Chapter 125
Dennis's face had lost its usual sunny demeanor, replaced by a suspicious nervousness that made him look like someone up to no good.
"Diana," he lowered his voice, resembling an undercover agent at a drop point.
Diana didn't bother looking up, her gaze locked firmly on her screen.
"Talk."
Dennis slipped inside, closing the door behind him. He glanced carefully in both directions, confirming the hallway was empty.
He hurried to Diana's side, fishing his phone from his pocket and pulling up a photo to show her.
The picture was taken in a dimly lit lounge, slightly blurry but clear enough to make out two profiles.
One was Cruz, the other was the blond, blue-eyed Carl.
"A friend of mine was at a party at this club a few days ago. He took this," Dennis whispered, his voice dropping even lower. "He said Uncle Cruz and this guy seemed to be in deep conversation for a long time, both looking pretty sketchy. I looked into it—this guy is Carl Padilla from the Weyland Group."
The timestamp on the photo was exactly two days before she'd gone to Velmora City.
Cruz hadn't just leaked information; he was deeply involved. It was possible this whole coordinated attack had been planned jointly between him and Carl.
"Diana, Uncle Cruz is... he's literally letting the wolf into our house!" Dennis's tone was filled with indignation and worry. "A guy like Carl is too greedy. Forget the project—he'll probably take a bite out of the Russell Healthcare itself if he gets the chance. We need to be careful. They definitely have more moves planned."
Diana studied him.
This normally carefree young man now had a clear sincerity shining in his eyes.
He might not understand all the twists and turns of the business world, but he knew the difference between family and enemies.
Diana handed his phone back. "Don't tell anyone about this. Not a soul. Not even your mother."
"Got it!" Dennis nodded vigorously, feeling like he was part of some top-secret mission.
His posture straightened with newfound purpose. "Diana, if you need anything—anything at all—just say the word! I might not be as smart as you, but I can definitely run errands or keep an eye on someone!"
Diana looked at his eager "give-me-an-assignment" expression and found herself unexpectedly amused.
"Your mission is to keep your mouth shut. Act normal—eat, drink, party like you always do. Don't let Uncle Cruz suspect anything's different."
"Mission accepted!" Dennis gave a sloppy mock-salute before sneaking back out of the office.
After he left, the office returned to silence.
A mole's purpose was never just about passing information.
The most unlikely source of a leak often made the best channel for leaking.
Sure enough, within thirty minutes, the encrypted phone in Cruz's study rang.
"Mr. Russell, I just got hold of something—it looks like Diana's next countermeasure plan..."
---
Late into the night.
Diana finished processing the last report and leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes to rest.
Even she felt a touch of exhaustion after several days of non-stop high-intensity work.
Her phone vibrated on the desk. She answered but didn't speak.
"Still awake?" The voice on the other end was deep, with a barely detectable hint of fatigue, suggesting he'd just finished working too.
"Yes."
"I saw your counterattack. Beautiful work." His assessment was concise, without excessive praise, yet it carried more weight than any flowery compliment.
"Just the appetizer."
"I know," a pause on the other end. "Dennis came to see you today?"
Diana opened her eyes.
Nothing truly happened in the Russell family without his knowledge.
"Stay away from him," Rupert's tone revealed no emotion. "By the way, I've looked into Carl's background. He's not an ordinary businessman."
"When Plan A fails, he doesn't hesitate to activate Plan B, and his Plan B never has boundaries."
His voice deepened. "Diana, he's already been provoked by you. I need you to immediately increase your security. Starting now—twenty-four hours a day—you cannot leave the sight of my security personnel."
His tone was no longer a suggestion but a command.
"I'm safe here."
The Russell Group headquarters' security system was comparable to a military base.
"He won't be stupid enough to make a move at the Russell Group headquarters."
Rupert's voice took on an uncompromising edge. "But he can wait until you leave work, anywhere you think is safe. I won't let that happen."
Diana fell silent.
She remembered the white powder that had been slipped into her possession on the plane without a trace.
Carl's methods were indeed dirtier than she had anticipated.
"I don't need bodyguards," she still refused.
She wasn't accustomed to having other people's shadows in her life.
A faint sigh came from the other end of the line, tinged with resignation yet mixed with stubbornness.
"This isn't up for discussion."Rupert's voice softened slightly but became more resolute. "Consider it... necessary for our cooperation to continue smoothly. You cannot have any accidents."
He brought the reason back to business, making it impossible for her to refuse.
"Understood."
"Tomorrow morning, my assistant will arrange everything." He seemed to relax slightly. "Also, regarding Cruz—the bait has been set. He'll make his move in the next few days. Don't worry about him; focus on Carl. That snake needs to be crushed completely."
"Understood."
After hanging up, Diana sat in the darkness for a long time.
She pulled up the office security footage, watching the security guard stationed at the end of the hallway all night, then checked the building's security system logs, reviewing the access records for every entrance and exit.
---
The Russell Group headquarters, highest-grade international conference room.
Around the long oval conference table, Diana's Russell Group team sat on one side, facing the Weyland Group representatives led by Carl.
Carl maintained his cultured, elite demeanor as he pushed an elegantly bound cooperation proposal to the center of the table.
"Ms. York, esteemed colleagues of the Russell Group," he began, "the Weyland Group is extremely optimistic about the prospects of 'NeuroRevive-1.' To demonstrate our sincerity, we're willing to invest five billion dollars to purchase all ownership rights to the project outside the Lumaria region, including all subsequent derivative technology patents."
As soon as he finished speaking, several Russell Group executives' expressions changed.
Five billion dollars sounded astronomical, but it was buying the future of an innovation that could revolutionize the entire field of neurology. This wasn't an acquisition; it was highway robbery.
"Additionally," Carl's assistant added, "as part of the cooperation, the Russell Group would need to grant us complete access to the project's core source code and all clinical data, allowing Weyland Group's expert team to conduct 'safety assessments' and 'technical integration.'"
At this, even the most composed executives nearly slammed their fists on the table.
Opening up the source code and core data was like cutting out their heart for inspection—there would be no future to discuss after that.
Carl's gaze remained fixed on Diana.
He wanted to see anger, shock, or even a flicker of panic cross her face.
But Diana just sat there quietly, not even a single eyelash betraying emotion.
The deputy director that Cruz had planted in the team subtly signaled the legal director with a "steady" gesture under the table.
He had received Cruz's secret order last night and knew Diana had been in contact with Helvetara Bank & Trust. There was no reason to fear Weyland Group's financial posturing.
The more aggressive their stance now, the more disadvantaged they would be when Diana revealed her trump card.
"Finished?" Diana finally spoke, her voice cool enough to lower the temperature of the entire conference room.
Carl made an elegant "please continue" gesture, his smile deepening.
Diana didn't even glance at the proposal pushed toward her, instead turning her laptop screen toward everyone.
"Before we discuss ownership, let's talk about technical value."