Chapter 548

The eight of them exited the cafe.

Bruno frowned, utterly perplexed. "What's Alexander playingat? Helping us for nothing?"

Winslow spoke, arms crossed. "No way. He wants us to take down Cedric for him. He just makes it sound like he's doing us a favor."

Huey turned to Hackett. "Hackett, what's the move?"

Hackett's expression remained cold and unreadable."We don't have a choice. Either we go along with this,or we wait to go bankrupt."

A heavy silence settled over them.

Hackett's voice hardened. "Starting tomorrow, we attack Phillips Group from all sides."

Just before leaving,Winslow glanced back at the cafe,a nagging feeling creeping in.

That voice inside didn't sound like Alexander. Who else could it have been? He couldn't place it just yet.

The eight of them spent the night strategizing. By the time the stock market opened the next morning, Phillips Group's shares took a sharp dive.

By the day's end, they had plunged to a historic low.

Rumors spread like wildfire.

Cedric returned to Phillips Group, working to contain the fallout.

Daniela studied the stock chart, her gaze darkening with every dip.

Lillian stood behind her, arms crossed. "They're smarter than I gave them credit for-targeting Cedric instead."

A heavy tension radiated from Daniela, sharper than ever before.

Even Nina, after a quick glance at her, instinctively took a step back.

Nina whispered to Lillian, "What's wrong with Daniela?"

Lillian smirked, casting a knowing look at Daniela."She's pissed."

Nina rarely saw Daniela lose her temper.

In fact, she was indifferent to most things,except Cedric. This was the first time Nina had seen her truly upset.

"So what happens now?" Nina asked, barely above a whisper.

Lillian let out a low chuckle. "Someone's about to regret their choices."

Nina turned to her,wide-eyed.

Traditional industries moved at a different pace than Daniela's company, which thrived on rapid profits.

They depended on raw materials, labor, fluctuating markets, and customer demand. In short, too many variables.

The eight members of the commerce association had deep-rooted connections within the country.

They leaned heavily on those ties, which kept them afloat.

For Phillips Group, the pressure mounted from every direction, crises piling up one after another.

The association members, watching Cedric struggle,finally exhaled in relief, applauding Alexander's cunning strategy.

That day, Hackett sent Richard a rare antique.

Richard beamed with satisfaction. Alexander was just as pleased. Once Phillips Group collapsed, Cedric would have nothing. Then, he could take Cedric's place.

Daniela wanted to step in and help Cedric, but he insisted he could handle it.

So,for the next few days, she stayed on the sidelines,watching. And just as he promised, Cedric pulled through.

She decided to leave it be for now.

A man's pride had to be respected.

Since Cedric didn't want her interfering in. Phillips Group's affairs, she continued to target the association.

Hackett was next.

That night, Hackett and his group sat drinking, basking in their supposed victory. Soon, Cedric would surrender, and they could negotiate with Daniela on their terms.

Bruno exhaled in relief. "For a second, I thought we were actually done for."

Huey wiped the sweat from his forehead. "No kidding.That was brutal. If there's one lesson here, it's that Daniela is not someone to cross." Marcus gave a knowing nod. "True, but luckily, Cedric is her Achilles' heel. Without him,she'd never back dowvn."

Tripp scowled, swirling his glass. "Even so, we took a massive hit. Next time, the membership threshold needs to be raised. We need to recover those losses."

Bruno sneered. "Daniela should be the one paying for it! Who does she think she is, acting so high and mighty? At the end of the day, she's just a woman. If I get the chance, I'll make her regret ever challenging us!"

Huey nodded, his voice dripping with disdain. "She thinks she can avenge her mother's death? She should've died with her! The moment we get the chance, we'll make sure she's out of the picture for good!"

Hackett's expression darkened at those words. "You're underestimating her. Daniela has some serious connections. Plenty of people want her gone,yet she's still standing. That should tell you she's not as easy to take down as you think."

Huey scoffed,rolling his eyes. "Connections? So what?At the end of the day, she's just one person. No matter how powerful she is, when it's her turn to die,she'll beg for mercy like everyone olso." Laughter erupted around the table, their voices

brimming with arrogance.

Just then, Hackett's phone rang. Still smirking, he answered, leaning back in his chair. "What is it?"

The others watched as his confident grin slowly stiffened. Then, in an instant, it vanished, replaced by pure terror.

"What did you just say?"

As Hackett's shaking voice filled the air, the rest of their phones started buzzing with notifications.

One after another.

The breaking news alert flashed across their screens,the headlines bold and damning.

"Scandal of Women Abuse at Graves Group!"

"Hackett's Three Daughters Are Adopted!"

"Graves Group's Charity for Poor Girls Was a Front for Grooming Them for Future Gains."

"Shocking! The Collapse of Graves Group's Public Image!"

Hackett's fingers shook as he clicked on the first article, dread tightening in his chest. A recording of Hackett's conversation with Cedric in the study had gone viral.

In the audio, his voice rang out clearly."As part of the deal, my three daughters will be at your disposal."

"Women are worthless by nature-you can't let them think they're special. Keep them locked away, cut off from the world, make them need you for everything.That way,you can do whatever you please."

Hackett's words played from the phone, his tone cold and calculated.

The other seven people present stared at Hackett in shock.

Bruno slowly rose to his feet, his voice sharp. "So, you went behind our backs and met with Cedric."

Farley's lips curled into a bitter smile. "You told me your eldest daughter was the perfect match for my son. Said they should get engaged after Christmas."

Marcus narrowed his eyes. "You were the one who made it clear-no one was supposed to contact Daniela or Cedric alone."

Huey let out a scornful laugh. "Hackett,you really are something else. Trying to make a secret deal with Cedric? Looks like he played you instead." Hackett stumbled back a step, his face pale. Disbelief flickered across his features, then dread.

He had built his empire in the entertainment industry,where the illusion of female empowerment was a gold mine. But with this scandal, every actress, model, and brand tied to him would be dragged down as well.

Graves Group was spiraling towards disaster.

That night, under the cover of darkness, Hackett visited Alexander again, his hands full of extravagant gifts.