Chapter 198: Chapter 541-550

“Is that so?” Anastasia frowned slightly as a scheming look began to form in her eyes. She said, “Mr.

Lewinsky, go back to Tillman Constructions with your men first. I’m gonna hand the finance department over to Alex. I’ve got to devote myself to looking after my dad.”

Gregory was startled for a moment before he nodded. “Okay.”

After the meeting ended, Anastasia asked Gregory to stay. She said to him, “Mr. Lewinsky, please help me keep a close eye on the accounts.”

Gregory understood what she meant. “I got it, Miss Tillman.”

After the subordinates left, Anastasia picked up her phone and dialed Alex’s number.

“Hey, Anastasia. Is there anything?” Alex sounded somewhat excited.

“Well, I have to devote myself to taking care of my dad, so I may not have time to care about the company’s finances anymore. I’m gonna hand the company’s finances back to you.”

“Dad’s condition matters more than anything else. Anastasia, you can leave the company to me with peace of mind. I’ll definitely save the company from its hopeless situation.”

“Alright. You can rehire your former subordinates into the finance department. My people are gonna leave the department.”

Alex replied, “No problem. Thank you so much, Anastasia.” Inwardly, though, he was overjoyed. Now that Anastasia was going to keep her hands off Tillman Constructions, the whole company would fall under his complete control.

“Oh, by the way, the Silverstar Enterprise still owes us 30 million, so take note of it.” Anastasia reminded him.

“30 million?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright! What a timely help it is. As it happens, the company needs the money to stay afloat.”

“Is that so?” Anastasia frowned slightly as a scheming look began to form in her eyes. She said, “Mr.

Lewinsky, go back to Tillman Constructions with your men first. I’m gonna hand the finance department over to Alex. I’ve got to devote myself to looking after my dad.”

“Alright, that’s all,” Anastasia said before hanging up.

Alex clenched his fists excitedly in his office. Not only was the finance department back in his hands, but the company was going to receive a huge sum of payment. To him, this would really solve the urgent situation.

However, after he was happy for a few seconds, his eyes suddenly darkened. If he could take the 30 million away, the money would be enough for him to start his own business. And besides, could Tillman Constructions still be saved? There was no way the few small projects could sustain the company for long, so it wouldn’t take long before the company went bankrupt. In other words, the 30 million would only go down the drain if it was invested into the company. So, why don’t I keep the 30 million in my hands instead? This will be a real cash flow!

Alex had long been impatient to abandon his position as Tillman Constructions’ president. Whoever wants to be president can take up the position. Luckily, he had a secret trick up his sleeve last time.

The agreement to transfer Naomi’s shares included an additional clause added by him whereby he could give up his rights to the shares anytime. In the end, Erica would be the only person who had to bear the consequences of Tillman Constructions’ bankruptcy. By then, he would divorce her and live in another city with Hayley and the money. Now that’s an enjoyment.

He took everything into account as reality forced him into doing so. It had only been less than two weeks since his appointment as president, but he had learned how difficult it was to run a company. He was already mentally and physically exhausted thanks to all kinds of troubles. If he were to keep on working as the company’s president, he might end up suffering from heart disease. For the sake of his health, he decided to quit.

Meanwhile, Anastasia was standing next to Francis’ sickbed in the hospital. She sincerely hoped that he could wake up immediately and see the looks and ambitions of those around him. “Dad, I’ll make them pay the price,” she whispered softly to him.

That very afternoon, Alex summoned his former subordinates back. Silverstar Enterprise promised to credit the money into Tillman Constructions’ bank account by 10:00 AM tomorrow, but to Alex’s surprise, they credited the money before the off-work hours.

Sitting before his laptop, Alex looked at the 30 million in Tillman Constructions’ bank account with his eyes full of greed. With his capabilities, it wouldn’t be difficult to extract the 30 million. After all, Tillman Constructions needed money for everything right now. As long as he cooked the books a little bit, it would be easy for him to extract the money. Moreover, he was experienced in this.

Meanwhile, Erica was also on pins and needles at home. She couldn’t share the matter with anyone other than Naomi; she dared not even tell Alex about it.

There was no other way but to kill Mrs. Garner to bury the secret forever.

It was obvious at a glance that her biological father had a plebeian mentality. As long as she gave him a little money, he would promise to keep the secret forever. Mrs. Garner was different, though. Even if she took the money, there was no guarantee that she wouldn’t tell Anastasia the secret after she finished spending all the money in the future.

By then, she would be able to get a sum of money from Anastasia.

Mrs. Garner was such a greedy person that Erica would only put her mind at rest if the former vanished completely from the face of the earth. Now that Naomi wasn’t by her side, she had to make all the decisions on her own. Moreover, she inherited Naomi’s ruthless side. She had no other way out; she had to snuff out the secret. If her parentage were to come to light, she would lose all the glory that belonged to her.

Just then, it occurred to her that she hadn’t been intimate with Alex for a long time. The thought made her crave his company tonight, so she dialed his number, wanting to have dinner with him in the evening.

