Chapter 44 Chapter 44
“So...” she began, testing the tone, “you're not going to Carol's, right?”
“No, I'm not,” Edward replied firmly. “It's just a little argument, there's no reason for me to get involved. Let's continue choosing your jewelry.”
“Edward, you're so good to me,” Claire murmured, standing on tiptoe to kiss him lightly.
As she hugged him, a triumphant smile formed on her lips.
Caroline, it doesn't matter what happened between you in the past. Now, I'm the woman who occupies his heart.
Later, Nicholas Wolf drove Caroline back to the university.
He waited patiently until he saw her enter the school gates before allowing José, the driver, to continue on to the company.
As soon as he arrived at the office, he picked up his cell phone and sent a short message via WhatsApp:
“Bratt, come to my office now.”
A few minutes later, Bratt Malike entered, nervously adjusting his glasses.
“President Wolf,” he greeted him respectfully.
Nicholas didn't look up; he just turned a page of the document in front of him.
“Go to Amorin Corporations tomorrow. We'll discuss the terms of the acquisition.”
Bratt was stunned.
“The acquisition, sir? You intend to acquire Amorin Corporation?!”
His surprise was understandable—never, in any meeting, had the president mentioned such an intention.
Nicholas replied coldly:
“Yes.”
He calmly leafed through a few more pages and added, in a neutral tone:
“Also, contact the dean of the law school where Caroline studies. Tell him I want two students expelled for moral misconduct.”
Bratt blinked, confused and panicked.
President Wolf wanted to buy an entire company and also have students expelled from the university?
He didn't even dare to ask why.
He just nodded quickly.
Dealing with a school was simple.
But whatever had motivated all this... it was better not to know.
Wolf Company held a significant stake in the shares of the University of Law of São Paulo; in other words, Wolf Company constituted the school's board of directors, so getting rid of a problematic student was a piece of cake—and they could even replace the principal if they wanted to. But on the Amorim Corporations side...
Bratt reflected for a moment before saying sincerely:
“President Wolf, Amorim Corporations is a renowned medium-sized company. It operates on a large scale and has no management problems. It is unlikely that Amorim Corporations would agree to an acquisition.”
Nicholas looked up coldly, and Bratt immediately fell silent.
“From what you're saying, Wolf Company's acquisition of another company depends on this party's approval?”
Bratt was surprised to hear him say that.
“President Wolf, that's not what I meant.”
Nicholas narrowed his eyes and slammed his fist on the table.
“If they're not willing, we'll short sell their shares and bankrupt them. Then they'll beg us to buy them.”
Bratt was visibly shocked. Short sell their shares? Wouldn't that require a lot of money?
Although Wolf Company could afford the costs, the purpose of acquisitions was to generate profit. Considering President Wolf's current way of thinking, he wasn't concerned about making money at all. He seemed determined to lose money on this transaction.
Bratt had worked with President Wolf for so many years and had never seen him make a deal that ended in a loss. This was the first time.
Bratt began to think that President Wolf's strange actions had something to do with his wife—and could that also be part of it?
“Yes, President Wolf!”
Bratt had many doubts, but all he had to do was follow his boss's orders without question. President Wolf wanted Amorim Corporations to go bankrupt, and so it would. Nothing else mattered.
The next day, Caroline learned that Soraya Cooper and Kate had been expelled from school.
The news spread quickly—all the students were talking about it, shocked at how quickly the decision had been made.
But the real scandal was yet to come.
On the morning of the same day, all the major financial media channels reported the sudden bankruptcy of Amorim Corporações.
The stock plummeted in a matter of hours, dragging the company into an unprecedented crisis.
In twenty years of existence, Amorim had never faced any instability.
Now, overnight, it was ruined.
The news and economic forums were filled with speculation.
Some believed that the collapse was due to internal problems, administrative failures, or hidden corruption.
Others, however, claimed that the company had offended someone powerful, and this was calculated revenge.
The second hypothesis seemed more plausible — the fall was too quick, too precise, too cruel.
Caroline heard the news between classes.
As soon as she read the headline, her heart raced.
She typed a message to Nicholas:
\[The bankruptcy of Amorim Corporations... was it your fault?\]
The answer came almost instantly.
\[Hmm.\]
Caroline was paralyzed. Two seconds later, she typed again:
\[Was it... because of me?\]
\[Hmm.\]
She was speechless.
Even without understanding finance, Caroline knew that bringing down a medium-sized company in a single day required immeasurable power, influence, and resources.
She never imagined that Nicholas would act so... ruthlessly.
Soraya and Jacob had already been punished. She thought that was enough.
But Nicholas went further — he annihilated the entire Amorim corporation.
It was unbelievable.
And, in a way, scary.
While she was still trying to process what had happened, a new message arrived:
\[Aren't you in class right now?\]
She replied:
\[Um, morning classes are over. I have two more in the afternoon.\]
\[Come down.\]
Caroline blinked, confused.
\[Come down? What do you mean?\]
Before she could type anything else, her phone vibrated.
It was a call from him.
Nicholas's deep, magnetic voice sounded on the other end of the line:
“I'm downstairs. Come down.”
For a moment, Caroline thought she had misheard.
Her heart stopped for half a second.
Nicholas Wolf was at school.
Again.
And he was right in front of the girls' dormitory?!
Caroline froze for a moment. Then she heard the buzz in the hallway. A group of girls crowded around the windows, peering down excitedly.
“Wow, there's a really handsome man down there!” exclaimed one of them.
“Isn't that the hottie who took Caroline away yesterday? He's back.”
“Caroline is so lucky. She just broke up with Edward and already got another boyfriend, and an even more handsome one!”
“Pff, maybe he's not her boyfriend. Maybe it's just a fling.” “Affair? A man like that doesn't need to pay for any woman! Even if she's pretty, let's face it... I'd love to be in her place. Who wouldn't want a rich, handsome man waiting for them?”
Caroline sighed and, driven by curiosity, also leaned over to look.
That's when she saw him.