Chapter 213
213:
Seeing the numbers plummet filled him with anxiety.
Within the first hour of the market opening, his family’s market value had diminished by billions, hitting the lowest trading limit!
He was in disbelief, staring at his phone in shock, his anxiety mounting. He said in distress, “No, no, the Moreno family is ruined! What do we do now?”
Thiago’s warning echoed in his mind, indicating this was only the start.
His thoughts were chaotic, and he was struggling to predict Thiago’s next moves.
Trembling, he dialed Roberto, who sounded tired when he answered the call after several rings. “Harlan, what’s the matter? Is your health worsening?” Roberto asked.
His voice was filled with concern and sorrow.
Gripping his phone tightly, Harlan responded, “Dad, I’m okay. But our stock value has plummeted, reaching the lowest limit. We’ve lost billions. You need to come up with a plan, or how will I maintain my luxurious lifestyle?”
Roberto was filled with frustration and anger upon hearing that. “At a time like this, when the family is in trouble, you’re focused on your luxurious lifestyle instead of finding solutions!” he exclaimed. Over the phone, Roberto unleashed a torrent of harsh words at his son, his anger burning strong.
Yet Harlan felt his concerns were justified. After enduring his father’s lengthy scolding, he suggested a strategy to rescue the family. “Dad, you have connections with some bank managers. Why not secure a loan using our company as collateral? We must prevent bankruptcy!” he said.
Roberto exploded in anger, shouting, “You fool! That’s not wise. Do you want our family to go bankrupt?”
𝗕𝗲 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 — 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝘁 ⲅ𝗮𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀・ⅽ𝗼𝗺
At that moment, his secretary knocked and rushed in. “Mr. Moreno, we’ve got a problem. The tax officials are here. Someone has reported us for tax evasion, and they’re demanding our cooperation with their investigation.”
Roberto’s frustration mounted as problems compounded like unrelenting storms.
He spoke to his son in a cold tone. “You’ve always been close to Rosie, haven’t you? Go to her for help. The Harper family wields significant power and wealth—they can certainly assist us if they choose to. If you’re serious about maintaining the luxurious lifestyle you’ve grown accustomed to, you need to do your part to support the Moreno family.”
With those words, Roberto ended the call abruptly and left with his secretary to meet with representatives from the tax bureau.
Left in silence, Harlan sat in contemplation for a long while. His father’s words echoed in his mind, and he couldn’t deny their truth. The Harper family, a formidable and powerful family in Shirie and Belden, ranked only second to the Mitchells.
His friendship with Rosie had indeed been mutually beneficial, though often requiring morally questionable compromises on his part. This particular mess, too, had been set in motion by Rosie. Had she not pushed him to target Brenna, perhaps his family wouldn’t be in trouble now.
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