Chapter 25

Chapter 25
Mary was completely stunned by Emily’s words. She stared in disbelief at the phone screen where Emily’s makeup-free face still carried the elegance and glow of a celebrity.
It took her a few seconds to recover.
“Emily… Did someone tell you something? How did you find out about the Charles Group’s financial problems?”
Seeing the confusion on Mary’s face, Emily felt a slight pang of guilt, but she stayed calm as she replied, “I heard it from Victor. He said the Charles Group has recently been investing in a new energy project.”
In her previous life, it was true that the Charles Group had faced financial trouble around this time. Emily had only learned later that Victor was involved in it.
“Recently? Is that what he told you?” Mary scoffed.
At that time, new energy vehicles were just starting to gain popularity in the country, and many people were eager to jump into what seemed like a profitable opportunity. Mary, having studied abroad, had a broader business vision and had been observing this industry for two or three years, giving her a head start compared to others. If not for the financial issues, the Charles Group’s new energy project might have successfully launched this very month.
As for Victor, he had only shown interest in the new energy project six months ago, making a big spectacle of it so that everyone would know he was getting involved.
In Emily’s previous life, he had even used her necklace to win Elizabeth’s favor and secure funding, pushing the project forward almost overnight.
But a year later, the Charles Group’s new energy project ended up neglected and forgotten.
Back then, Emily had grown suspicious because the Callum Group’s business partners ended up in a legal dispute with the Charles Group. Coincidentally, this happened right after the Callum Group launched their own new energy project yet strangely, it barely made the news .
After her rebirth, Emily continued to think about these events, feeling strongly that something wasn’t right. Why had Victor suddenly become interested in the new energy project?
How had he managed to fast-forward two to three years of the Charles Group’s research and development into just six months? On top of that, considering the legal disputes between the Charles Group and the Callum Group’s partners which ended with the Charles Group paying millions for no reason Emily was convinced there was a deeper conspiracy behind it all.
When Emily mentioned Victor’s name, Mary frowned, a brief flash of disdain crossing her face. “That’s not recent. The Charles Group has been working on the new energy project for over two years. I wouldn’t have revealed anything before we were ready.”
Mary didn’t question Emily’s intentions. Instead, she seemed to recall something as her gaze sharpened and she looked directly at Emily.
“Emily, you just said you secured an investment from the Waylen family for the Charles Group? But the Callum family is also working on a new energy project right now.” Mary spoke with disbelief. She found it hard to imagine that Emily would help the Charles family instead of the Callum family, especially considering how deeply she had once loved Victor.
“So why didn’t you help the Callum family get the funding? Why give it to the Charles family instead?” Mary asked curiously.
Emily always shared good news with Mary and rarely spoke about anything negative. She almost never mentioned her marriage or the conflicts she faced with the Callum family, leaving Mary completely unaware of the suffering she was going through.
Emily noticed a flicker of emotion in Mary’s eyes. Before she could fully think about it, Mary’s question came again, and Emily answered directly, “He doesn’t deserve it, Aunt Mary! I’m planning to divorce him!”
“Divorce him?” Mary repeated in shock before asking again, “Why divorce? Weren’t you the one who loved him so deeply and insisted on marrying him?”
Emily was momentarily speechless at her aunt’s blunt words, feeling a sudden wave of embarrassment.
It wasn’t Mary’s fault for speaking so directly. In her previous life, Emily had truly been foolishly in love with Victor, willing to do anything just to make him happy.
After a brief pause, Emily finally decided to speak the truth. “He’s unfaithful, and you know I can’t tolerate any kind of deception,” she said. She didn’t mention the humiliation and mistreatment she had endured in the Callum family not because she had forgotten, but because it was simply too degrading to put into words.
With her pride, she could never bring herself to confess how miserable her life had been in the Callum family not even to her own relatives.
“That bastard Victor!” Mary burst out in anger. She slammed her hand on the table. “How dare he bully you! Emily, divorce him! You have my full support!”
Emily was stunned for a moment, not expecting Mary’s reaction to be so fierce and straightforward. But her heart felt warm at her aunt’s protective words.
Her expression grew firm. “I will definitely divorce him!”
Mary’s face darkened with fury. She had never liked that useless man from the beginning. She stood up, took a deep breath to calm herself, then sat back down and focused on the screen again.
“I never told you because I didn’t want to burden you. That trash Victor worked with your uncle to steal information from the company’s new energy project, and used your uncle’s influence to lure away the Charles Group’s partners.
I was willing to let it go only because he was your husband, but I didn’t expect him to be shameless enough to bully you instead! Does he really think the Charles family is powerless? This time, I’ll settle both the old scores and the new ones with him!”
Mary’s words confirmed all of Emily’s suspicions.
So Victor had really been causing trouble from behind the scenes!
“Aunt Mary… when did you find out?” Emily asked, her voice slightly trembling with anger as she clenched her fist beside her.
Mary, after releasing her anger, regained her composure. Thinking about the chaos at home, she felt overwhelmed and rubbed her forehead.
“I only discovered it recently. I never imagined your uncle would join the Callum family against our company. After I looked into it, I found out he secretly funded the Callum Group’s project.”
After the tragic accident that killed Emily’s parents, the fragile unity that held the family together collapsed. Her older and younger uncles immediately pushed for a split of the family company and assets.
Her grandfather, Edward Charles, was already very old and in poor health. He could not manage his sons’ dispute, so he allowed the family to divide.
The Charles Group grew to its present size mainly because of Emily’s father, Gideon Charles, who worked tirelessly for more than a decade.
Emily’s older and younger uncles each received only ten percent of the shares. Their aim was to control the entire Charles Group, and such a small stake was far from satisfying.
But it was unthinkable that Emily’s older uncle would conspire with outsiders against his own company.
That was like biting the hand that fed him!
Emily’s eyes went cold as an idea crossed her mind. She lifted her gaze to Mary.
“About this—do you have any concrete evidence, Aunt Mary?”
Mary looked surprised at the question, thinking Emily might doubt her. She pressed her lips together. “Not yet, but I can get it, Emily. Do you still have any hope for that idiot?”
She had respected Emily’s marriage before and so had not revealed the evidence that Victor stole the Charles Group’s new-project ideas.
Still, finding proof against Victor would be easy for Mary.
Caught off guard by such a direct question, Emily paused, lost for words. She knew Mary might doubt her because of the question, but she would not be the same fool Victor had used in her previous life. With full resolve she said, “What are you suggesting? I think it’s time they learn a harsh lesson.”
“You’re absolutely right! We should teach them a lesson they won’t forget for years!” Mary agreed, glad Emily was thinking clearly. Then she paused, wondering what punishment would fit Victor and Emily’s uncle. Without a perfect plan yet, her face hardened and she clenched her teeth. “If we don’t act, these fools will think we’re easy to step on. So what’s your plan?”