Alex agreed; he would do his best at playing the part of her husband before the 30 million fell into his hands. What gave him the nerve to target the 30 million now was the current lack of oversight on Tillman Constructions. Anastasia was putting her heart and soul into saving Francis, who couldn’t regain consciousness, whereas Erica knew nothing about business. This was a great opportunity for him.

Just then, Erica said, “Alex, I’m afraid that it’s gonna be difficult for my mom to be removed from suspicion. Anastasia refuses to let her off, whereas my dad’s still comatose. So, you’ve got to stay by my side and help me, okay?” She dared not look down on Alex anymore now that she had to depend on him.

“I’ll help you through everything, of course. Now that you’ve given me the power to run the company, I’m not gonna let you down,” Alex replied.

By then, she would be able to get a sum of money from Anastasia.

Erica raised her wine glass. “I love you, Alex.”

“I love you too.” Alex clinked glasses with her.

That night, Alex stayed at Erica’s place. She grabbed his cell phone and wanted to take a look at its messages, only to find that it was locked with a passcode. They were already husband and wife, but Alex didn’t give her open access to his phone. “Alex, what’s your phone’s passcode? I wanna check something,” she asked him.

Alex stretched out his hand and took his phone from her, asking, “What do you want to check? Let me help you.”

Seeing that the phone was back in his hands, Erica couldn’t help but pout her lips. “Alex, why don’t you just tell me the passcode?”

Alex held her for a moment with a smile. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you the passcode. It’s just that my phone contains a lot of stuff about the company, so I’m afraid that you might delete them by accident. Trust me; you’re the only woman I love the most.”

Erica was inwardly speechless for a moment. Like hell I’ll believe you, she thought. Alex was merely married to her, but the woman he loved the most was Anastasia. It was just that he couldn’t get his hands on the latter.

The night passed, and Alex went to work in the morning.

Early in the morning, Erica got a phone call from Mrs. Garner, who asked her if she had prepared the money. When Erica heard this, a hint of a sneer flickered across her eyes. “Mrs. Garner, I borrowed the money, but my friend asked us to go somewhere to get it. Let me fetch you and take you there.”

“Just transfer the money into my bank account!”

Erica replied, “I don’t have that much money on my debit card. I had my friend prepare 200,000 in cash at a place where you have to go and get the money yourself. I’ll transfer the money on my card into your bank account once we get there.”

Mrs. Garner wasn’t a highly-educated person, after all. Hearing that the money was ready, she naturally believed it. “Alright then, come and fetch me.”

Erica left home by car and found a well-hidden place. It was a beach she once visited. There was hardly a soul on the beach, but it had a very high cliff, making it the best place for her to strike. She picked Mrs. Garner up, looking as though she dared not offend the latter. “Here, have some water, Mrs.

Garner. It’ll be quite a journey.”

Mrs. Garner asked warily, “Why do we have to go so far away?”

“That friend of mine runs a hotel by the sea. I have to go to her hotel to get the money.”

Knowing that Erica had many friends, Mrs. Garner didn’t doubt her words. Thinking that she could enjoy the scenery at the seaside, she was in a good mood. “Miss Erica, where is your mom, actually?”

she asked curiously. Naomi was taken away by the police at the hospital, but Erica had never told Mrs.

Garner that the former had been arrested, so Mrs. Garner was still unaware that Naomi was now in prison.

“My mom is taking care of my dad.”

“Oh. In that case, how is your dad—oh, I mean Mr. Tillman?” Mrs. Garner hurriedly corrected herself.

“He’s still unconscious,” Erica said indifferently.

With that, Mrs. Garner stopped talking.

As Erica turned to look at her, disgust flashed through her eyes. Finally, she drove into a seaside path surrounded by reeds.

At this sight, Mrs. Garner commented in surprise, “Your friend owns a hotel here?”

“No, we made an appointment to meet here. With so much money, she has to find a hidden place to give it to me or it’ll be bad if someone steals it from us,” Erica explained while deliberately dialing her phone. But in fact, there would be no answer as she called her other phone which she usually left in her house.

“Oh no! My friend isn’t answering. Let’s go over and see if she has arrived,” Erica suggested pretentiously.

For the sake of money, Mrs. Garner didn’t think much about her words and believed her. Hence, they drove all the way into a hill with the sea in the distance and a shore full of dangerous reefs. As Erica parked her car in a thicket and dialed her friend’s phone again, Mrs. Garner immediately looked over.

“Hayley, are you here yet? What, you didn’t have time to wait for me? So, where did you keep the money? Why did you leave it there? Okay, I get it. I’ll take it myself then.” Once Erica finished speaking and hung up the phone, she said, “Mrs. Garner, my friend left the money somewhere, so let’s go and check!”

Mrs. Garner nodded and followed her all the way to the edge of the cliff. “He’s still unconscious,” Erica said indifferently.

With that, Mrs. Garner stopped talking.

