Chapter 179: The Last Hope Was Also Shattered

Carl's POV

"Where did this crazy old man come from, dressed like a bum, and he dares to show up here pretending to be the head of the Spencer family?"

The receptionist's face turned cold. "Sir, please don't make a scene here. If you keep shouting like this, I'll have to call security."

"You wouldn't dare!" I was furious.

Extreme anxiety and unwillingness clouded my judgment. I went around the reception desk and, in desperation, reached out and grabbed the receptionist's arm, trying to force my way in.

"Get out of my way! I need to go up and find her!"

"Ah! What are you doing! Let go of me!" The receptionist was terrified and struggled desperately.

I had great strength and was hurting her arm badly.

Thinking she'd encountered some pervert harassing her, the receptionist frantically slapped the security alarm button under the desk.

A piercing alarm instantly echoed through the first-floor lobby.

In less than ten seconds, several tall and sturdy security guards rushed out from all directions.

"What's going on here! Let go!" The security captain barked, stepping forward quickly and grabbing my wrist with a forceful twist.

"Ouch!" I cried out in pain, forced to let go.

Before I could react, two security guards had grabbed me from both sides, lifting my feet off the ground.

"Let me go! You blind watchdogs!" I kicked my legs frantically, shouting like a duck being strangled. "I'm Miss Spencer's father! If you dare lay a finger on me, you'll regret it!"

The security captain sneered coldly. He'd seen plenty of people trying to scam the company, let alone someone daring to impersonate Mr. Spencer.

"I think you've gone crazy wanting money." The security captain waved his hand without courtesy. "Throw him out!"

Several guards dragged me like a dead dog toward the exit.

"Sophia! You ungrateful wretch! Come out here!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, unwilling to give up.

The guards completely ignored my cursing and dragged me all the way to the company's main entrance, roughly throwing me onto the hard steps.

I fell heavily to the ground, my bones nearly falling apart. My expensive suit got covered in a large patch of dust from the steps. I was utterly humiliated.

"You, you just wait," I struggled to get up, pointing at the guards' noses, still trying to make threats.

The security captain's eyes turned fierce. He pulled out the black baton from his waist, weighed it in his hand, and made as if to come forward and teach me a lesson. "Still not leaving? Want to spend a few days in the station?"

Looking at that thick baton, the arrogance in my eyes was instantly replaced by fear.

I was just a paper tiger, all bark and no bite. Now that the Smith family had fallen, I'd lost even my last bit of confidence.

"Don't hit me!" I backed away repeatedly in fright, covering my head with both hands, begging without dignity. "I'm leaving! I'm leaving right now!"

I scrambled down from the steps, and only when I was sure the guards weren't chasing me did I lean against the roadside greenery, gasping for breath.

I looked down at my custom-made suit covered in dust and footprints. Humiliation and anger gnawed at my heart like poisonous snakes.

"Sophia, you little beast, when I make my comeback, you'll pay for this!" I cursed through gritted teeth.

Just then, a black Rolls-Royce Phantom with sequential license plates slowly approached and stopped steadily in front of the Spencer Group branch building.

The car door opened, and several bodyguards in black suits with earpieces got out first, professionally setting up a security perimeter.

Then, a tall and upright figure stepped out of the car. The man wore an impeccably tailored dark suit, with cold and deep features, surrounded by the sharp aura of someone long in power.

Having been in the business world for years, I recognized him immediately.

Joseph! The real power holder of Spencer Group, the man who could make or break fortunes in Washington's business circles!

My whole body trembled, and the light of wild hope instantly burst from my previously desperate eyes.

The Smith family's cash flow had broken down. If Joseph was willing to help, even just letting a few scraps fall from his fingers, or buying that South Bay land at a low price, the Smith family would be saved!

"Mr. Spencer! Mr. Spencer, please wait!" I broke through the greenery recklessly, stumbling toward Joseph.

"Stop!"

Before I could get close, two burly bodyguards instantly blocked my path like iron towers, pushing me away without courtesy.

Already exhausted, I fell flat on my backside on the hard asphalt road, my old face twisted in pain.

But I didn't care about the pain at all. I crawled forward on my hands and knees for a couple of steps, looked up, and begged as humbly as possible. "Mr. Spencer! Please give me just one minute! I'm Carl from Smith Group. I have prime commercial properties in East City and excellent land in South Bay. As long as you're willing to talk, the price is negotiable! Mr. Spencer!"

The commotion here caught Joseph's attention.

He stopped, turned his head slightly, and glanced down at me from above.

That look was extremely cold, without a trace of emotion, as if looking at a bag of stinking garbage.

"Clean this up. Don't let crazy people disrupt the company's normal operations." Joseph coldly withdrew his gaze, his voice low and devoid of warmth, not even interested in asking half a question more.

"Yes, Mr. Spencer!" The bodyguard immediately came forward, picked me up, and roughly threw me onto the distant curb. "Get lost! If you dare come near Mr. Spencer again, we'll break your legs!"

I lay on the ground in disgrace, watching that supremely noble figure calmly walk into the building surrounded by people. The last shred of hope in my heart completely shattered.

It's over. Everything's over.

Even Joseph treated me like a madman. In all of Washington, who else could save the Smith family?

Joseph's POV

I strode into the first-floor lobby of the branch office.

The receptionist, still shaken from being scared by that madman earlier, looked up to see me descending like a deity and nearly dropped the walkie-talkie in her hands.

"Mr. Spencer!" The receptionist hurriedly bowed, her voice trembling.

"Is Miss Spencer in her office?" I ignored her nervousness and walked straight toward the executive elevator, asking casually. I'd just watched the second half of the press conference livestream in the car. Sophia's drastic move was brilliantly executed, and I wanted to go up and meet this capable younger sister of mine in person.

The receptionist paused, then quickly answered, "Mr. Spencer, Miss Spencer isn't here. After the press conference was a huge success, Miss Spencer gave the whole company a half-day of paid leave, and she herself has already left work early."

My hand paused slightly as I was about to press the elevator button.

On leave?

I turned around, a trace of faint surprise passing through my deep eyes, then the corners of my lips curved up almost imperceptibly.

This girl—after stirring up such a huge mess, not only did she wrap it up perfectly, but she also knew to reward her subordinates with time off, and she herself ran off faster than anyone else. Her way of doing things was decisive and efficient, not dragging things out at all. She really did have some of my style from back in the day.

"Got it." I withdrew my hand, not insisting further. There was plenty of time ahead anyway. Since she'd already taken on the designer competition project, we'd meet eventually.

I turned and strode out the door, leaving only the receptionist behind, breathing a long sigh of relief.