Chapter_249
Tyler slammed the forged accounts onto the table, the sharp crack of the paper echoing through the room. Linda flinched at the sound, but her eyes never left him, knowing better than to interrupt.
“Miles must be out of his mind to make this call with the company phone,” Tyler said, his voice flat but filled with an unmistakable edge of disappointment.
Linda hesitated for a moment before speaking, carefully choosing her words. “It’s like when the boss isn’t here, everyone thinks they can do whatever they want. He’s been in charge for too long and isn’t as careful as he should be.”
Tyler’s gaze was cold as he stared at the papers on the table. His mind raced with the implications of the situation. After a beat, he turned to Linda, his voice unwavering. “Call the audit team and let the legal department handle this. Give them all the evidence we’ve got.”
Linda blinked in surprise, her gaze flickering to the papers, then back to Tyler. “Do you mean we should get the police involved?” she asked, her tone cautious. She had expected him to handle this internally, perhaps even fire Miles. But with Michael involved—someone so intricately tied to the Harris family—she wasn’t sure what Tyler would do.
Tyler didn’t look at her; he stood, his movements deliberate as he collected himself. “Yes, call the police,” he said, his voice low but firm. “I’m not going to let this slide just because of family ties.”
Linda bit her lip but didn’t argue. She knew better than to push him further when he was this resolute. “Mr. Tyler, he’s your grandmother’s relative, and also Caleb’s father-in-law…”
Tyler turned to face her then, his eyes intense and unwavering. The weight of the situation hung in the air, thick and suffocating. Linda stopped talking, her words dying in her throat. Tyler’s seriousness was evident, and for the first time, she wasn’t sure whether to feel sympathy for Miles—or fear for him.
Without saying another word, Tyler turned and left the office.
Meanwhile, Maisy and Ana were having a casual conversation about family. Maisy smiled as she chatted with Ana about Marianne, her eyes gleaming with warmth. “I want to visit my mom’s family when we get the chance,” she said, her voice full of longing. She missed the pampering and attention of her family back home. Now, as part of the Harris family, she was living in luxury, but something about her own roots called to her.
Ana smiled softly. “I heard Marianne and her child are doing well. Tyler even brought a fancy gift for her baby’s celebration.”
Maisy’s smile widened. “That’s wonderful. It’s my family, so it’s right for him to bring something nice.”
Ana reassured her, offering a kind smile. “Don’t worry. He knows what he’s doing. It shows he cares by going to the celebration himself.”
Maisy’s expression softened with appreciation. “That’s really good.”
Later that evening, when Tyler returned to the hospital, Olivia was still awake. He paused at the door, noticing her silhouette in the dim light. “You’re still up?” he asked, his voice gentle but curious.
Olivia didn’t turn to face him immediately. Her voice was barely above a whisper, filled with uncertainty. “I can’t sleep. I’m… scared.”
Tyler’s heart twisted at her words, and he immediately moved toward her. The room felt charged with a quiet tension, the weight of her fear settling between them. He didn’t need to ask why—he knew the hospital wasn’t the most comfortable place to be, especially for someone in her condition. But it wasn’t just the hospital that had her on edge.
The next morning, the news broke.
The headlines blared the shocking story: The president of Averie Co. and the president of Pinnacle Group in Seta City were caught working together on the finances, taking bribes totaling 10 million dollars. The authorities had brought both Miles and Michael in for questioning.
Caleb, who had been reading the news, looked up, his face pale with disbelief. Marianne, who had been nearby, came rushing over, her expression a mixture of shock and confusion.
“What’s going on with my dad? Aren’t the Harrises related to your great aunt?” she asked, her voice trembling with concern.
Caleb, his hands shaking, read the article again. “I’ll call Tyler. He was checking on the branch, wasn’t he?” He turned to Marianne, who was clenching her fists in worry. “This has to involve him somehow.”
“Call him now!” Marianne urged, her voice rising with urgency. “And call your great aunt too!”
As Caleb picked up the phone, Marianne stood frozen, her emotions a tangled mess of fear and disbelief. The news felt like a slap in the face, especially with the family connections at stake.
At home, Ana sat reading the same news, her eyes narrowing as she processed the severity of it all. What was going on? This was terrible news—news that could shake the foundation of everything.
She quickly stood up, rushing to have the maid remove the newspapers, trying to shield her family from the growing tension.
Just as she was about to sit down, Caleb called Maisy, his voice frantic. “Maisy, I need to talk to you. This is bad. Really bad.”