"Your goods are problematic," Lambert replied nonchalantly as Ethan pushed him into the hospital room, the door left ajar.
Jennifer jumped to her feet, instantly abandoning any thoughts about Mia. Grabbing her bag, she rushed out of the room, heading straight to the company.
"Mia, take care of yourself. I'll leave now," Daniel said, knowing it wasn't the right time to stay any longer, as Lambert was clearly eager to send him off.
Mia nodded and watched him leave.
"Bang." The sound of the door closing made Mia's heart skip a beat. She looked warily at Lambert, instinctively shielding her abdomen with her hands. She cared more than anyone about the child inside her.
"Ethan, investigate him," Lambert's voice was unexpectedly soft as his gaze fell indifferently on Mia.
"Can he cure your mute condition?" Lambert asked her, as though genuinely concerned.
She bit her lip and nodded. The foundation of a marriage is honesty and trust.
She knew his secret about not being lame, so she decided to share her own with him. That way, things would be fair.
"Mia, you'd better keep my secret to yourself. If you don't, the consequences will be on you." His lips curled coldly, delivering a chilling warning.
His visit wasn't about her health or the child; it was solely to threaten her into keeping his secret. Even if he hadn't come, she wouldn't have exposed him, not wanting to put him in danger.
Lambert always acted this way, unable to see the depth of Mia's feelings for him.
"Ethan, let's go." Satisfied with the answer, Lambert didn't want to linger for another second, instructing Ethan to push him out.
Soon, the room was empty, leaving Mia alone, lying on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
...
In the office of Wenshte Group's chairman, Jennifer was fuming: "The machines were in perfect condition when they were loaded onto the truck. How is it that when they were inspected abroad, they turned into worthless junk? How could you have let someone swap them out without noticing? You've just let a ten-billion-dollar deal get stolen from under your noses!"
The office had once belonged to Robert Wenshte.
Since Robert Wenshte's death, Jennifer had firmly taken control of Wenshte Group's most profitable and straightforward manufacturing division. She didn't need to meet clients personally—just the orders that came to her were enough to ensure a steady, risk-free profit.
The manufacturing cycle for each machine was eight months, with some parts requiring custom ordering, making it impossible to complete in less than a year. Due to the special nature of the machines, the company doesn't keep stock. Production only starts after an order is placed and the contract is signed. Therefore, Jennifer would undoubtedly be at a loss this time.
"Boss, we've been vigilant throughout, taking turns sleeping. There were no issues during transit. I personally oversaw the shipment," Nadella, the department manager, said, his head nearly touching his chest, his voice trembling as he recounted the facts.
"So, are you telling me that what I sent from the warehouse was just a pile of scrap metal?" Jennifer grabbed the folder on the desk and slammed it onto Nadella's head. "Investigate thoroughly. Find out who swapped my goods. You have three days. If you don't find out, pack up and leave. And by the way, your bonus for this year is gone."
Nadella ground his teeth in frustration. Losing his 500,000 bonus stung deeply, but he had no choice but to stay loyal to Jennifer. After all, he was one of her trusted insiders. "Don't worry, boss, I'll get right on it."
"Then hurry up." Jennifer was nearly spitting blood. The machines had vanished without a trace, but her losses weren't just the ten billion; there were also penalties in the contract. If the culprit wasn't found, it wasn't just about losing money—her reputation would suffer, and explaining it to the board would be a nightmare. And it came at a crucial time when she was dealing with Robert Wenshte's share ownership. She had to suspect Lambert.
It seemed like it was time to accelerate her plans.
...
In a luxurious hotel suite, a man and a woman had just finished an intimate encounter.
Hannah lay on Jonathan's shoulder, admiring the disarray on the floor with satisfaction, her cheeks flushed. Her voice was seductive. "Jonathan, my period is late this month. I think I might be pregnant. The timing is too short for a test, but if I am, our position will be stronger. If Mia miscarries, the shares in the Grandpa's hands will be ours."
At the company's founding, Robert Wenshte had granted his father 15% of the shares, which were now part of the contested assets.
Not long ago, Ferguson had casually suggested that Jonathan should marry and have children to counter Lambert's family, which gave Hannah the opportunity to climb into Jonathan's bed.
"This is great news. Once Mia miscarries, along with the shares from Lambert's father, everything will be ours," Jonathan said, his excitement evident.
It was said that Robert Wenshte's will clearly stated that his shares would go to the next heir of the Wenshte Family.
Hannah and Mia were enemies, and she would love to see Mia meet a tragic fate. Only then would Jonathan be willing to stay with her.
"Darling, when are we going to get married? The wedding can wait, but now that I'm with you, we can't just be a secret affair," Hannah pressed, trying to gain more from Jonathan.
She thought Jonathan genuinely liked her and wanted to be with her for who she was.
Jonathan, however, was adamant. The woman he would marry must come from a prestigious family, someone who could bring him benefits. Hannah, with her background, was only good for satisfying his desires.
"We can't. Jennifer has spies everywhere. If she finds out what we've been up to, you'll be in trouble, let alone us secretly getting married. She cares so much about Mia's pregnancy, she won't let you get pregnant with my child at this critical time," Jonathan said, pushing Hannah off him and lighting a cigarette, shifting the blame onto Jennifer.
Hannah, recalling how Jennifer had stood up for Mia on several occasions, saw the logic in what Jonathan said and didn't press him further.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure you get what you want. You'll be the mother of the Wenshte Family's heir, cherished and adored by them," Jonathan promised, speaking empty words to soothe her.
Hannah smiled happily, her heart lifted by his promises. She got out of bed, walked up behind him, and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I just want to be with you. It's you I love, not your money or the title of Wenshte Family's esteemed lady."
"Go take a shower. Aren't you going to the hospital later?" Jonathan said, pulling her hand away.
"I almost forgot. I have to go deliver something to Mia." Hannah turned toward the bathroom.
Of course, she was going to deliver something that would bring about Mia's tragic end. Julie had already prepared everything, waiting for the night to carry out the plan when no one would be watching.