Chapter 586
Zach’s expression remained stern as he addressed the shareholders with authority, “It’s been a while.”
“Mr. Hoffis Senior, can you explain what’s happening here?”
The shareholders bombarded Zach with questions, eager for explanations.
Zach motioned toward the lawyers standing beside him. “My previous will, power of attorney, and all documents related to the inheritance of my assets in my name have been nullified. My legal team has taken care of these issues.
“I haven’t left a single cent of my fortune to my adopted son, so she…” Zach pointed accusingly at Avery, “…is merely a kidnapper, a fraudster, a white-collar criminal.”
Avery’s fists clenched upon hearing this. She glanced around, only to realize that Hugo had vanished without a trace.
Her face paled, drained of any remaining defiance.
As confusion rippled through the room, Avery’s smirk grew colder, her teeth gritted in a final, desperate attempt. “You heartless old man, don’t you care about the lives of your son, daughter-in-law, and grandson?”
Zach’s fists clenched tightly, his rage simmering beneath the surface.
Nathan responded calmly, “Why don’t you reach out to them and see if they dare to make a move?”
Avery erupted in anger. “You think I won’t?”
Without hesitation, Avery grabbed her phone, eager to make the call. But to her dismay, she found no signal.
Undeterred, Avery grabbed another phone, only to encounter the same issue.
With panic rising, she gasped for breath as she reached for her assistant’s phone.
To her surprise, she discovered that the signal on all the phones in the room had been locally blocked.
Defeated, Avery sank into her office chair.
With a silent signal from Nathan, two of his subordinates approached, swiftly apprehending Avery and escorting her out without a word.
As Avery was dragged away, she yelled furiously, “Just you wait! He’ll kill every single one of you, mark my words!”
Once Avery was removed from the room, Mila anxiously scanned her surroundings and whispered to Nathan, “Nate, where’s Lucas?” Nathan reassured her calmly, “Don’t worry, he can’t escape.”
Mila nodded in relief.
With a forceful kick, Zach knocked aside the chair Avery had occupied.
He then positioned himself behind the table, his hands gripping its surface tightly. His stare was piercing, and his demeanor commanding.
“I, Zach Hoffis, am very much alive. And my company remains firmly under my control.”
In those few words, he conveyed the bitterness and trials he had faced, his dominance unmistakable.
All three elevators were disabled, leaving Hugo stranded.
He frantically pressed the buttons but to no avail. Desperate, he turned to the fire escape.
As Hugo pushed open the door and stepped into the stairwell, he froze in shock at the unexpected sight before him.
Accompanied by four soldiers, Cole stood before Hugo, his expression grave.
In a composed tone, Cole said, “Lucas, don’t assume that altering your appearance and voice will hide your identity from us.”
In that instant, Lucas abandoned any pretense. He realized that facing Cole solo was already daunting, let alone with four armed soldiers supporting him.
Relinquishing his resistance, Lucas appealed to Cole emotionally, “Cole, we’re like brothers, aren’t we? Can’t you show me some mercy?”
Cole scoffed at his plea. “I detest traitors to our nation; we can never be brothers.”
Lucas defiantly retorted, “I haven’t betrayed our country!”
“You betrayed General Morrison,” Cole shot back.
“I was forced into it!”
Nonetheless, Cole remained skeptical, his heart heavy with emotion as he asked, “Who pressured you? Was it the
temptation of money? Or were net
threatened at gunpoint by
ov
Nightshade? Or maybe it was Oliver’s influence?”
Lucas fought back tears, a bitter smile forming on his lips. “Life pushed me to a breaking point. The woman I loved rejected me for my
poverty, my lowly status, and my inability to spend time with her.
“My father fell critically ill, requiring expensive treatment that cost tens of thousands of dollars per day. After a year of medical care, there was no improvement.
“I exhausted all my savings to cover the costs. Despite General Morrison’s financial support, I couldn’t bear the thought of a lifetime of poverty.
“I felt trapped, yearning for a shortcut to wealth. Is it really such a crime?”
Cole’s frustration erupted. “Yes, it’s wrong, terribly wrong. Your current predicament is the consequence of your actions.”