Erica pointed to a stone and said, “My friend left the money behind that stone. Let’s go over and see whether it’s there.”

At first, Mrs. Garner was walking behind her, but Erica took out a card and suddenly threw it beside the bush. “Oh no! Mrs. Garner, my card has been blown away. Hurry and help me pick it up. It’s actually for you.”

When Mrs. Garner saw the card, she instantly rushed over to pick it up without hesitation. Then, Erica seized the opportunity and took advantage of Mrs. Garner’s moment of distraction to cruelly shove her to the bottom of the cliff two meters away. Mrs. Garner waved her hand in horror to grab at something, but her hands only grasped at air and she was soon swallowed by the raging sea below.

Seeing that she had succeeded, Erica lay on the edge of the cliff and looked around for a while. Then, she finally breathed a sigh of relief and said while clutching her chest, “You were asking for it, so don’t blame me.”

She sat and watched for a long time, but she didn’t see Mrs. Garner’s body at all. From the looks of the dark sea current, it was impossible for the person involved to float, let alone survive. Even if Mrs.

Garner was discovered and they interrogated Erica, she could just make up an alibi. As Mrs. Garner had no children and lived all by herself, it was reasonable for her to jump into the sea and end her own life out of loneliness.

As Erica drove home, she felt completely relaxed. She had finally solved one of her biggest troubles, and no one would ever discover her parentage again. Along the way home, she acted as though nothing happened and continued to eat, drink, and have fun. Last night, Alex told her that the company’s situation had improved. Now, she could simply wait for the profits to come rolling in from the company and make herself a fortune with peace of mind.

In the company, Alex began to prepare for the transfer and embezzlement of the 30 million. He planned to fake a negotiation with a dummy company, then send the money over to that company before having it wired back to himself. The money could then be considered as part of their company’s deficit.

On the other hand, Hayley was not enjoying herself in Alex’s apartment. She had now lost her sense of taste and smell, which greatly inconvenienced her life. After she got up early this morning, she went to the mirror and admired her beauty before moving onto a detailed skin care routine. Suddenly, she felt a few bumps on her forehead with a hint of bruises. Although it couldn’t be seen easily, the protruding bumps on her face were a little obvious.

“What’s this?” Hayley stretched out her hand and covered her forehead, not daring to take a closer look all of a sudden. As she previously had a flat forehead, she went for a Botox injection.

Hayley took a deep breath and checked the bumps. The more she looked at it, the angrier she became, and she even felt a little frightened. Were the side effects starting to appear? No, she didn’t have the money to repair and maintain her face now.

It took her a long time before she barely managed to cover these bumps with makeup, but she knew that if she didn’t take care of her face, she would have even more problems in the future. At the beginning, she spent nearly two million on plastic surgery, and some of these procedures required follow-up appointments after three months. Back then, she had Elliot’s black card that she could spend as much as she wanted. However, she didn’t expect that she would be ruthlessly driven out by him one day.

Hayley looked at herself in the mirror, feeling hatred and adoration for her face at the same time. She became even more jealous of Anastasia’s natural beauty, while she had to always be frightened and afraid that she would lose hers at any time.

Early in the morning, Anastasia received a call from the police as Naomi’s lawyer wanted to see her.

However, she didn’t really want to meet them as Naomi’s matter was not over yet. The reason why she delayed her father’s resuscitation and the pills found in his mouth were all related to Naomi. Before collecting all necessary evidence, she wouldn’t accuse her yet. She wouldn’t be merciful this time either. Even if Naomi was her stepmother, she wouldn’t go easy on her. Hayley took a deep breath and checked the bumps. The more she looked at it, the angrier she became, and she even felt a little frightened. Were the side effects starting to appear? No, she didn’t have the money to repair and maintain her face now.

In the afternoon, Naomi’s lawyer contacted Erica, and she directly took the lawyer to the hospital to meet Anastasia. Erica anxiously wished for her mother to be released as well, so Anastasia had no choice but to face them directly.

In the conference room, the lawyer talked to Anastasia on behalf of Naomi, while Erica sat aside and listened.

“Miss Tillman, Ms. Lowell is your stepmother and has raised you since you were a child…” The lawyer began, intending to persuade Anastasia in a reasonable way.

However, Anastasia scoffed before he even finished his sentence. “Mr. Yale, before you persuade me, you should ask how my stepmother treated me when I was younger. Otherwise, it’ll be a waste of your time.”

Elias Yale couldn’t help but push his glasses up and glance at Erica. For the sake of her mother, Erica became meek all of a sudden. “Anastasia, I know my mother was not a good person, but can you let her out in consideration of her taking care of Dad for so many years and their relationship as a married couple? She’s too old for this.”

Anastasia said emotionlessly, “Now, you think your mother is too old to suffer, but does that mean I deserved to be kicked out of my house by her when I was young? Also, you chased me out like this five years ago, and we still haven’t dealt with that matter yet!”

