Chapter 247

Chapter 247

The project's buzz skyrocketed, and soon Aubrey's family's status rose alongside the venture's profits.

Rumors spread throughout the Smith Group that a power shift at the top was imminent. Aubrey sensed the moment had arrived.

"Delbert, today's the day we take full control of the Smith Group."

Delbert studied his reflection in the mirror—sharp suit, confident posture. A smug smile spread across his face.

"Don't worry, Dad. Today we prove ourselves."

Aubrey turned and left the room, dialing Ethan's number.

"Ethan, it's the Smith Group's weekly meeting today. Bring Yanny along."

After a brief silence, a single word came through: "Fine."

Hanging up, Aubrey's smugness deepened. Whether it was Ethan or Yanny, they were both his pawns now.

Soon, the weekly meeting began, and members of the Smith family filed in.

Ethan and Yanny sat in the back, watching as several people rushed forward to flatter Delbert.

They remained calm. As the meeting started, Aubrey's face lit up with a grin.

"Welcome, everyone, to today's weekly meeting. As you all know, Mr. Smith recently took on a new project that's been a huge success. Ethan stepped down a while ago due to family matters."

Aubrey's smile was sickeningly fake.

"Now that Delbert has secured this new project, I propose we make him CEO of the Smith Group."

The conference room fell silent. Aubrey tapped the table.

"I know everyone has different thoughts on this. To be fair, we'll vote today."

Aubrey turned toward Yanny and Ethan, his eyes carrying a veiled threat.

"Ethan, you know I'm doing this for your own good. Aunt Cleo's still at the nursing home. If you step aside from the CEO position, you'll have more time to take care of her, keep her company. If you ever want to come back, I certainly won't object."

It was a blatant threat—he wanted Ethan and Yanny's votes to go to Delbert too.

Ethan's expression remained flat.

"Is that so?"

He glanced at the large screen. Suddenly, the whiteboard lit up, displaying breaking news headlines.

The new project had collapsed—and the media was broadcasting it live.

Delbert's smile froze. Panic flashed across his face as he lunged toward the cables, trying to unplug them.

"Impossible! This can't be happening!"

How could his foolproof project suddenly fail? He'd poured so much money into it!

The other shareholders in the room erupted.

"What the hell is going on? You convinced us to invest, promised huge returns, and now even the basic operating funds are frozen!"

"Yeah! I sank a fortune into this project. You owe us an explanation!"

Chaos broke out. Aubrey's eyes darted toward Ethan, whose expression was ice-cold. Realization dawned—he'd walked right into Ethan's trap.

Rage surged through him. They'd just invested fifty million dollars, and who knew how much they'd already lost. Ethan had planned this all along.

"Enough!"

Aubrey's shout echoed through the room. His body trembled as he pointed a shaking finger at Ethan.

"You did this on purpose! You two conspired to set us up, didn't you? Ethan, you're shameless!"

Yanny raised an eyebrow.

"Uncle Aubrey, who's really the shameless one here? When Ethan was overseas, you couldn't wait to send someone to finish him off. If he hadn't been lucky enough to make it back, the Smith Group would really be yours today."

Aubrey staggered back, stunned that they knew everything. He stared at Yanny and Ethan in disbelief.

Then, as if remembering something, he suddenly shouted.

"You can't do this to me! Don't forget—Aunt Cleo and Bianca are still at the nursing home. If you want your family reunited, you have to vote for us today!"

Gasps rippled through the room. Aubrey had dropped all pretense, laying his cards on the table.

Ethan let out a cold laugh.

"You bastards. While I was gone, you bullied my grandmother and targeted my mother. Uncle Aubrey, have you forgotten what price you paid when you tried to take the CEO position?"

Aubrey's body trembled, panic flashing across his face. He'd tried to seize power before, only to be caught. That time, he'd nearly lost a leg.

But remembering the leverage he still held, Aubrey puffed out his chest again.

"Listen here, Ethan. You think I'm still someone you can control? I'll call the nursing home right now!"

Meanwhile, at the nursing home, the staff had long since been replaced. The entire team had quietly moved Cleo back to Smith Manor under Ethan's orders, with round-the-clock security patrols. Not even a mosquito could get through.

What he hadn't anticipated was that someone had already taken Bianca out.

Aubrey's wife, Hestia, still bitter over a previous incident, had found an excuse to remove Bianca from the nursing home.

At that moment, the two of them were at a shopping mall. Bianca glanced around halfheartedly. She hadn't been out in so long, yet she felt no joy. All she could think about was whether Cleo was safe at the nursing home.

"Bianca, stop looking around. I brought you out today because you look so shabby—I wanted to buy you some decent clothes. Let me be straight with you: my son is about to become CEO of the Smith Group. If you ever dare talk back to me again, I'll make you regret it."

Just as she finished speaking, her phone rang. Seeing it was her assistant, she answered eagerly.

"Hello? Did Delbert become CEO yet?"

Whatever the assistant said made her face go pale. She stared daggers at Bianca.

The supposedly foolproof plan had fallen apart.

Seeing Hestia's twisted expression, Bianca instinctively knew something was wrong. She turned to run, but security guards blocked her path. Behind her, Hestia's voice rose to a shriek.

"You conspired together to set us up! Fine! Then I'll drag you down with me!"

Bianca, pampered since childhood, was no match for the two guards pinning her down. She struggled violently, screaming for help, but before long, they knocked her unconscious and dragged her away.

Hestia hauled her up to the mall's rooftop. Standing at the edge of the twenty-plus-story building, she felt a flicker of fear. But thinking of the danger she now faced, she stopped caring. If Ethan and the others didn't agree to her demands, she'd jump with Bianca.

"Call Ethan right now! Does he want to save his mother or not?"