"Manager Caldwell, what are you standing there for?" Vivienne’s voice was icy, each word carrying quiet authority.

"Go on," she said coolly. "Read it."

Her voice was calm, almost frighteningly so. It carried no anger, no hesitation, yet it sent a chill through the conference room. A heavy silence settled over everyone present as if the temperature had suddenly dropped.

Benjamin Caldwell, a man who rarely showed emotion, felt cold sweat gather on his forehead.

For the first time in years, genuine fear crept into his eyes.

He swallowed hard, staring at the stack of documents on the table. His fingers twitched, hovering above them, yet he couldn’t bring himself to touch them.

Finally, under the watchful eyes of everyone in the room, he forced himself to reach out.

The instant his hand landed on the papers, it felt as though he’d plunged it into an icy abyss. Every page seemed colder than the last.

He wanted to pull away.

He couldn’t.

Taking a slow, unsteady breath, Benjamin steeled himself and opened the file.

The moment his eyes scanned the contents, it felt as though lightning had exploded inside his mind.

His pupils shrank violently.

His face drained of all color.

"T... this... this is... impossible!"

His hands shook uncontrollably as panic flooded his expression.

Every page contained evidence of the bribes he had secretly paid to executives at hospitals throughout San Fierro over the past year.

Worse still, every single hospital listed had later terminated its partnership with Octaveo Pharmaceutical.

Every.

Single.

One.

Even the executives from hospitals outside San Fierro Kanda Hospital had been implicated.

The evidence was detailed.

Complete.

And irrefutable.

Seeing Benjamin Caldwell completely lose his composure, confusion spread throughout the conference room.

Before anyone could ask what had happened, Vivienne slowly rose to her feet.

Her crimson eyes blazed with fury.

Her usually composed face had become frighteningly cold.

"Impossible?" she repeated, her voice sharp enough to slice through steel.

"Tell me, Benjamin Caldwell... what’s impossible?"

"When you sabotaged your own company behind everyone’s backs, did you think it was impossible for the truth to come out?"

"When you encouraged your useless son to provoke me, did you ever consider the consequences?"

"When you manipulated shareholders and resorted to every dirty trick imaginable just to seize the chairman’s seat... did you ever stop to think this day would come?"

Without waiting for an answer, Vivienne snatched the documents from Benjamin’s trembling hands and flung them across the conference table.

The papers scattered in every direction, landing before the shareholders who had been supporting him.

"Open your eyes."

"Read every page."

"Then tell me whether this is the righteous, hardworking Manager Caldwell you’ve all been praising."

Her voice echoed throughout the room.

Every word carried months of frustration, anger, and exhaustion.

Her breathing became uneven, her chest rising and falling rapidly as the emotions she’d kept bottled up finally burst free.

The veins on the back of her hands stood out clearly.

Before she could steady herself, her vision blurred.

Her body swayed.

Luca reacted instantly.

He was on his feet before anyone else even realized what had happened.

Stepping forward, he caught Vivienne gently around the waist before she could fall.

"Careful."

His voice was soft enough that only she could hear.

Supporting her carefully, he helped her ease back into her chair.

Up close, Luca finally noticed how exhausted she truly looked.

Her face was noticeably pale.

The faint shadows beneath her eyes spoke of countless sleepless nights.

Those bloodshot eyes...

She must have spent days, perhaps weeks, gathering every piece of evidence needed to corner Benjamin Caldwell.

And with what she must be going through with her Father’s situation, it’s no wonder she was so exhausted, mentally and physically.

A trace of guilt flashed through Luca’s heart.

’If I’d found Miss Brooks sooner... if I’d gotten involved earlier... maybe she wouldn’t have had to shoulder all of this alone.’

While Luca’s attention remained on Vivienne, the conference room erupted.

The first reason was obvious.

The evidence.

Every document exposed Benjamin Caldwell’s betrayal in meticulous detail.

The second reason shocked everyone even more.

Luca Hale had openly caught Vivienne in his arms.

Even more unbelievable...

Vivienne hadn’t resisted.

The interaction had felt completely natural, almost instinctive.

Like two people who trusted each other without question.

Whispers immediately spread throughout the room.

Only Miss Brooks, seated among the senior executives, wore a knowing smile.

’So I was right after all...’

’Those two really do have a thing going on.’

Vivienne was several years younger than her.

At work, Miss Brooks respected her as the company’s chairwoman.

Privately, however, she’d always treated Vivienne like a younger sister.

Seeing someone genuinely willing to stand beside her brought a sense of relief.

Still...

Another thought crossed her mind.

’Naomi Monroe...’

Miss Brooks had seen Naomi before.

She knew Luca already had another woman by his side.

Naomi’s beauty was every bit as breathtaking as Vivienne’s.

’Luca...’

’Why does someone as outstanding as you have to be such a hopeless playboy?’

’I can’t help wondering just how many women you’ve got wrapped around your finger.’

She let out a quiet sigh before shaking her head.

’Some things simply aren’t my business.’

Meanwhile, the elderly shareholder who had defended Vivienne from the beginning finished reading the documents.

His weathered hand trembled as he pointed accusingly at Benjamin Caldwell.

"You..."

"You really did all of this..."

He coughed several times, struggling to steady himself.

"Benjamin Caldwell... your ambitions have truly blinded you."

The room exploded.

"Manager Caldwell, is all of this true?"

"Benjamin Caldwell! You deceived us!"

"So this was your plan all along?"

"You wanted the chairman’s seat badly enough to destroy your own company?"

The shareholders who had supported Benjamin moments ago immediately turned against him.

Their loyalty had always followed profit.

Now that the truth had surfaced, they abandoned him without hesitation.

Benjamin collapsed into his chair.

The confident, refined executive from earlier had vanished.

In his place sat a defeated old man whose carefully laid plans had crumbled before his eyes.

Then...

As if grasping at the last remaining lifeline, his eyes suddenly landed on Luca.

That’s right.

Luca Hale.

The company’s third-largest shareholder.

Benjamin forced hope back into his expression.

To him, businessmen only cared about profit.

If the price was high enough, anyone could change sides.

"Mr. Hale..." Benjamin said, forcing a smile despite his pale face.

"As the company’s third-largest shareholder... what do you think?"

His meaningful gaze lingered on Luca, silently hinting that the offer he made before still stood.

Luca stared back at him for several long seconds.

Then...

A look of genuine disbelief crossed his face.

’Is this old man serious?’

Even now...

Even after everything had been exposed...

He still thought money could solve everything?

Luca almost felt sorry for him.

Almost.

But only for a moment.

Because there was one thing Luca could never overlook.

’Your son... you encouraged your son to go disturb my woman.’

’Everything else might have been negotiable.’

’That wasn’t.’

’I’m not about to let anyone make a fool out of me.’