Erica gulped subconsciously. Never once had she thought that she and her mother would end up in such a predicament, or she would’ve been kinder to Anastasia.

“Miss Tillman, perhaps you are mistaken. According to Ms. Lowell, she only hoped to save her husband from his coma, not to murder him,” Elias said calmly.

“Mr. Yale, the evidence is in my hands. The hospital has the identification certificate which can determine if those drugs were meant to save a person or end their life. If you have any questions, I can tell you the names of those drugs, and you can inquire with an expert about them! If you want to clear her of the crime, my advice is you should convince her to plead guilty instead,” Anastasia retorted coldly.

As she listened to their conversation, Erica broke into a cold sweat. Although Anastasia was never an easy target in the task, she realized that she was even more of a threat now.

“Anastasia, I’m begging you, please let Mom go on the behalf of her taking care of Dad for so many years! I’ll do anything you say, all right? I apologize to you on behalf of my mother. As long as you let her go, we’ll definitely return the favor in the future.” Erica had already let go of all her pride. As long as her mother could be released, she was willing to humbly beg Anastasia.

However, to Anastasia, it was useless even if Erica got on her knees and begged her. She said coldly, “I’m busy. I have to take care of Dad. You should leave!”

“Anastasia…” Erica stretched out her hand to pull her back, but Anastasia raised her hand in disgust.

“Don’t touch me,” she said scornfully.

Her gaze startled Erica, and she didn’t dare to touch her anymore. As she looked at Anastasia, all she felt was resentment.

As Anastasia didn’t give them a chance, Elias felt that this was a tricky case as well. As he sorted out the documents, he remarked, “Miss Erica, your mother’s case is not an easy one!”

“Please, Mr. Yale, you must help my mom and find a way to save her. I can give you all the money you need,” Erica begged anxiously.

“Your mother’s side is very unfavorable, and your sister isn’t letting up at all. Now, the only way is to wake your father as soon as possible and ask him to come forward to solve this matter. He and your mother have been married for more than 20 years, so he might rescind the charges.”

A glimmer of hope flashed in Erica’s eyes at his words, but it was quickly replaced by panic. No, Francis would not necessarily let them go if he woke up. After they changed his will and divided his company’s equity, and with the evidence that her mother was harming him, what if he didn’t let them go? Therefore, Erica would rather Francis never woke up from his coma.

“My dad may not wake up anymore, so let’s forget about this. You should come up with another plan!”

After Erica finished speaking, she decided to go and visit Francis.

Having received Anastasia’s orders, the nurses would not simply disclose Francis’ condition to outsiders. Hence, even Erica did not know about the improvement in his condition. She stood in front of the bed and looked at his face. Even though she had been raised by him for more than 20 years, she did not feel any trace of gratitude toward him at all. From the fact that she dared to deal with Mrs.

Garner, it was clear that she had already lost all affection for him. “Anastasia…” Erica stretched out her hand to pull her back, but Anastasia raised her hand in disgust.

Erica left without staying for long and went straight to Tillman Constructions to see how the company was doing, as Alex had told her that things were getting better. When she walked into his office and saw him signing some documents, she leaned over and hugged him affectionately.

“Looks like you’re busy, Alex.”

“Yeah.” Alex placed the documents down and lifted his head to look at her. “What brings you here?”

“I was trying to beg Anastasia to let Mom go, but I didn’t expect her to be so determined to put Mom in jail. Alex, what do you think I should do?” Erica asked in hopes of discussing this matter with him.

Alex didn’t care about Naomi at all and thought it was best for her to take all of the blame so that he and Erica could live a comfortable life. “Erica, Anastasia has evidence of Mom’s crime with her. We can’t save her. If you have the opportunity to see her, you should ask her not to worry and stay there for a few years. We’ll wait for her to come out.”

“What? You want my mom to stay in jail for a few years?” His words startled Erica.

Seeing that being gentle wasn’t working, Alex could only speak harshly. “What else? If your mom doesn’t take the blame for this crime, it’ll be over for all of us. Besides, it was her idea to murder your dad in the first place.”

Erica felt despair, but she couldn’t leave Alex. She truly envied Anastasia for being able to make a man like Elliot do anything for her. On the other hand, why was the man she met so coldhearted?

“Erica, think about it. If your mom doesn’t take the blame, then you’ll be one of the culprits of the murder. At most, I’m a foil, not the mastermind. But when your father fell into a coma, the mastermind had to be either you or your mom, so if your mom doesn’t go to jail, it would be you. You’re still so young. Can you stand staying in prison?”

“But Mom…” Erica was about to rebuke when Alex spoke again.

“Your mom has had a good life for more than 20 years. She can survive it, but I feel sorry for you.

You’re only 24 years old. You have a lot of time left instead of wasting your life away in that dark cell. If your mom loves you, she will take the blame for you.”

Erica’s mind was inundated with fear at this point. She truly didn’t want to go to jail, to the point where she’d rather take her own life. After all, it would drive her crazy.

