Chapter 69

After finishing the press conference, around three in the afternoon, Samuel returned to his office. Despite not knowing what the future held for him, he still had to be grateful and perhaps breathe a little easier. The crucial point was that there were no more lies or secrets that he needed to hide from everyone.

Upon entering the room, Randy, who had been waiting, immediately approached his cousin. As the deputy leader, Randy wanted to discuss and evaluate the steps Samuel had taken to fend off and clear his name from the various rumors that had circulated.

"I hope Pakuwon will be kind and not hastily cancel their collaboration, Sam," Randy said as the man sat in a chair directly in front of Samuel's desk.

There was concern in one of the Walters' descendants. He knew very well that the ambitious tender recently agreed upon by Pacific and Pakuwon was the largest they had handled in the last 10 years. If Pakuwon were to withdraw or unilaterally cancel the collaboration, Pacific would undoubtedly incur losses. Not to mention the estimation that their company's stocks could further decline. That's why Randy was genuinely worried and felt the need to take action.

"This issue should have been resolved internally within the company," Randy continued. The sentence had been repeated several times, as if he still regretted what had happened to Samuel. "Whether your marriage is real, fake, contractual, or whatever, it's a personal and private matter. Why do competitors take advantage and speak up, as if they want to bring us down?"

Samuel, sitting casually in his chair, chuckled softly. He found his current situation somewhat amusing.

"What can I say, Ran? This news is sensational and became public consumption because it was intentionally leaked to the media. If it hadn't been leaked, maybe it could have been resolved within the company. But, because it has spread, the company is inevitably affected. That's why I understand if the board of commissioners takes action like they did," Samuel explained.

For a moment, he chose to sip the coffee on his desk. Enjoying a few moments while continuing to think, then he resumed the conversation with Randy.

"Here, my status is leadership. And even though this scandal is not that big, it still affects the credibility and image of the company. Not to mention, as you said, competitors who have been looking for an opportunity finally found something to use against me."

Randy sighed deeply. Even though this case didn't involve him directly, he still felt upset and couldn't accept how Samuel was being treated.

"But don't worry, Sam. Although there's a digital footprint, for now, I've managed to silence the media. So, the sensational news from yesterday has been handled well. And now, that news won't be accessible to anyone."

"So, you used your power to handle all this?" Samuel inquired, pulling up the corner of his lips with amusement. He knew Randy's type – relying on power or influential connections to solve problems.

"Not just power," Randy replied. "Definitely used money too. Nowadays, if you want things to be quick, you have to spend a lot, Sam."

"Does that mean I owe you the same amount of money?"

Randy nodded, confirming what Samuel had just said.

"And it's not a small amount."

"In that case, send the bill to Axton. I'll reimburse it later."

Randy shook his head, refusing Samuel's offer, even arrogantly.

"No need. I know you're financially threatened right now. It's better if you keep your wealth safe. It would be a pity for Arianna if she's dragged into a difficult life."

"Damn! This is a big insult."

They both laughed for a moment. Then, shortly after, they returned to the discussion that was considered not yet fully settled.

"Are you sure this issue will be resolved quickly?" Randy asked again. Despite Samuel's reassurances, he still felt worried.

"Yeah, I'm optimistic it'll be resolved soon. Whether I remain a leader or not, I leave it to fate. The important thing is I won't give up on my marriage and Arianna. I've also tried to provide clarification and the necessary evidence. Now, all that's left is to pray with all my might that Pakuwon has no intention of canceling the agreed tender. Because honestly, I'm also anxious about this issue."

Randy nodded for a moment. After a while, he thought. Even though Samuel had clarified things, his cousin still needed to find out who had dared to ignite this fire in the first place.

"So, is there any clarity on who did all this to you? Any evidence yet that Valerie is the culprit?"

Samuel shook his head. Despite the CCTV footage showing the woman taking pictures of documents on his desk, it couldn't be used as proof that Valerie started this commotion.

Samuel still needed to gather a lot of evidence to uncover the main culprit. As Axton mentioned, there must be another influential figure standing behind Valerie.

"It's not certain who the perpetrator is, Ran. But for some reason, I still believe Valerie is involved in this issue. Now, we just need to find out who her partner or backer is. Axton is still trying to investigate all of this. It seems there's also an insider involved in this case."

Randy sighed lazily, feeling frustrated listening to Samuel's recent statement. However, he was also grateful that Samuel ultimately didn't marry Valerie.

"I never felt comfortable with Valerie from the beginning, Sam. Just by looking at her, she seemed materialistic and flirtatious. I can't believe you dated her. If I ever had a troublesome ex like Valerie, I'd kidnap her and drop her off in the North Pole. Her presence is just a nuisance!" Samuel exclaimed emotionally.

"Yeah, I never expected her to be like this."

During his relationship with Valerie, Samuel felt that she behaved normally. Nothing extraordinary. However, she was often selfish and unwilling to compromise.

"But speaking of the mastermind behind this chaos, I seem to have an idea that you can try, Sam," Randy suddenly said.

Samuel furrowed his brow. Randy was always like that—spontaneously offering ideas or suggestions in every problem they faced.

"What kind of idea are you talking about this time?"

Randy waved his hand, signaling Samuel to move closer to him. After that, he explained to his cousin about a plan that Samuel could try.