Chapter 318 One Hundred Million

Chapter 318 One Hundred Million

She looked up at William, her clear eyes tinged with complexity. "Charles hid me so deeply and for so long, yet you still found me. So I'm guessing you already know about my past with Michael and my relationship with Evelyn?"

William didn't waste words. He simply nodded at her, neither confirming nor denying.

"Just tell me what you want. I don't like beating around the bush."

Verity wasn't one to mince words. Her pale pink fingertips gently traced the rim of her coffee cup.

"You know about me and Evelyn."

William spoke deliberately, word by word. "I can't let her marry Michael. So I need your help."

Verity lowered her eyes, hiding the struggle within them.

She'd already planned to help Evelyn. These past few days, she'd even thought it through—she would return to Michael's side and pull Evelyn out of this mess.

But William's direct request stirred an inexplicable resistance within her.

She hated being coerced. Especially after being imprisoned by Michael for years, she despised being controlled.

So Verity's expression remained cool, her amber eyes tinged with dissatisfaction. "Mr. Brown, what makes you think I'll agree to your request? Even if Evelyn is my little sister, I don't believe I owe her anything."

William replied calmly, "Even though Charles is now CEO of the Johnson Group, his position isn't secure. Michael still has too many loyalists and spies within the company. Without my support, how long do you think Charles can hold that seat?"

The words struck a nerve.

Verity was silent for a few seconds. When she looked up again, her cool gaze held a trace of resolve. "If you give me your word, I'll agree. But please remember your promise today. When he's in trouble, you must help him."

William nodded, but then his tone shifted. "But I also have a condition."

Before he could finish, Verity calmly continued, "I won't let Evelyn know I'm her sister—I don't want to put her in a difficult position. And I won't let Charles know you came to see me today."

A flicker of obvious admiration crossed William's eyes.

He finally understood why Michael had been so unable to forget Verity.

She was worldly-wise yet unpretentious. Though not stunningly beautiful, she had an elegant, refined air. Even more rare was her perceptiveness and intelligence.

When Verity first met Michael, Evelyn had still been a clueless high school student.

It wasn't hard to see why Michael had fallen for someone else.

But what he should never have done was go back to Evelyn afterward, keep her in the dark, and drag her into this mess.

Verity looked at him openly, without the timidity others showed in his presence.

She spoke softly. "Can you agree to my condition, Mr. Brown?"

William picked up the untouched coffee on the table and lightly tapped it against Verity's cup, silently sealing the deal.

Then he waved over a server to settle the bill and said to Verity, "I'll have my driver take you home."

Verity stood up and politely declined. "That's not necessary. I can get back on my own. If Charles or his mother saw us together, it would only cause trouble for everyone."

William's brow lifted slightly, a trace of satisfaction flickering across his face.

Verity was perceptive and tactful. It was a shame she'd ended up with someone like Michael.

But right now, all his energy was focused on Evelyn.

To get what he wanted, sacrifices had to be made. That was a truth ingrained in him since childhood.

As for what Verity would face when she returned to Michael—he didn't have the energy to worry about that.

He was about to turn and leave when Verity's voice called out behind him. "Mr. Brown."

William paused and looked back. "Is there something else?"

Verity's eyes held a trace of earnestness, and her tone softened. "Please… be good to Evelyn."

She lowered her eyes and added, "Even though we've never lived together, she's my only sister. I know what kind of person Michael is, so I understand how much she's suffered all these years. I hope you… won't let her suffer anymore."

William nodded calmly, his promise firm. "I will be good to Evelyn. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gone through all this trouble for so long."

With that, the two parted ways.

William got into his car and told the driver to head to Evelyn's place.

A few days ago, he'd quietly asked Katya and learned that Evelyn's mood had been terrible lately.

Ever since he'd gone to the hospital to warn Michael, the guy hadn't backed down—he'd only gotten worse.

Almost every day, Michael posted updates on Instagram, all about wedding preparations.

Naïve internet users genuinely believed he and Evelyn were about to tie the knot.

Even though he'd published Imogen's obituary and everyone knew Michael's grandmother had just passed away, people only cared about the spectacle. Who actually cared about the details?

To make matters even more absurd, Michael raised the wedding gift amount to a hundred million, announcing he would drop them on a payment platform on the wedding day for internet users to snatch up. Now, more and more people were eagerly anticipating this wedding, and online discussions were heating up.

Just then, his phone rang. Brian's voice came through. "Mr. Brown, I've pulled all the financial reports from Michael's years managing the Johnson Group. Do you need to see them now?"

"Yes. Meet me at the law firm."

He then instructed the driver, "Head to Noble Justice Legal first."

Meanwhile, at the Johnson Villa, Michael had been discharged and returned home.

He'd been eager to leave the hospital.

Lately, senior executives from the Johnson Group kept showing up under the guise of "visiting," but they were really Caspian's people—Charles's supporters—coming to mock him and watch him squirm.

He'd always been proud. There was no way he'd let people ridicule him like that. So he'd simply moved back home.

Now, at home, Alice doted on him, treating him like royalty, practically ready to rip her heart out for him.

Winter, too, catered to his every whim, terrified he might spiral after being ousted as CEO.

But today, after Michael posted on Instagram, Winter finally snapped.

"A hundred million?" She pointed at her phone screen, her voice trembling. "Is Evelyn worth a hundred million? Have you lost your mind?"

Alice sat nearby, not daring to speak, but she shot Winter a look.

The look seemed to say: If you can't talk him out of this, you're in for it.

Winter was both scared and anxious.

On one hand, she was afraid Alice would come after her later. On the other, she genuinely couldn't stand watching her son waste money like this.

She tried to reason with him. "Michael, you've already been ousted as CEO of the Johnson Group! Do you know what that means? Our family's assets are going to shrink drastically. You can't keep throwing money around like before!"

But Michael scoffed dismissively, leaning back on the sofa, his tone flippant. "A hundred million? I can still afford that."

"It's not just a hundred million!"