“All right. I’ll be meeting Mom tomorrow. I… I’ll talk to her then.” In the end, Erica only cared about herself.

Erica felt that Alex had a point. If her mother didn’t take the blame, she would have to bear the guilt along with her. Hence, it was only if Naomi confessed to her crimes and cleared Erica’s accusations would she be able to have a good life.

“Stop working overtime and come home with me tonight. I miss you.” Erica was a little afraid of spending the night alone as she had just pushed Mrs. Garner into the sea that morning. Besides, she knew that Mrs. Garner had no chance of survival. Would she turn into a ghost to haunt her at night?

She needed his luck.

“Tonight, I…” Alex had just agreed to have dinner with Hayley ten minutes ago and sleep over at her place that night.

“Alex, I need you. Can you stay with me tonight?” Erica embraced him. “I’m too scared to sleep alone.”

Seeing that he couldn’t refuse, he could only agree to her. While Erica was in the restroom, Alex sent a message to Hayley saying that he had to cancel their date that night.

At that moment, Hayley had already hurriedly dressed up for her romantic night with Alex. Now that he was not coming, her mood was ruined. Is Erica pestering him? Mockery flashed in her eyes at that thought. Is she trying to pick a fight with me? She continued to bombard Alex with messages, telling him to turn down Erica and come to her side before she got angry.

Alex was caught in the middle of two women fighting for his favor. If it were in the past, he might’ve thought that it was his fortune, but now he only felt irritated. While Erica used the restroom, he began to come up with a plan for divorce as well. If not, it would be troublesome if Erica refused to leave him after he got his hands on the money. Erica felt that Alex had a point. If her mother didn’t take the blame, she would have to bear the guilt along with her. Hence, it was only if Naomi confessed to her crimes and cleared Erica’s accusations would she be able to have a good life.

He felt that Erica seemed to be uneasy that night, as if she had done something wrong. Though she said that she was afraid to spend the night alone, Alex thought that this was an opportunity to lead her into making a mistake. He had a relatively young assistant from the finance department who was also quite handsome and had a sly and brave personality that he could take advantage of.

When Erica was getting off work, Alex anxiously told her that he had to meet a client and might only be able to come back from Belros the next morning.

“Alex, I’ll go with you.”

“No, this is an urgent matter. I wouldn’t have time to stay with you even if you come along, and it’s not convenient for us if you’re there.”

“But…”

“Erica, if you’re scared at night, just give me a call.”

“Alex…” Before Erica could stop him, Alex had already gotten into the car and left.

As she watched the sun set in the distance, she began to feel a chill down her spine as her mind filled with Mrs. Garner’s horrified expression as she fell into the water. Her grip tightened around her clothes in fear as she got into her car and wondered, Who should I look for tonight? Who can stay with me?

She then thought of Hayley, the only person who was still in contact with her. With that, she instantly reached for her phone and dialed Hayley’s number. “Hello? Hayley, are you free tonight? I want to invite you to come and spend a night at my house.”

“Tonight? I’m not free, though. I’m going to meet a friend later.”

“What friend? Is it important? Can you cancel your plans and meet with me? I’ll treat you to a feast and we can go to a bar after.”

“I really can’t. It’s a really important friend of mine. I’m sorry, Erica. Have fun at the bar!” Hayley made it clear that she wouldn’t be able to come. After all, she had a date with Alex that night!

As she sat in her car, Erica felt herself tremble. She could only drive aimlessly around the city, but as it started to get late, she called Alex, who was by Hayley’s side at the same time. He comforted her before telling her that one of his employees was going to the Tillman Residence to deliver some documents.

“How about this, Erica? I’ll ask my assistant to chat with you first. If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.” Saying that, he ended the call.

Hence, Erica could only contact his assistant. It was then that she heard an attractive and young male voice. “Miss Tillman, I’m on my way to your house. Where are you?”

Immediately, she felt her heart skip a beat. This assistant’s voice sounds so pleasing! And he seems young too!

“I’m almost home. What about you?”

“I’m on my way there.”

“Okay, then I’ll wait for you.”

Ten minutes later, Erica opened the door for the suited young man with documents in hand. The appearance of this young man was considered to be above average.

Suddenly, her eyes brightened as an idea popped into her mind: make this assistant stay the night with her as she was afraid of the traces of Mrs. Garner in the house that would make her feel as though Mrs. Garner was still by her side.

“Miss Tillman, I’ll leave the documents here. Since I still have something to do—”

“Hold it. What’s your name?” Erica stopped him.

“My name is Oscar.”

“You have a nice name, Oscar! I happen to be slightly bored now, so how about you have a seat and keep me company?” She took the initiative to make him stay.

However, it was no coincidence for Oscar to bring the documents to Erica as Alex had promised him a hundred thousand for him to seduce Erica and to hand him evidence of this affair. To Oscar, it was as though he struck gold as he didn’t have to lift a finger for things to progress the way he wanted.

He was but a victim in all of this matter if Erica was the one who made the first move.

