Chapter 8
Upstairs, a crowd of shareholders was waiting for Connor. He drew a deep breath, braced himself, and pushed open the car door.
The moment the reporters spotted him stepping out of the car, they surged toward him like a frenzied mob.
In the past, Connor’s dealings with the press had only taken place at Searle Group’s carefully orchestrated press conferences. He would hand–select some pre–approved questions, and the reporters would sit politely in their seats, firing off one scripted question after another.
But now, something entirely different was taking place. For the first time, a faint twinge of fear settled in his chest.
Suddenly, his mind flashed to Hannah, who had stood in a similar storm just days earlier, and a sharp pang of bitterness twisted inside him.
The reporters didn’t give him a second to collect himself. Their questions came fast and sharp, each slicing through the air like a blade.
“Mr. Searle, the funds in Searle Group’s accounts have disappeared overnight. Does this mean that you’ve completely abandoned your shareholders‘ interests?”
“Mr. Searle, this whole situation reeks of suspicion. Is it possible that you’ve been siphoning off the funds yourself?”
“Mr. Searle, doesn’t this kind of behavior mean that Searle Group’s reputation is in ruins? How can investors possibly trust you now?”
“Earlier today, a colleague spotted you walking through Dandelion Mall arm in arm with Mrs. Lanier of Lanier Group. Mr. Searle, care to explain what’s going on there?”
“Mrs. Searle hasn’t been seen all day. Has the recent chaos made you lose interest in her and shift your attention elsewhere? If so, what does that say about the promises you made to her in front of the media not long ago?”
The relentless bursts of camera flashes pierced Connor’s eyes. The reporters gave him no room to speak, let alone explain.
Once the towering chairman of Searle Group, he had commanded a presence that made these same reporters tiptoe around him like mice avoiding a hawk.
–
But now, with Searle Group entangled in scandal, they seized the opportunity to tear into him without a second thought.
The memory of Hannah curled up on the hospital floor resurfaced in Connor’s mind. He could never have imagined that he’d end up in the same desperate position just a few days later. A bitter smile flickered across his lips. He wondered if this was his karma.
The thought of the swarm of shareholders upstairs, clamoring for answers, only made the pounding in his head grow sharper.
Just then, Arthur finally broke through the chaos and reached Connor’s side. Connor staggered behind him, using him as a shield as they pushed through the clamoring crowd. On the way to Searle Group’s lobby, Arthur couldn’t help but sigh repeatedly.
With Arthur’s assistance, Connor finally made it into the elevator, Looking at the reporters who were held back by security outside the entrance, he let out a quiet sigh of relief.
He seized Arthur by the shoulders, his voice shaking as he asked, “Have you heard anything about Hannah?”
Arthur slowly turned to face Connor and shook his head. “We’ve pulled out all the stops, searched every corner of Jorvaska, but there’s still no sign of her.”
As his words faded, the elevator arrived at Connor’s office on the top floor. Angry shouts reached Connor’s ears even before the doors opened. He punched the elevator door in a burst of anger
Why did it feel like everything was falling apart ali at once?
A muttered curse escaped his lips before he could stop it. Smoothing out his rumpled shirt, he stepped out alongside Arthur.
Seven hours later, I landed at the airport in Lysoria.
Dad was there, waiting for me. Next to him stood a man who looked just like Arthur. It was Arthur’s older brother, Armand Reid. The truth was that Arthur, Armand, and I had known each other for a long time.
