Debra rose and approached the window, a cool breeze lifting her long hair. “Have you ever considered whether your grandmother would have been so resolute if Zachary’s granddaughter were integral to the company?”
Angela had an epiphany. In essence, she faced the same vulnerability as Zachary’s granddaughter. The difference was that she had Debra as her mother. But if her mistakes surpassed her mother’s ability to conceal them, she too would be sacrificed.
Angela conceded, “I’ll apologize to that bitch!”
Debra returned a cold sneer. “An apology is not enough.”
Angela, utterly astonished, asked, “You can’t possibly mean to cede our shares, do you?” She had heard from Hailey of Sandra’s desires to usurp shares. “Grandma was always on guard against her. And now we are just giving our shares to her?”
If not for her own foolishness, Sandra would never have found a pretext to claim the shares.
“Mom, I’m sorry.”
Seeing Angela come to this realization, Debra found a small ounce of solace. She gently patted Angela’s shoulder. “You must act nice to her, regardless of how she responds. Understand?”
“Yes,” acknowledged Angela. Thinking of her predicament, she resigned herself to swallow her pride.
After Sandra returned to the office, she joined the police in the conference room. She presented her accounts with clarity and conciseness, and the transcript proceeded smoothly.
The police instructed, “Please remain within the company premises, as further inquiries may arise. Your cooperation is appreciated.”
Sandra smiled assuredly. “I promise to comply.”
“Next.”
Sandra left the conference room and found Debra and Angela at the end of the hallway. Debra approached briskly, a semblance of a smile on her face.
“Sandra, may we have a word?”
Sandra gestured behind them. “I must discuss with my husband first.”
Debra turned, noticing Wesley accompanied by Joey not far off. Her smile faltered. “I’ll wait for you.”
Sandra nodded. “Very well, please wait.” She walked toward Wesley.
Angela’s rage was palpable. “Mom, is she not becoming insufferably arrogant?”
Debra was also seething with fury. But what choice did they have? Angela’s fate was firmly in Sandra’s hands. Regardless of humiliation or even physical retribution, they had no recourse.
Sandra smiled slightly. “Are you concerned I might be oppressed, Mr. Cooper?”
Casting a glance at Debra and Angela, then back at Sandra, Wesley remarked, “It seems others are more likely to suffer oppression.”
“You show such concern for them.”
“No, I show more concern for you.”
Sandra said, “They want to talk to me now.”
Wesley’s eyes deepened a little when he heard this. She added, “You ordered Joey to reprimand Angela, and I reap the benefits today.”
Wesley fixed his gaze upon her. “Given the firewall was your handiwork, you would’ve sensed her tampering immediately, wouldn’t you?”
If she had reported it earlier, Angela’s transgression would have been minor, meriting no punishment.
Sandra’s silence was strategic. She awaited Angela’s fall into the snare she had laid.
Sandra lifted an eyebrow. “I’m sensing our similarities now.”
Joey chuckled. “You two old foxes.”
Wesley inquired, “What do you want from them?”
Sandra replied, “You’re well aware that your company holds no allure for me.” She emphasized “your company.”
Joey was stirred with sentiment. Sandra did all this for Wesley?! Their love was so real.
Driven by her affection for Wesley, she willingly forsook her rights and endured the provocations from Angela.
“Madam, you make me weep,” Joey commented.
Debra, impatient to wait any longer, approached with Angela. “Can we talk now?”
Sandra glanced briefly at Wesley. He remained aloof and silent.
Joey smiled slightly. “Mrs. Cooper, are you impatient now?”
Debra had no choice but to respond, “Not at all. Mr. Cooper and the young madam are in conversation, perhaps you could wait a moment?”
Joey spoke in a tone tinged with sarcasm, “As their mother, don’t you wish for them to strengthen their bond?”
Debra clenched her teeth. She should have evicted Joey from the Cooper family when Wesley had become comatose. A single moment of indecision had brought her great humiliation.
Angela, naturally impatient, was unwilling to bear such an insult. “Joey!” Her words were cut off by Debra.