Noticing the frivolous expression in her eyes, Oscar asked, “Miss Tillman, wouldn’t it be inappropriate for me to stay?”

“As long as the both of us keep our mouths shut, it wouldn’t be an inappropriate matter.” Saying that, Erica stood up and poured Oscar a glass of wine. “Oscar, do you perhaps have a girlfriend?” “I’m almost home. What about you?”

“I’m on my way there.”

“Nope!”

“That’s great. For a second there, I was afraid your girlfriend would get jealous because of this.” Erica realized that compared to Alex, Oscar was much more pleasing to the eyes. She had been feeling lonely as Alex had been treating her coldly recently. Hence, to appease her loneliness, she desperately wanted a man’s comfort.

“Okay, then I’ll accompany you tonight, Miss Tillman!” Oscar had his own ideas regarding Erica as well.

To him, she was the daughter of Francis Tillman, which meant that she was a woman of wealth!

Happy at how interested he was, she said, “I’m feeling a little hot right now. I’ll go upstairs to take a shower.”

Ten minutes later, she came back downstairs in sexy lingerie. Oscar, on the other hand, had set up his camera in one of the corners of the room.

“Miss Tillman… You’re…”

“Am I pretty?” The confident Erica sat on the sofa with her eyes on him.

“Yes, you’re very pretty,” Oscar praised.

When she heard his compliment, her eyes lit up with hints of joy in them. “Then, stay the night with me!”

“But, Miss Tillman, what would I be doing?” He feigned ignorance.

Suddenly, she boldly held the man in her embrace. “I need you, Oscar. Tonight, I am all yours.”

“Miss Tillman, I don’t think this is appropriate.”

“Don’t reject me,” she asked proactively.

“Miss Tillman… We can’t do this!”

“Oscar, if you try to refuse me again, I will fire you first thing the next morning,” Erica said domineeringly and took advantage of her position to pressure the man.

However, this was exactly what Oscar wanted as he needed to act as an unwilling participant.

Thus, the night ended with her shamelessly having an affair with him.

When morning came, Oscar left early to give the video of the affair, which had been edited to only show Erica’s face, to Alex. After Alex had paid Oscar posthaste, Oscar resigned that very morning.

With a cold yet pleased expression in his eyes, Alex waited for the 30 million to be laundered in his office. If all went perfectly, the money would be safe in his offshore account as it would be completely untraceable in the country.

Finally, Alex’s other phone received a notification. Silently counting the number of zeros, he let out a satisfied smile, as he could now quit the wreck that was Tillman Constructions. Finally, the money is in my hands now. Then, he took out a contract from his drawer before he dialed Erica’s number.

“Hello, Alex.” Erica’s voice was tinged with slight guilt.

“Are you home? I’ll be coming back, as there’s something I have to discuss with you.”

“I am. I’ll wait for you,” Erica replied gently.

With the video and contract in hand, Alex left to meet Erica. Currently, the Tillman Residence looked deserted. In the past, Mrs. Garner would open the door for him whenever he came home. Now, he had to enter the password himself to open the door.

Upon entering the house, Alex found Erica, who was waiting for his arrival, sitting on the sofa. Erica was speculating that Alex wanted to discuss the future of the company with her.

“Where’s Mrs. Garner?” Alex asked curiously.

“She quit and went back home since I don’t need a servant when I’m by myself,” Erica explained. Since yesterday afternoon, she had been watching the news to see if there were any reports of dead bodies found in the sea, but not once did the image of Mrs. Garner appear on the news. This made her think that Mrs. Garner might have disappeared from the face of the earth forever, or perhaps Mrs. Garner had already been chewed to bits by the sharks. Regardless, Mrs. Garner no longer existed in this world.

“Erica, were you afraid of being by yourself last night?” Alex asked as soon as he sat down.

“I was fine. I wasn’t that afraid when I thought of you.” Erica looked at Alex flirtatiously.

After Alex looked at the woman as though he was watching a theater play, he took out his iPad and played a certain video. Immediately after, the room was filled with what Erica had said the night before:

“If you try to refuse me again, I will fire you first thing the next morning.”

“Are you home? I’ll be coming back, as there’s something I have to discuss with you.”

Frightened, Erica blanched at once and tried to grab the iPad from his hand like a madman while shamelessly glaring at him. “Why… Why do you have this?”

Alex closed the video before he sneered, “You still have the nerve to ask me? When you were the one who had slept with one of my employees? Erica Tillman, are you playing some sort of sick game of infidelity with me?”

“What do you want?” Red with anger, Erica gritted her teeth, as she felt she had fallen into a trap.

Alex said nothing further as he threw a contract right in front of Erica. “Sign it!”

“What is this?” Erica took the contract, all the while glaring at Alex.

“It’s good news; I’ll be returning all of my shares in Tillman Constructions to you. From now on, you will be holding 70 percent of the company’s shares, as I’ll be quitting that wretch of a company.” A look of disgust appeared on his face. “The company was still profitable back when your father was still around, but now, it’s losing millions every day. I’m not going to accompany you to saddle these debts.”

