Chapter 275 What If I Strike You Later?

Chapter 275 What If I Strike You Later?

"For me?" Sidney didn't react right away.

He had only planned to take a fixed salary working for Alice, never expecting she would give him shares.

Alice stopped and turned to him, her tone completely serious. "Yes, Sidney. Power and status bring security. I know what you're thinking — what I give you isn't enough. Only what you hold in your own hands can make you feel secure. And besides, you've already done a lot for me."

Sidney smiled. "Even if you get all the shares, would you really treat me badly?"

"No." Alice answered without hesitation.

Sidney reached out and gently patted her head. "Then I trust you."

Alice looked at him, a little thrown off. "Okay, but have you thought about what happens if I actually turn on you someday on impulse? You can't stay here as a regular employee forever, right?"

"You're not that kind of person."

Sidney didn't want to keep going with this. He felt a quiet warmth settle in his chest — he never imagined the family he'd always longed for would come to him like this.

Alice swatted his hand away. "Don't mess up my hair next time. You've ruined it again."

The two talked as they walked outside.

They never expected to run straight into Byron the moment they stepped out. He stood there expressionless, looking like he'd just walked away from a wreck. Whatever composure he usually carried was gone, replaced by something colder and uglier as his gaze landed on both of them.

The smile dropped from Alice's face. Sidney instinctively stepped in front of her, his whole body on alert.

"Mr. Reyes, rough day?"

Seeing the two of them walk out together, Byron knew he was too late.

Every doubt he'd had on the way over had just hardened into certainty. Whoever had pulled off something this coordinated wasn't the woman standing in front of him — it was the man standing behind her.

If his guess was right, that person was Michael from the Davis family.

Damn it.

Michael had been going after Everwell Pharma and NovaLife Biosciences like a man with nothing to lose. Those two companies were nearly driven into the ground because of him.

"Impressive, Ms. Baker."

Byron didn't say much, but every word landed like a warning.

He slid both hands into his pockets, his gaze drifting slowly across the building. "The Hall family really has... quite an extensive portfolio."

"We get by, Mr. Reyes. Did you come all this way to ask me to set you up with someone?"

Alice deliberately poked at the bruise. After all, he and that polished-looking assistant of his had gone at it right in front of the cameras — knowing full well the surveillance was rolling.

Byron's expression darkened. "You're asking for it."

Sidney, catching exactly what she meant, nearly lost it trying not to laugh.

"Mr. Reyes, you're on our turf right now. Throwing around threats like that isn't really a good look, is it?"

"Even if I killed you both, who's going to say a word against me?"

Byron had been made a fool of today and was barely holding it together.

Alice's expression hardened. She couldn't go after the Reyes family yet — but she wasn't about to let him stand on her ground and threaten her either.

"Mr. Reyes, look around. This is my building. You didn't bring anyone with you. Do you really want to try something right now?"

The moment Alice finished speaking, the security guards at the entrance got the signal and started moving toward them.

Byron's expression shifted. He let out a low laugh. "Alice, it seems keeping you as my canary really was selling you short. You'd make a hell of an assistant."

"Go to hell." Sidney swore under his breath and balled his fist, already moving forward.

Alice caught him before he could.

"Sidney. He's not worth it."

She already had the evidence she needed — two more days and it would all be over. She couldn't afford to tip her hand now.

"Mr. Reyes, if you'll excuse us." Alice didn't want to drag this out any longer. She took Sidney's arm and turned to leave.

They'd barely taken a step when Byron moved directly into their path. "Think you can just walk away?"

The standoff held for a moment — then a black sports car came rolling down the street and pulled up smoothly beside Alice. Michael stepped out, his voice carrying an easy mockery.

"Big words, Mr. Reyes. You want to explain why you're blocking my girlfriend from leaving?"

Michael reached out and grabbed Byron's arm. The grip looked casual. It wasn't.

"Your girlfriend? You're the one behind all of this, aren't you?"

Michael smiled slightly. "Prove it. But those things you've done — all of it will come out eventually."

Byron had nothing. Even his phone had been destroyed.

And those people had genuinely gone to the concert. They'd scattered from the venue on their own — he couldn't exactly track them all down and demand to know why they'd been on that road.

As for the man who'd hit him — after the medical bills and car repairs were settled, he was long gone. The whole thing had been filed as a routine traffic accident.

"Michael. You'd better hope you never leave her side, because the moment you do, I won't let her go."

He fixed Alice with a cold, deliberate stare, then let a slow smile cross his face. "Alice. Let's hope you never end up in my hands. Otherwise you might end up like Henry — choosing to die all on your own."

He turned to leave.

Sidney stuck his foot out without missing a beat, right in Byron's path.

Byron didn't see it coming. He turned and went straight over it, his tall frame hitting the ground hard enough to make everyone nearby wince.

Alice's expression didn't soften. The hatred in her eyes was plain. "Mr. Reyes, everything leaves a trail. You're running out of time."

Byron pushed himself up, unsteady on his feet. His leg was already bruising badly.

He looked back at all three of them, his gaze steady and cold. "I'll remember this."

He turned and walked away.

Michael let his eyes follow Byron until he was gone. "The last of the evidence from back then is almost in hand. Two more days, and we move."

"I can't wait to see him behind bars." Alice watched Byron's retreating figure, the look in her eyes leaving little to the imagination.

Sidney turned to Michael. "What brought you here?"

"I came to pick up Alice."

Sidney cleared his throat and nodded toward the SUV parked on the other side. "What a coincidence — so did I. So, Alice. Which one is it going to be?"

Alice stood between the two cars. Michael was on her left, Sidney on her right.

She took a few steps toward Michael. Sidney's face fell immediately.

He clutched his chest, leaning into the drama. "I can't believe it. My own cousin, handed off to another man just like that. Where's the loyalty?"

Michael, for all his composure, was struggling to keep a straight face.

He reached out and took Alice's hand. "I knew you'd pick me."

Alice's expression stayed flat. She genuinely had no idea where either of them found the energy for this.

"I'm not picking anyone. I left some documents in the car — I need to grab them."

Right in front of him, she opened the back door of Michael's car. The documents were right where she'd left them.

She picked them up, turned around, and walked straight to Sidney without looking back. "Okay. Let's go."