Chapter 308: Feint and Flanking Maneuver

Chapter 308: Feint and Flanking Maneuver

Michael pulled out his phone to call Nate. Andrew cast a suspicious glance at Sophia, his tone cool. "Are you certain you want to drag your friend into this mess? That's not like you."

She'd always valued her friends highly. Given how complicated the situation had become, regardless of who appeared in those photos, she shouldn't be telling anyone—shouldn't be pulling them into danger.

"He already knows." The light in Sophia's eyes flickered, revealing a trace of sorrow. "His sister Lynn committed suicide seven years ago by jumping off a building. She left behind a letter pointing directly to the Rainbow Bridge Foundation, which led him to Jane through his own investigation. Besides, this involves his family. There's no hiding it from him."

Andrew lowered his gaze, contemplating for a moment before asking—unusually for him—"Which one is Lynn?"

Sophia pointed her out.

The girl in the photo had soft, flowing hair and appeared to be in her late teens or early twenties. Though her features were somewhat blurred, her outline revealed a fresh-faced beauty with delicate features.

Looking at the girl in the photograph, Andrew felt as though he were looking at his own sister.

If Jane's plan had succeeded—if she'd truly turned Sophia into a soulless puppet—he probably wouldn't have been able to remain as composed as Nate and continue living.

He would have chosen to drag Jane straight to hell with him.

"I think I remember her." After a long silence, Andrew suddenly spoke.

Sophia's eyes widened instantly, a flicker of hope rising within her. "You've seen her? Where?"

"Smith Pharmaceuticals." Since Andrew had spoken, it was definitely reliable information. "Once when I was there reviewing the books, she came stumbling out of the building, nearly crashed into me. Victor blocked her."

He'd assumed she was an employee who'd just been chewed out by her supervisor and was rattled. He wasn't the type of boss who comforted staff, so he hadn't paid much attention.

Now, thinking back, Lynn might have just been injected with the drug at that moment.

"So does Smith Pharmaceuticals still have records from back then?" Sophia tried to extract more information. Perhaps they could find the key evidence to bring Jane down.

"No." Andrew's response was like a bucket of cold water. "After the facility was seized, all files and archives related to prohibited substances were destroyed."

"What about the old Smith Villa?"

"Do you really think Jane would be stupid enough to keep files at home?"

Sophia pressed her lips together. He had a point.

Jane was too good at pretending. For all these years, no one had detected her psychological distortion. It wasn't until the Smith Group went bankrupt that her conspiracy gradually came to light.

Michael finished his call and asked Sophia, "So what's your plan now? Go head-to-head with Jane?"

"Report it to the authorities, obviously." Sophia spoke as though it were the most natural thing in the world. She tossed the documents onto the coffee table and continued, "These files don't directly implicate Jane, but a conspiracy this massive—one that threatens society and endangers citizens—the authorities can't possibly turn a blind eye. When it comes to investigating cases, how could we possibly compare to the professionals?"

Michael smiled. "Ms. Johnson's thinking is crystal clear."

"Naturally." Sophia's lips curved with a hint of pride.

"Then let me offer you another angle." Michael set down his phone, straightening as his expression turned serious. "Don't you think Carter's little performance is too coincidental? Andrew just uncovered Jane's project files, and suddenly you're hit with a scandal."

Sophia frowned in thought. At first glance, the two events might seem unrelated, but upon closer examination—Carter was living in Kurt's apartment, and Kurt was in cahoots with Jane...

So Carter suddenly popping up to smear her reputation must be part of Jane's larger scheme.

"Jane's trying to draw you out." Andrew delivered the answer succinctly. "With John unconscious and you having resigned as CEO of Vertex Innovations Group, you'll be spending most of your time at Applewood Estate. If Jane wants to make a move against you, she needs an opportunity to get close."

With that explanation, Sophia immediately connected all the dots. "She manufactures a scandal against me. As long as I hold a press conference to clear my name, a crowded venue becomes the perfect opportunity for her to strike."

But if she didn't address the smear campaign, Vertex Innovations Group would suffer.

"Both the White Dove Project and the online rumors need to be handled." Michael's fingers tapped absently on the table, the trending topic still fermenting on the screen. "But the evidence needs to be delivered directly into reliable hands."

Sophia nodded in agreement, and after a moment's consideration, a name surfaced in her mind. "Detective Captain Manuel Graves from the Municipal Criminal Investigation Division."

Michael's eyebrow arched slightly. "Indeed an excellent choice."

"We split up." Andrew made the decision decisively. "Michael contacts Manuel for a covert investigation. Sophia and I prepare for the press conference."

Sophia looked at him in surprise. "You just said the press conference would be dangerous."

"If we don't hold a press conference, how do we draw the snake out of its hole?" Andrew glanced at her coolly, his profound gaze seeming to suggest she still had much to learn.

Sophia's eyes flickered as she immediately understood. "Make a feint to the east while attacking from the west."

"Exactly. There's one more thing—" Andrew paused, glancing at the clock on the wall. "Nate should be arriving any moment."

His timing was impeccable. The moment he finished speaking, the sound of an engine came from outside as a Volvo pulled into the courtyard.

The engine cut off, the driver's door was flung open, and Nate strode quickly toward the entrance.

His hair was disheveled, his collar askew to the left—his windswept appearance bore no resemblance to his usual rational, composed demeanor.

Andrew observed this and thought to himself: When it comes to matters involving their sisters, probably no brother can maintain complete composure.

"What did you find?" Nate walked briskly toward Sophia, firing off questions without preamble.

Sophia handed him the photograph. "It's confirmed. Lynn's death is connected to Jane."

As Nate stared at the photo in a daze, Michael handed over the folder at just the right moment. "And this. Take a look."

The further Nate read, the deeper his frown became. He suddenly looked up. "Where was this found?"

Michael glanced toward Andrew. Nate immediately turned to look, his burning gaze filled with a thirst for the truth.

Andrew crossed his legs, his posture as elegant as a deity in control of everything. "The basement of the Bogart Museum."

"That doesn't make sense..." Sophia murmured. "Last time I broke into that underground chamber, I found a list. Logically, Jane should have immediately relocated all materials from that location. Why would she let you find even more valuable information? It's almost like..."

"Deliberate." Michael finished her thought, his eyes fixed on a distant point, clearly also pondering Jane's intentions.

This was the second matter Andrew wanted to discuss. He'd waited for Nate to arrive before opening the discussion, hoping the psychologist could analyze Jane's mental state.