“You… Alex, I don’t get how the company operates. I know it’s my fault. Please, don’t go through with the divorce; don’t leave me, okay?” Erica became anxious all of a sudden. Should the company continue to lose money like this, bankruptcy would be unavoidable. The shares she held in the company would amount to nothing in the end.

“Do you think I’ll still want to be with you? I can’t even stand the sight of a dirty woman like you! Now, if you don’t want this video to be uploaded online for the world to see, sign it!”

Erica broke down. Gritting her teeth, she trembled all over. “I’m not signing this. You were the one who caused the company to be in this state. Why should I be the one to bear these debts alone?”

“If you want to point fingers, point them at Anastasia, as this was all her doing and has nothing to do with me.” Alex refused to admit that his capabilities were not up to par. Nevertheless, he wished to have nothing to do with Tillman Constructions anymore since he had already gotten a sum of money from the company.

“Sign it.” Alex threatened once more by bringing attention to the iPad in his hand. “Otherwise, I’ll upload this online. The whole world will see just how shameful you are then.”

“No!” Erica was on the verge of going crazy, as she knew that her life would be ruined the minute that video was uploaded online. She would never be able to hold her head up high ever again.

Caved to Alex’s threats, Erica could only pick up the pen and sign on the dotted line before stamping her fingerprint next to her signature.

After Erica finished signing the documents, Alex took one copy before he said coldly, “Erica Tillman, don’t bother me from now on. Your father’s affairs have nothing to do with me. I shouldn’t need to remind you that I can easily upload this video anytime I want if you named me as a participant in the revision of the will.”

With her heart wretched, Erica glared at Alex’s indifferent expression and noticed just how intense the feeling of hatred could be, so much so that she wanted to end his life right at this very spot.

Smugly, Alex raised the iPad in his hand. “Don’t upset me. I’ll see you tomorrow at the county clerk’s office to end this marriage.”

Looking at the man’s shadow gradually vanishing from sight, Erica covered her face and bawled her eyes out, as she hadn’t the slightest idea of what to do now. The pressure of having the loss-making Tillman Constructions in her hands was just like having a mountain coming down on her. She never knew just how miserable it would be to hold the shares of this company. If the company went bankrupt, she would never be able to pay off the astronomical debts even if she had several lifetimes.

However, amid her despair, Erica thought of someone who could get her out of this mess—Anastasia.

Right now, only Anastasia was capable enough to salvage Tillman Constructions from the brink of bankruptcy. Hence, she left her house with her bag in hand and went straight to the hospital.

In the hospital, Anastasia had just left the specialist’s office in a good mood, as her father’s recovery was above her expectations. Furthermore, the doctor had assured her that it was only a matter of time before her father would regain consciousness now. She was relieved after hearing the doctor’s diagnosis, as her father’s illness had been a great source of distress for her all this while.

“Miss… wait! You have to check in!” one of the nurses at the nurses station shouted.

With her heart wretched, Erica glared at Alex’s indifferent expression and noticed just how intense the feeling of hatred could be, so much so that she wanted to end his life right at this very spot.

As Erica had coincidentally bumped into Anastasia, she rushed over to Anastasia without caring to register herself for a visit. “Anastasia, you have to help me!”

“What is it?” Anastasia replied indifferently.

“You have to save Dad’s company! Alex wants to divorce me. He doesn’t care about the company anymore. Right now, the company is losing millions as days go by. Please, you have to save the company. I don’t want to see it go bankrupt.” Erica’s eyes grew red from anxiety.

However, Anastasia sneered, “What you want is to not be saddled with debts.”

Taken aback, Erica bit her lip and said, “Do you really have the heart to watch as our dad’s company goes bankrupt?”

“I’ve been counting the days for the company to go bankrupt so that those insatiable hyenas can have a taste of being in huge debt,” said Anastasia while glaring at Erica.

Erica didn’t have the guts to look Anastasia in the eyes. “Then, what would it take for you to save the company?”

“Make me the sole shareholder by transferring all of your shares to me. Only then will I consider your request.” Anastasia put forward her condition.

“What?” Erica’s face grew white with anger. “You want all of my shares in the company? Anastasia Tillman, don’t you think you’re being too greedy? The most I can give up is 20 percent.”

“Then you can stop begging me and forget about it. By my estimation, the company would probably last for another three months before the bank comes in to liquidate the assets. With the number of shares you hold, you are sure to be millions in debt. You can spend the rest of your life paying off the debt then,” Anastasia sneered.

Erica’s eyes lit with horror upon Anastasia’s words.

“I’ll give you five minutes to think about this. I’ll be waiting in the conference room for your decision.”

Saying that, Anastasia left for the conference room.

