Chapter 411
Chapter 411
That afternoon, the headquarters of Callister Group felt colder than usual. Not because of the air-conditioning, but because of the pressure that had been hanging in the air since the stock market opened that morning. The building’s glass floors reflected the restless city below, while behind those gleaming surfaces, a company long known for its stability was being eaten away from the inside.
Cale stood in front of the large screen in the small conference room. His suit was still immaculate, but his jaw was tight. The tablet in his hand displayed plunging red graphs-numbers that represented more than just stock prices. They stood for Callister Group’s major projects spread across multiple cities: luxury apartments, premium office towers, integrated residential complexes. Every one of them relied on the same fragile foundation- investor confidence.
“Look at this,” Cale said without preamble. He swiped the screen with a single motion. “In the past two weeks alone, Callister’s stock has dropped nearly ten percent. This isn’t a natural fluctuation p>
Daven leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest. His expression was calm-too calm for someone whose company was under internal attack. He understood exactly what ten percent meant. Not just numbers on a screen, but delayed projects, contractors beginning to hesitate, and banks reassessing their financing commitments.
“Ten percent isn’t insignificant,” Daven said, exhaling slowly.
“And that’s not all,” Cale continued. He enlarged another chart. “Trading volume spikes at very specific hours. Too precise. Someone is pushing the price down from below, then quietly buying it back up. This isn’t panic selling. This is an operation p>
Daven let out a short breath. “So this isn’t market panic p>
“No,” Cale replied immediately. “This is a dirty game p>
As the heir to Miller Group, Cale was used to reading market movements. He wasn’t sitting in this room as an outsider-the business ties between Miller and Callister ran deep, tangled with cross-projects and shared strategic interests. What was happening to Callister today could very well hit Miller tomorrow.
The door opened abruptly, and Arsen stepped in, a black folder in his hand. His expression was serious, his stride brisk-like someone who knew that every second of delay could be costly. He wasn’t just an assistant. He was Daven’s trusted right hand, the keeper of tempo, the filter for the most sensitive information.
Within Callister Group, Arsen’s presence carried weight.
“Sorry I’m late,” he said shortly. “I’ve connected a few dots p>
“Good,” Daven replied, not changing his posture. “That’s exactly what we’re discussing p>
Arsen placed the folder on the table and opened it. Several neatly arranged documents spilled out-reports, ownership diagrams, transaction trails. “Bret Frederick,” he said, looking between Daven and Cale. “Over the past six months, he’s been linked to two entities directly opposed to Callister. One of them is a shell company acquiring shares through third parties p>
The name hung heavily in the air.
Cale let out a low whistle. “One of our own commissioners. Impressive move p>
No one interrupted. In the business world, internal betrayal was always the worst-case scenario-far more dangerous than any external rival. Insiders knew exactly where to stay silent, where to observe, and when to draw
1/4
Chapter 411
their blade to cut down whatever stood in their way.
At last, Daven lifted his gaze. His eyes were sharp, cold, and controlled.
+25 Bonus
“So he waited until our major projects entered their most vulnerable phase,” he said quietly. “Then shook market confidence p>
Cale nodded. “And if the stock keeps falling, our luxury apartments stop being symbols of prestige-they become liabilities. The JiangShe project is the biggest trigger he could exploit. Every step he’s taken has been calculated p>
Arsen closed the folder slowly. “That’s why this can’t be allowed to drag on p>
Then he added, “And there’s more. Bret is also using the instability surrounding the JiangShe project to spark investor panic. The man you interrogated-Oscar-was nothing more than a pawn p>
Daven nodded. “Oscar admitted he was paid to disrupt my focus. But he didn’t know the bigger picture p>
“Because he didn’t need to,” Cale replied coolly. “Pawns are never shown the board p>
Arsen flipped a page. “The motive is clear. If the stock drops far enough, Bret can consolidate ownership through channels that won’t raise suspicion. As a commissioner, he knows exactly where the gaps are p>
Daven looked back at the screen. “So you think this isn’t just about money p>
“That’s right,” Arsen said. “He wants something far more secure. If your stake is pushed low enough, pressure from the board could force you out of the CEO seat.
Cale turned sharply. “Even though you’re the majority owner p>
“Even though I’m the owner?” Daven echoed, disbelief flickering across his face. “That explains his confidence. Impressive p>
Silence settled over the room. Cale tapped the table lightly. “There’s one more thing,” he said. “Something that might make this more… personal p>
Daven turned toward him. “Say it p>
Cale took a breath. “Bret Frederick is a distant cousin of Harold p>
Arsen muttered a curse under his breath. “That’s quite a discovery, Mr. Cale p>
Daven didn’t overreact. One eyebrow lifted slightly. “So the circle is more deranged than we thought p>
“And slipperier,” Cale added. “Harold has a long history with games like this. Bret learned from the right person. And…” He paused. “As of now, I still can’t trace Harold’s whereabouts p>
“Which means this wasn’t a spontaneous move,” Daven said. “It’s a plan p>
Arsen nodded in agreement.
Cale fixed his gaze on Daven. “We need to talk to Oscar. Now p>
“He’s already in the internal holding room,” Daven replied. “I was waiting for you p>
“Then what are we waiting for p>
2/4
Chapter 412
Mark