Chapter 216: Naivety Is a Major Taboo
Peace Group, CEO's office on the top floor.
William turned on the projector in the lounge and tucked Emily snugly under the covers. Where was his usual germaphobic insistence on "no bed without a shower"?
To keep Emily from getting bored during her occasional visits, William had filled the cool-toned lounge with pink fox plushies that Emily loved.
Emily sat obediently on the bed, holding a plushie, letting William tuck her in and start the cartoon.
On the nightstand, snacks and water were already prepared.
After getting everything ready, William reminded Emily, "I'll be working right outside. Just call me if you need anything."
Emily nodded and gestured for him to lean down.
She kissed him on the cheek, causing his heart to melt at the comforting gesture.
He gently stroked Emily's hair. "Emily, you're such a good girl."
After leaving the lounge, William's expression immediately turned cold.
At that moment, the lobby downstairs was already packed with reporters and livestreaming media personalities, seriously damaging Peace Group's public image.
And all of this had Henry's fingerprints all over it.
In front of the reporters' cameras, Henry was still wearing the psychiatric hospital patient gown. He publicly accused William of sending him to a mental institution just to silence him.
"Even though he's my biological son, I cannot tolerate him making such a serious mistake against an innocent girl!" Henry declared.
"Today I'm exposing my own family for the sake of justice! At the same time, on behalf of the Smith family, I'm acknowledging the child in this young lady's belly. William may be a bastard, but the child she's carrying is innocent, and the Smith family will take full responsibility."
A woman was standing behind Henry. She had one hand on her waist and the other on her belly. It was Molly, who'd been been hiding the entire time.
It hadn't even been a month since William woke up in Henry's apartment.
Even if Molly had gotten pregnant that day, her belly wouldn't have grown in such a short time. Her current posture with her hand on her waist was way too exaggerated.
She might as well have just announced to the whole world: 'I'm pregnant.'
Previously, Molly had been picked up by people Quinn arranged on Arcturus's way to the airport, and that same day, she flew back home on a private jet.
She knew she got this treatment only because Quinn thought the baby was his.
If Quinn found out the child was actually from another man, he definitely wouldn't let her live to see another day.
And right now, Henry, who was frantically protecting her, was essentially the same as Quinn—both thinking the child was theirs.
Just thinking about how she was playing these men made Molly feel a satisfying sense of revenge.
[Ms. White, is what Mr. Smith's father said true? Is the baby really William's?]
[Regarding the recent video online, do you have anything to add? Did your boss really force himself on you?]
[Did you really violate the confidentiality agreement and leak business secrets to competitors? With such weak moral standards and legal awareness, are you really a graduate of Celestial University?]
The reporters' rapid-fire questions made the atmosphere tense. Molly wasn't fazed by the earlier questions, but hearing the last one, a wave of uncontrollable fear suddenly rose in her heart.
Molly's gaze fell on the female reporter who asked the question. The reporter stared back at her sharply, as if she had already seen through her secret.
Meanwhile, at the café on the top floor of Liberty Tower.
Sophia sat by the window, with a clear view of the endless stream of reporters arriving across the street, being blocked outside by the Peace Group's security guards.
She wore earphones while watching the livestream on her phone.
In the video, Molly calmly answered, "Yes, I was taken advantage of by my former boss!"
"The video is real! He forced himself on me! How could a powerless woman like me fight against capital? I thought giving in would get me a job opportunity, but I never expected him to be so shameless."
"In the past, I would have proudly said I'm a Celestial University graduate, but now I don't want to bring shame to my alma mater."
"I'm here today to use my own experience to tell all the women at Peace Group who've had similar experiences—we must be brave and speak up. Evil will be repaid with evil!"
The media outlets in the lobby were some of Empire City's more reputable news organizations. Hearing Molly's increasingly emotional statements, the reporters somehow felt awkward, and their follow-up questions got stuck.
However, Sophia's attention was focused on the female reporter who had asked if Molly was a Celestial University graduate. Did she just see that reporter roll her eyes?
As she was thinking, Lyanna sat down across from her.
Lyanna said apologetically, "I'm sorry I'm late. There was some traffic."
Sophia responded, "No worries, I came early."
This Lyanna seemed much more mature, capable and determined than she was a month ago. She was, however, a little too uptight.
Noticing the ring on Lyanna's hand, Sophia casually looked away, picked up her coffee for a sip, and waited for the other person to speak.
Earlier, just as the car was about to leave Liberty Tower, Sophia had received a call from Lyanna saying she wanted to discuss a collaboration.
"I've already gained control of Harmony Pharmaceutical." Lyanna got straight to the point. "But I'll be honest—my father is still on the board, and his power isn't much less than mine."
The most essential thing in business negotiations is honesty.
Harmony Pharmaceutical used to be a leading company in the industry, and it was truly sad to see it come to this.
But Sophia also told Lyanna frankly that her current strength and determination weren't enough to qualify for the collaboration project at hand.
"What if we add the Chapman family from Port City?" Lyanna suddenly pulled out a marriage certificate, a bitter smile on her lips.
Her mother, blinded by love, had traded Harmony Pharmaceutical for the man she loved. And now she had to use her own marriage as a business alliance to have a chance at reclaiming the business her grandfather had built.
Sophia also knew the man Lyanna had married. Dwayne; the son of a Port City jewelry tycoon and he was also Benjamin's childhood friend.
Sophia had met him many times during her three years with the Franklin family. After everything that had happened, she never expected this circle to still be so small.
"Ms. Wells, you've been very honest, so I'll be frank with you too."
Sophia said, "Currently, the lab has two types of products ready for collaboration: fertility drugs and miscarriage prevention products."
"But yesterday, Janice from HealthCore Pharmaceuticals already contacted me, and I've already agreed to work with her."
Hearing this, Lyanna froze.
She felt she might have been confused. Turns out yesterday was the last day of the one month deadline she'd asked Sophia for.
According to business convention, Sophia wouldn't give her a second chance. Sentimentality is a liability in business.
The fact that Sophia was willing to meet her again today was already an exception.
Lyanna said in surprise, "Yesterday? But didn't we agree that..."
She suddenly remembered something and immediately checked the date on her phone, discovering the time had been set back a day.
Dwayne!
Lyanna was furious. She had foolishly kept Dwayne company night after night, thinking she could get his help and support, and what happened? He had tampered with the time.
Before she could even begin to explain, Sophia cut in.
"Ms. Wells, business is business. The foundation of trust ultimately comes down to mutual interests."
She smiled faintly, offering one last piece of advice. "And naivety is a fatal flaw."
As soon as she finished speaking, Sophia heard intense arguing coming through her earphones. She flipped her phone over on the table, screen-side up.
Seeing what was on the screen, her expression darkened.
This woman just won't quit, will she?