Erica sat on a nearby chair, looking extremely pale and haggard, as the company was now a liability that she absolutely needed to wash her hands off. However, she couldn’t get over the fact of Anastasia demanding her to give up all of her shares in the company. After seconds passed, she gulped and closed her eyes before she left for the conference room with her fists clenched and the intention to compromise.

Anastasia was reading the news on her phone when Erica took a seat opposite her. “I can give up all of my shares to you, but you have to promise me that you’ll pay me 50 million when the company starts making a profit again.” Erica was still unwilling to give up.

“With how hard the company is struggling financially right now, you still want to be paid off?” Anastasia did not agree to Erica’s demand.

“10 million.” Erica negotiated.

“Forget it.”

“Anastasia Tillman, I am also a daughter of Francis Tillman. I’ll be giving up all my shares to you, yet you won’t even give me 10 million?” Erica said angrily.

“Five million in five installments, but only if the company starts making a profit.” Anastasia countered Erica’s offer.

After tolerating Anastasia time after time, Erica thought her hatred of Anastasia only grew deeper, as she felt it was Anastasia who had forced her into this situation. However, she was left with no other choice but to give up the company to Anastasia. “Fine! I’ll give up all of my shares to you for five million.” Erica caved to Anastasia’s offer, but quickly added one more demand of her own. “Release my mother as well.”

“You can give up on those thoughts. She needs to pay for what she did.” Anastasia refused to budge.

Tears of anger welled in Erica’s eyes. “She’s my mother.”

“You reap what you sow. With how much karma she has accumulated, she needs to pay the price of her actions,” Anastasia replied indifferently.

At Anastasia’s words, Erica felt her heart jerked sharply, her hands trembling slightly, as the thought of Mrs. Garner surfaced in her mind. No, I’ve done nothing wrong. She tried to calm herself by convincing herself that there would be no retribution waiting for her down the line. “Fine. I’ll go to the company with you right now to sign the contract.” She did not want to have anything to do with Tillman Constructions a second longer.

“Good.” Anastasia smiled with relief in her eyes. Ultimately, she did not wish for her father’s company to go bankrupt, as it was her father’s life’s work.

Anastasia drove herself to Tillman Constructions with a black SUV following behind her. Inside the black SUV were the bodyguards Elliot had assigned for her protection.

After tolerating Anastasia time after time, Erica thought her hatred of Anastasia only grew deeper, as she felt it was Anastasia who had forced her into this situation. However, she was left with no other choice but to give up the company to Anastasia. “Fine! I’ll give up all of my shares to you for five million.” Erica caved to Anastasia’s offer, but quickly added one more demand of her own. “Release my mother as well.”

Inside Francis’ office, Erica eagerly took out the contract for her shares and the equity transfer contract.

After she finished signing, Anastasia also signed the transfer contract and stamped it with her fingerprint. Looking at the signed contract, Erica felt slightly reluctant but relieved at the same time, as she no longer needed to worry about falling into debt. “Anastasia, what are you going to do now?” Erica asked deliberately out of curiosity about how her sister was going to reverse the company’s situation.

Naturally, Anastasia did not have the capability to do so. However, as luck would have it, she had someone backing her, someone amazing. “I have my ways regarding that. You can leave now,”

Anastasia said.

Erica herself did not wish to stay in the company any longer as well. Before she left the company, she dropped by the finance department but could not find Oscar there. Regardless, even if she did meet Oscar here, all she could do was swallow her pain alone.

After Anastasia watched Erica’s car leaving the company from the French window, she dialed Elliot’s number.

“Have you gone to Tillman Constructions?” Elliot asked.

“Yeah, Erica has given up all of her shares to me.”

“They couldn’t even handle this much?” Elliot asked rhetorically before he continued, “Wait for me. I’ll come over right now.” This sentence of his was filled with an indescribable strength that warmed Anastasia’s heart. With Elliot around, she wouldn’t need to worry about the company’s future at all.

Thirty minutes later, two armored SUVs opened up the way to the front entrance of Tillman Constructions. The domineering black Rolls-Royce Phantom was the first in line with seven to eight luxury cars following behind. Just like this, the company’s car park was filled to the brim. The employees were shocked as they watched all these vehicles from the various windows of the building.

All of them started speculating just what kind of big shot had come and whether these people were the company’s salvation.

One of the bodyguards opened the door of the black car to reveal Elliot getting out of the car. He was dressed to the nines, as he gave off a powerful presence with his black formal wear. As though following his lead, a group of people also came down from the luxury cars. They all gave a look of respect toward Elliot before following him into Tillman Constructions. It was a majestic sight to behold the group of them march with gusto behind Elliot.

Anastasia knew Elliot arrived but did not know he had brought along so many guests. Just then, Elliot entered her office. Puzzled, she looked at him. “Who are those people?”

“They’re all your father’s former clients. They came to have a meeting with you.”

Anastasia blinked dumbfoundedly before feeling the warmth in her heart gradually coming to the surface. Looks like he’s already planning to resume the company’s projects.

Then, Elliot took her hand in his. “Let’s go and listen to what they have to say.”