Chapter 253
After Alaric finished speaking, he shot Ambrose a piercing look. Ambrose was momentarily taken aback—he hadn’t expected Alaric to piece together so much of the puzzle.
Alaric’s smirk was icy. “The evidence you have could implicate Stuart or Todd.”
Ambrose kept his composure. “You despise Stuart and Todd, don’t you? So you want to use this evidence to blackmail Stellan into coming back to you, and then expose it to bring Stuart and Todd down. You get Stellan back and secure a spot at the Vale Group. Nice plan, Ambrose.”
Ambrose, however, remained calm. “Mr. Knight, with such an imagination, you should write novels. You claim Stuart had me infiltrate the Storm Group to bankrupt it. What’s the motive behind that? The Vale family operates abroad, very differently from the Storm family. Stuart rarely even returns to Arizona, let alone hold grudges.”
He paused and continued, “Why would Stuart go to such lengths to destroy the Storm family? There’s no benefit to him or the Vale family in doing so. Stuart doesn’t waste time on pointless schemes.”
Alaric smirked. “I admit, your reasoning is solid. But it falls apart because it lacks a motive. Even if what you say is true, where’s the evidence?”
Ambrose’s lips twisted into a forced smile. “Mr. Knight, don’t rush. I’m sure you’ll find the evidence soon enough—and then you can figure out the motive.”
Alaric’s eyes narrowed with cold amusement. “I will. Count on it.”
With that, Alaric turned and walked into the entertainment center, Ambrose following silently behind.
The entertainment center was massive, and Alaric left the inspection to the professionals. It took them a full day to complete the assessment and sign off on the final paperwork.
Ambrose turned to Alaric as he finished the inspection. “Mr. Knight, can I hand over the project now?”
Alaric nodded, signing the final confirmation. “Yes, our cooperation is officially over.”
Ambrose offered a tight smile. “It was a pleasure working with you. Thanks to this project, Far East International’s reputation is stronger than ever. It’s all thanks to you.”
Alaric’s gaze hardened slightly, though his tone remained professional. “In terms of work, you’re impeccable. But as a person, you disappoint me.”
Ambrose’s smile faltered, but he said nothing.
Alaric’s voice was sharp. “If you can’t be a good person, all the success in the world won’t matter. Remember, if you play with fire, you’ll get burned.”
Ambrose smiled through gritted teeth. “Thanks for the reminder. I’ll keep it in mind.”
Alaric gave him one final cold look before leaving the center. With the inspection complete, the project payment was processed, and a substantial amount of money was deposited into Far East International’s account. Word spread quickly that Todd’s pharmaceutical equipment company had been facing financial difficulties, and the timely influx of funds helped to resolve the crisis, much to Stuart’s satisfaction.
As Ambrose looked down at his phone, he saw a call from Stuart. His heart skipped a beat. Stuart usually despised him. Even when something important came up, Stuart would delegate, never calling Ambrose directly.
Curious and slightly nervous, Ambrose answered the call. “Hello, Dad.”
Stuart’s voice was unusually warm. “Gavin, you did a great job on the Arizona project.”
Ambrose, taken aback, replied, “Thanks, Dad. I’m really surprised you called.”
Stuart chuckled. “I used to be too busy. Now that I’ve retired and handed the company over to Todd, I have more free time.”
Ambrose swallowed his frustration. Why had Stuart chosen Todd, the reckless fool, over him? It infuriated him that Stuart would give Todd the company while ignoring Ambrose’s hard work.
“Dad, you’ve worked hard for so long. It’s time for you to enjoy yourself,” Ambrose said, playing along. “Now that Todd’s in charge, I’ll fully support him, so you don’t have to worry.”
Stuart’s tone softened. “With you supporting Todd, I have no worries. Just like this time—when he ran into trouble, he relied on you.”
Ambrose clenched his fists, keeping his voice steady. “Of course, Dad. I’ll make sure Todd is well supported.”
“Good,” Stuart said. “There’s another matter I wanted to discuss. Arizona’s economy is booming, and we can’t miss out. The board has decided to continue projects there. There’s a jewelry company that’s publicly traded but facing internal conflicts—some executives have been arrested, and others fled. The company is on the verge of bankruptcy. We’ve decided to acquire it and appoint Todd as the director. Since you’re familiar with Arizona, I need you to work closely with Todd on this.”
Ambrose’s heart sank. He’d poured so much effort into Arizona, making huge profits for the Vale family, only for Stuart to once again favor Todd. The thought of Todd being put in charge of yet another venture stung like a fresh wound.
“Alright, when Todd arrives, let me know, and I’ll pick him up. I’ll fully support him,” Ambrose said, his voice tight with restraint.
Stuart’s voice was warm again. “Good. I knew you’d be reliable. Keep up the good work in Arizona.”
After hanging up, Ambrose threw his phone onto the couch, his fists clenched in frustration. One day, he would make Stuart pay for this.
The day of the entertainment center’s grand opening arrived, and the atmosphere was electric. Media from both domestic and foreign outlets flooded the event, eager to cover the highly anticipated occasion.
Last time, when Stellan’s Reassuring Clinic had opened, Caspian, Harry, and Elisa hadn’t attended. But this time, they insisted on being there. The high-profile kids quickly became the focus of the media, handling the onslaught of cameras with unshakable composure.
Caspian smiled and waved. “Hi, I’m Caspian. Thanks for coming today. My dad put a lot of effort into this entertainment center, and I hope everyone enjoys it.”
Elisa joined in with a bright smile. “I’m Elisa. I hope everyone has a great time and gets good value from their visit.”
Everyone chuckled at Elisa’s comment. Harry rolled his eyes but spoke with his usual bluntness. “Cut the small talk. Today’s about Dad, not interviews. Let us enjoy ourselves.”
Laughter spread through the crowd as Harry finished his remark. The broadcast was global, and Aurora, watching from home, couldn’t help but admire the children’s confidence.
“They’re so cute,” she said, her voice full of admiration. “They’re so young, but they’re not afraid of all the cameras. It’s amazing. I would get nervous just seeing so many people.”
Seeing Caspian on TV, Cormac couldn’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia. It felt like it had been a lifetime ago when things were simpler, before everything changed.