Chapter 71 The Price of Foolishness

Chapter 71 The Price of Foolishness

The line went dead. Jason stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, replaying Louis's words in his mind.

His father was still being held in the detention center, and the Roberts family was now leaderless. Who would dare make a move against Elisa?
He turned around, opened his laptop, and quickly searched through various records.

Half an hour later, Jason opened his phone contacts and dialed Mandy's number.

"What happened in Emberfall City—was that you?" He struggled to control the trembling in his voice.

There was a second of silence on the other end.

Then Mandy's tone went up half a notch. "What Emberfall City? What are you talking about? Didn't Elisa go abroad for translation work? How would I know what she's doing in Emberfall City!"

She was still pretending. Still putting on an act.

He hadn't even mentioned Elisa, and she'd already given herself away.

Jason closed his eyes in pain, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "Three days ago, a million dollars was withdrawn from that overseas shell company we use for transactions. I checked the authorization records—it was you who used it."

Mandy's breathing clearly skipped a beat.

"I... can't I buy a few bags for myself? I'm your mother! Now that your dad's not around, do I need to report to you when I use some family money?"

"Does buying bags require laundering money through underground banking channels?" Jason suddenly raised his voice, almost hoarse. "Mom, do you really think Louis is stupid? That hitman was poisoned to death in the detention room at the Emberfall City police station! "Louis called me himself and threatened to make the entire Roberts Group pay!"
"What?" Mandy screamed, unable to hide her panic. "Dead? How could he die... I just told them to scare her, take a few photos to ruin her reputation! I didn't tell them to kill anyone!"

She'd admitted it.

Jason was so angry his temples were throbbing, his chest heaving violently.

Over the phone, he suddenly felt that the mother who had loved him since childhood had become a stranger, chilling him to the bone.
"Ruin her reputation?" Jason's voice trembled, his fingertips digging into the desk, full of disbelief.

"Mom, you're a woman too. How could you use such a vile trick against a girl? No matter how much you don't like her, she still has Dad's blood running through her veins. She's my sister!"

Silence again on the other end.

Jason had no energy to dwell on Mandy's methods right now. Reality was forcibly dragging him back.

"Do you know how much trouble you've caused!" He slammed his fist on the solid wood desk, his eyes red. "Dad's still in prison, I'm begging people everywhere to save the company, and you turn around and hand Louis such a huge piece of evidence! You... you really..."

"I did this all for Angelina!" Mandy broke down, too, crying hysterically on the phone. "Why should that bitch Elisa get to be the lady of the York family? She sent your dad to prison; now the Roberts family is a joke. Angelina cries at home every day. I can't swallow this!"

Jason closed his eyes, despair washing over his face.

"You can't let it go, so now the whole family has to go down with you."

"Mom, I'm begging you. Cut ties with those thugs you hired right now. If you leave even one loose end, not only will Dad stay in prison, but you'll end up there too!"

He hung up.

Then he collapsed in his office chair, let out a deep breath, and covered his face with both hands.

Louis's revenge came faster than he'd expected.

By dawn, the business landscape had changed overnight.

At nine in the morning, the stock market opened. The stocks of three listed companies under the Roberts Group were hit with precision selling, crashing at the opening bell and immediately hitting the limit down.

At ten o'clock, the two core logistics park projects the Roberts Group was building were unilaterally abandoned by their biggest partner. The penalty payment was transferred to the Roberts Group's account within ten minutes—the other party would rather pay the penalty than stay connected to the Roberts family.

At one in the afternoon, three banks showed up at the same time, freezing the Roberts Group's lines of credit, citing "major business risks," and demanding early repayment of the previous loan with interest.

Jason's office door was nearly broken down by executives.

"Mr. Roberts, all the shipping orders have been intercepted. They didn't name themselves, but all the channels are logistics routes controlled by the York Group."

"Mr. Roberts, people from the tax department are here. They say they received a report and want to audit our books from the past three years."

The bad news kept piling up.

Jason stood behind his desk, hands pressed on the surface, looking at the panicked executives in front of him.

"Stop trying to salvage it."

"Mr. Roberts?" The executives froze.

"Stop all counterattacks. Give up the logistics park projects. Accept the loss of those orders." Jason gave his orders. "Cut our losses, prepare cash flow for the banks. For the next few days, nobody is to provoke anyone from The York Group."

He understood too well. This was Louis collecting interest.

Louis didn't need to find evidence that the Roberts family hired the hitman. With overwhelming financial power, suspicion alone was enough to seal their fate. If the Roberts Group dared to struggle now, Louis would tear them out by the roots.

They could only endure.

This mess was caused by his own mother, and as her son, he could only swallow this bitter pill and pay the price for her actions.

That evening, at the Roberts Villa.

Mandy sat on the sofa, hair disheveled, face pale. All day, news of the Roberts Group's assets being relentlessly targeted kept reaching her.

She knew Jason was right. Louis had really made his move.

Just as she was consumed with anxiety, her phone on the table suddenly vibrated.

A text from an unknown number.

No words. Just a photo.

The photo showed the remittance receipt from the underground bank transfer she'd made three days ago.

Mandy's pupils dilated instantly, cold sweat soaking through her back. If this receipt fell into Louis's hands, or was given to the police, her life was over.

Immediately, a second text came in.

[8 PM tonight. Abandoned auto parts city, basement level 2. Come alone.]

Mandy's hands shook so badly she could barely hold her phone.

She knew who it was.

At 7:30 PM, Mandy changed into an inconspicuous black tracksuit, put on a baseball cap and mask, avoided the security cameras around the villa area, and drove out in an old car they used for groceries.

The auto parts market had been abandoned for a long time, with not even a streetlight around.

The second basement level was dark and damp, and the air filled with the smell of engine oil and mold.

Mandy walked in carefully, her heels making sticky sounds as she stepped through puddles.

"You came, Mandy."

A hoarse, rough voice came from behind a support column.

A man walked out of the darkness.

He was in his thirties, with a buzz cut, wearing a worn leather jacket, and an unlit cigarette in his mouth.