Angela then realized that she must rely on Sandra to absolve her of her crimes. She gritted her teeth. Sandra chuckled softly. “Let’s talk now.”
She turned to Wesley. “Join me?”
A hint of warmth finally appeared in Wesley’s icy gaze as he moved toward the rest room.
Angela gazed at their departing figures with hatred. “Mom, I will make them pay!”
Debra laid a hand on hers. “Angela, no matter the conditions they propose, remain silent.”
“Mom.”
“I will handle everything.”
Debra offered her a reassuring look.
Although disgruntled, Angela finally nodded. “Mom, thanks.”
“You’re welcome, my dear.”
Debra took a deep breath, her gaze towards the rest room brimming with a chilling coldness.
Inside the rest room, Debra presented a gentle smile. “We are here to apologize, Sandra.”
Sandra remained silent.
Debra continued, “Angela is naive, thinking she could flaunt her rudimentary computer skills to impress. She wanted to impress Wesley so he would recognize her and agree to her involvement in the company. She was seeking our attention without malice.”
Sandra barely smiled, her voice devoid of emotion. “I have no interest in what she was thinking.”
Debra’s face changed slightly. “I know she caused trouble for you.”
“No, she did not,” Sandra said. “The technical department has been busy all day, only to find their efforts amount to nothing.”
Debra responded promptly, “Rest assured, I will offer them compensation accordingly.”
Sandra expressed surprise. “Why would my team need your compensation?”
Understanding dawned on Debra. Sandra demanded absolute control over the technical department. That was a concession Debra could afford.
“It’s merely a suggestion. Of course, implementation relies on your governance.”
Sandra chuckled quietly. “But will the finance department readily allocate funds?”
Debra scowled darkly. The finance department?
Wesley spoke coldly. “They will not.”
Debra felt ready to explode in anger. If she allowed Sandra to interfere in financial affairs today, Sandra would be unstoppable. Sandra did not press. She waited for Debra to reconcile herself. After all, this was merely the beginning.
Forty minutes later, Debra exited the room, followed by Angela. Debra’s complexion was pale, but she managed to maintain her composure. Angela’s face contorted, though Debra’s firm grip stayed her outrage.
“Mom!”
Once around the corner, Angela gave in to her tears.
“We have to cede our half shares of finance, marketing, and human resources,” Debra said.
Angela covered her face. “Isn’t this akin to carving flesh from my own body?”
Leaning against the wall, Debra grew cold to the core.
Angela sobbed. “It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t sought trouble with Sandra, she wouldn’t have found this opportunity.”
“Mom, scold me, even strike me. I’ve dragged you into this mess.”
After a painstaking moment, Debra slowly composed herself. “Blaming you achieves nothing. Avoid trouble from now on.”
Angela wiped her tears. “Mom, never again. Even to seek revenge, I’ll consult you first.”
Debra gritted her teeth, steadying herself against the wall. “There’s no need for your intervention. Someone will deal with her.”
Angela looked puzzled. “Mom, will you take action personally?”
Debra shook her head. “No, it just occurred to me-Holly Campbell has recently returned to the country. She loves Wesley.”
Angela grasped the implication. “I’ll contact her immediately, invite her home for dinner.”
Debra felt somewhat consoled. “Angela, you’ve matured.”
Angela, tears lingering, said, “Mom, I’ll be good from now on, never causing you sorrow again.”
“With such an awakening, even the loss of three departments is bearable.”
“Mom.”
Debra straightened up. “Enough with the guilt. Today’s loss, I will reclaim in time.”
Angela nodded. “I trust in your capacity, mom.”
They returned to the office.
The police said the technical department suffered no tangible losses, and they merely advised Angela verbally.
Debra instructed her secretary to personally see the officers out, ensuring all courtesies were met.
Sandra learned of the police’s departure while playing solitaire on her computer. The news hardly affected her, though her colleagues reacted with displeasure.
“Only for the sake of an extra month’s salary as compensation would we lie.”
“They’ve effectively silenced our disputes.”
“Angela, a princess has nothing to worry about.”
“Sandra, aren’t you angered?”
Someone approached to ask. To this, Sandra suddenly laughed.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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