Chapter 44: Celebration Banquet

Grace froze mid-motion. "Besides money laundering and inflating costs, what else did they do?"

"Draining employee benefits to cover their personal losses was just one thing." Dylan's voice dropped, carrying a chilling coldness. "The most damning part is that when the police were checking old accounts from years ago, they discovered a murder case."

Grace's pupils contracted slightly. "A murder case?"

"Yes." Dylan nodded. "Three years ago, there was a young employee who had just joined Starlight Entertainment's junior finance department. He accidentally discovered signs of Sam cooking the books. He wanted to report it up the chain, but Warren found out first."

Dylan tapped his knuckles twice on the table, his tone calm yet bone-chilling. "Warren bribed some street thugs to stage a car accident on the employee's way home from work. The person died on the spot, and it was disguised as a hit-and-run accident, hastily closed as such."

Grace felt a chill run down her spine.

She knew Warren was a desperate criminal, but she never imagined he could be this insane.

To cover up embezzlement, he actually killed someone to silence them.

"That time at the abandoned warehouse, if you hadn't been alert enough to jump out of the car, you probably would have met the same fate." Dylan looked at her, a trace of lingering fear flashing in his eyes as his fingers gripping the teacup tightened slightly.

Grace curved her lips coldly. "Multiple crimes combined—intentional murder plus massive job-related crimes—Warren probably won't even get life imprisonment this time."

"Death penalty is a done deal." Dylan's tone was certain. "As an accomplice, Sam will spend the rest of his life in prison too."

The dark cloud hanging over Starlight Entertainment had completely lifted, and Grace felt even her breathing had become easier.

She picked up the teacup in front of her, using tea in place of wine, and raised it toward Dylan.

"Dylan, here's to our pleasant cooperation. Starlight Entertainment's tomorrow will be better."

Dylan looked at her bright, confident expression, the tenderness in his eyes almost overflowing. He raised his teacup and clinked it gently with hers, producing a crisp sound.

"To our pleasant cooperation."

He wasn't in a hurry.

As long as she remained by his side, he had enough patience to slowly melt the defensive ice in her heart.

There was plenty of time ahead.

Setting down the teacup, the conversation naturally turned to business.

Starlight Entertainment's top management had been almost completely wiped out this time. The entire company was leaderless, and a major management overhaul was urgent.

Dylan took out a document from his briefcase and handed it to Grace. "This is the list of candidates for the new management team I've drafted. Take a look."

Grace took the list and scanned it quickly. She knew the South City business circle inside out, and her judgment was sharp.

"This Vice President Li won't work—mediocre abilities and likes to shirk responsibility. As for this Director Zhang, his professional skills are indeed outstanding, but he was too close to Warren before. His background might not be clean, so he can't be given important responsibilities." Grace tapped the paper with her fingertip, clearly presenting her insights.

Dylan crossed his hands on the table, listening quietly.

Her focused work demeanor radiated an extremely attractive confidence and edge.

He nodded in agreement from time to time, adding background information he had investigated.

The two went back and forth, in sync as if they were partners who had worked together for years, finalizing Starlight Entertainment's future core team in just a few exchanges.

The meal was thoroughly enjoyable for both.

After settling the bill, they walked out of the private room side by side.

Having resolved a major concern, Grace was in good spirits. The usual coldness in her expression had faded, replaced by a smile at the corners of her lips as she turned her head to say something to Dylan.

This scene happened to catch the eye of Alfred, who was walking toward them.

Alfred had been dragged out to dinner today by Brenda's persistent coaxing.

Recently, he'd been unilaterally suppressed by the Brown family, and several major projects at the White Group had suffered setbacks one after another. He was completely overwhelmed.

At this moment, seeing that couple in the distance chatting and laughing like a perfect pair, the poisonous fire of jealousy instantly ignited, burning through the last thread of rationality in his mind.

She was actually smiling at another man! That gentle, unguarded smile used to belong only to him!

"Grace!"

His eyes bloodshot, Alfred strode forward and blocked their path.

He stared at Grace intently, his chest heaving violently, and opened his mouth with vicious mockery. "You really can't wait! Just a few days after the divorce, and you're already so openly hooking up with strange men? Do you even know what decency means!"

The smile on Grace's lips vanished instantly, replaced by frost-covered indifference.

Before she could speak, Brenda, who had followed behind Alfred, came forward with fake concern, putting on a two-faced act. "Grace, Alfred just cares about you too much. Seeing you so close to another man, he's hurting inside. Don't be mad at him..."

A crisp, loud slap suddenly exploded in the corridor, cutting off Brenda's affected speech.

Grace shook her numb wrist and looked coldly at Alfred, whose head had been knocked to the side.

She had used her full strength in that slap, and Alfred's left cheek instantly showed a clear handprint.

"Alfred, is your brain filled with sewer garbage?" Grace's eyes were sharp as knives, warning without mercy. "Don't use your filthy thoughts to judge others. Mr. Wilson has no such worldly desires toward me—he's not interested in women!"

To completely shut Alfred's foul mouth, Grace directly brought out that "reasonable" guess from the bottom of her heart. After all, in her understanding, Dylan could even reject such a high-quality foreign handsome guy, let alone women.

However, as soon as these words came out, the air in the corridor instantly died.

Alfred froze, covering his face.

Brenda also widened her eyes, looking at Dylan in disbelief.

And Dylan, who had been standing beside Grace and was about to step forward to teach Alfred a lesson, suddenly stiffened.

He slowly turned his head, his eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses narrowing slightly, staring at Grace with an extremely complex and strange look.

That gaze mixed helplessness, restraint, and a trace of absurd frustration.

Last time at the German restaurant, he had already explained word by word that he was one hundred percent into women, yet this woman still firmly believed he was gay? And even publicly announced it?!

Grace felt inexplicably guilty under Dylan's stare.