entertainment's doors are wide open. Once I've gone through all your dirty accounts one by one and handed the evidence of your money laundering to the economic crimes unit, none of you will get away. When that time comes, the police will arrange everything for you - whether you stay or go."

That casual remark instantly deflated Warren and Sam's arrogance.

The two exchanged glances, unable to hide the panic in their eyes.

Watching this scene, Daphne's mind was in chaos.

She didn't want to admit she'd been used, and even less did she want to lose face in front of Grace.

Gritting her teeth, she glared viciously at Dylan. "Fine! You're using your CEO position to do whatever you want, is that it? I'm calling Dad right now! I'm going to tell him you're ignoring the company's interests for some woman and forcing out veteran employees! Let's see how you explain this to the Wilson family!"

Dylan paused, then put his glasses back on.

Behind the lenses, his eyes flashed coldly. He looked at Daphne deeply, his tone carrying a bone-chilling calm. "Go ahead and call. But I'm warning you - adults need to take responsibility for every word they say. If you can handle the consequences, be my guest."

This icy warning made Daphne's heart skip a beat, and her hand holding the phone involuntarily froze.

Though spoiled, she knew her adoptive father Richard's methods.

If this really blew up and Dylan had solid evidence, wouldn't she get dragged down too?

Just as she hesitated, Warren on the floor grabbed onto this last straw like a drowning man, desperately fanning the flames. "Miss Daphne, you absolutely can't back down now! Mr. Wilson has been bewitched by that woman. If even you don't step in, Starlight Entertainment is truly finished! The chairman dotes on you most - as long as you tell him the truth, he'll definitely stand up for you!"

Under Warren's intense manipulation, Daphne's head grew hot, and her fear was instantly swept away by jealousy and resentment.

She pressed the dial button hard and called Richard's private number directly.

The call was answered after three rings. Richard's authoritative, deep voice came through. "What is it?"

"Dad!" Daphne's eyes immediately reddened as she complained tearfully, "Please do something about Dylan! He's gone crazy! For some secretary named Grace, he not only beat Starlight Entertainment's vice president half to death, but he's also forcing all the veteran employees to quit!"

The other end fell into brief silence.

A few seconds later, Richard Davis's voice suddenly rose, barely containing his fury. "Who did you say? Grace?!"

Daphne froze, thinking her father was angry, and quickly continued, "Yes! That shameless woman! She..."

"Shut up!" Richard's roar was so loud it hurt Daphne's eardrums. She was so startled she nearly dropped the phone.

"Put Dylan on the phone!" Richard's tone carried unprecedented urgency and severity.

Daphne handed the phone to Dylan with trembling hands.

Dylan took the phone, his expression still indifferent. "Father."

"Dylan, where exactly is Grace right now?" Richard's voice carried an undeniable urgency. "Whatever's happened, you must ensure her safety! If anything happens to her at Starlight Entertainment, I'm holding you responsible!"

A glimmer flashed in Dylan's eyes.

He knew very well that what Richard cared about wasn't Grace's life at all, but the Brown family's vast capital and connections.

"She's missing." Dylan's tone was calm, but his gaze swept coldly toward Warren on the floor. "Warren kidnapped her."

"What?!" Richard gasped, furious. "Mobilize everyone to find her immediately! I want her found, dead or alive! And tell that idiot Daphne to get lost and stop making things worse!"

Standing nearby, Daphne heard every word clearly.

Her eyes widened in disbelief, her face instantly turning deathly pale.

Not only did Richard not blame Dylan, but he was so concerned about that Grace's safety? He even called her an idiot?

Sensing things going south, Warren scrambled toward Dylan on his hands and knees, shouting into the phone to protest his innocence. "Chairman! Don't just listen to Mr. Wilson's side of the story! It's me, Warren! Grace is just a loose woman - she seduced me first. I never kidnapped her! Mr. Wilson is trying to frame me!"

Warren tried to twist the truth in front of Richard, throwing all the blame on Grace in a last desperate struggle.

On the other end, Richard heard Warren's voice and let out a cold laugh, his tone icy. "Warren, who the hell do you think you are to lay a hand on Victor's daughter? How many heads do you have for the Brown family to chop off!"

Warren's voice cut off abruptly, his expression freezing instantly. His whole body began shaking violently like a sieve, cold sweat soaking through his clothes in an instant.

Daphne was even more thunderstruck.

She stared blankly at Warren on the floor, her mind replaying all his inflammatory words.

She finally realized she'd been completely used as a pawn.

Warren had known from the start that things had gone too far. He deliberately provoked her, using her jealousy to fight Dylan, trying to drag the entire Wilson family down with him!

If something really happened to Grace, the Brown family would never let it go.

And she had just been speaking up for a kidnapper!

Daphne's legs went weak, and she staggered back two steps, her eyes full of fear and panic.

Looking at Dylan's penetrating cold gaze, she finally understood just how accurate that word "idiot" really was.

On the phone, Richard's voice continued, "Dylan, I want solid evidence of Starlight Entertainment's money laundering, and I want the Brown family's eldest daughter absolutely safe. Handle this personally and report to me constantly. As for those blind idiots, the Wilson family shows no mercy."

"Understood." Dylan responded coolly and hung up.