Chapter 9
20 years ago, Dad had been covering the financial needs of Arthur and Armand, the twin brothers.
Driven by his free–spirited nature, Arthur had left school early and stayed in Jorvaska, working closely with Connor.
Armand, however, had always been studious and hardworking. So Dad supported him all the way through his doctoral studies. After graduating, Armand stayed by Dad’s side, becoming his reliable and skilled right–hand man.
Although Armand’s main expertise was in economics, he had a sharp mind and extensive knowledge across many fields, especially in computer science, where he was regarded as a figure of authority.
The call I made that day was to Armand. He drained every last dollar from the Searle Group’s accounts, leaving no trace behind. For Armand, it was nothing more than child’s play. Searle Group had only just established itself in Jorvaska. I knew that they would be on the brink of bankruptcy if the money disappeared from their accounts for even a few days. From the first day I met Connor, I could tell that the man beside him was Arthur.
When Connor finally laid out his plans to Arthur, Armand wasted no time in letting me know. But the overseas call took forever. By the time I got the message, it was already too late. Connor was thorough. He never gave Arthur the complete picture of what he was planning, so in the end, there was no way I could slip free of his hold.
It was Arthur who got me out of Jorvaska. He picked a route to the airport that Connor would never have thought to check. I knew that Connor trusted Arthur, at least to a point, so buying a few hours was still possible.
“Hannah, trust me. I won’t let Connor get away with this. Stay here and take a break. Let me handle the rest,” Dad said. Leaning against his warm, broad chest gave me strength once again. Over the years, Dad had kept a low profile in Lysoria, so hardly anyone knew the full scale of his business empire.
After our wedding, Connor always assumed that I was just a quiet, well–mannered woman from a comfortably well–off family. The Amersons never crossed his mind.
Back then, because I loved Connor, Dad had bitten his tongue, even letting Connor’s dismissive attitude toward him go unchallenged.
Dad was in his 40s when I was born, and I’d always been the apple of his eye. So I knew that Connor didn’t stand a chance this time.
On the way home, Armand checked the message on his phone.
Then, he turned to Dad. His voice was solemn as he said, “Mr. Amerson, the Searles are in chaos. The media’s all over it, and the shareholders have been camped out on the top floor of the Searle Group building for an entire day. That bastard’s about to have a whole lot more to worry about.”
At Armand’s words, I unlocked my phone and was immediately hit with a barrage of headlines that were as jarring as they were alarming.
“Searle Group’s Financial Collapse: The Chairman, Connor, Accused of Embezzling Billions, Betraying Shareholders and Investors in a Shocking Scandal!”
“Connor’s True Colors Exposed: ‘Nothing But Smoke and Mirrors‘ to Deceive the Public–Demands for Justice Intensify!”
“Law Enforcement Takes Action: Searle Group Under Legal Scrutiny as Its Chairman, Connor, Faces Potential Prison Time!”
In the shadows, Dad’s voice was steady and quiet as he said, “Armand, did everything go smoothly?”
“Like clockwork. There’s no way to connect this back to us.”
“Good. Let’s keep pushing. This isn’t enough yet.”
Armand gave a solemn hum of agreement.
Dad placed my hand in his, his voice turning tender. “Hannal, go get some sleep. It’ll be a fresh start when you wake up tomorrow. Just trust me.” His words brought me a sense of peace.
