Chapter 26

26 Pick a Side
26 Pick a Side
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Conveniently, the Nolans owned a car manufacturing plant, and they had always handled the custom modifications for Eric’s vehicles.
Every single one of his cars had been worked on in that factory.
“You still don’t get it?” Eric’s lips curved into a smile, but there was no warmth in it.
It was icy, razor–sharp.
“I was in a car accident yesterday.”
His voice cracked through the air like a thunderclap, filled with pressure and accusation.
Marc’s face went pale almost instantly.
“Mr. Oscar…“he stammered.
Of course, he knew.
Everyone who mattered did. And in a family as powerful as the Nolans, internal conflict was nothing new.
Marc had been one of Jimmy’s people back when the family empire was being built, and he’d made a point to stay neutral all these years.
Always watching. Never committing.
“My car was always modified at your factory. And now I crash because of a mechanical failure? Haha!” Eric let out a soft, humorless chuckle.
His eyes
were deep and dark, like a bottomless pit full of danger.
“Should I be holding you responsible?”
The
pressure spiked. Marc could feel the sweat trickling down his spine.
“Mr. Nolan, your car hasn’t been brought in for maintenance in years.”
“ And that,” Eric shot back, “is your excuse for why it lost control?”
He paused, then slammed his words down like a gavel.
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“Can you even convince yourself with that explanation?”
Mare wiped the sweat from his forehead.
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“Mr. Nolan, please give me some time. I’ll personally review the car’s modification records. and give you a full report–one that will satisfy you, I promise.”
Eric waved him off. “Don’t bother. I remember every modification done to that car.”
Daniel stepped forward and handed Mare a folder–internal specs, documents, records–all retrieved from the car.
Eric continued, his voice level but pointed.
“Years ago, your son was fresh out of training and desperate for a breakthrough. He needed at car that would make his name.”
He didn’t need to finish. Everyone in the room understood the rest.
Marc’s heart dropped. That blame landed like a boulder on his chest. He was furious–and scared. His chest tightened, and his temples throbbed.
“Mr. Nolan…” He let out a long, resigned sigh.
“What do you want from me ? ”
Recognizing that Marc wasn’t stupid, Eric got straight to the point..
“It’s simple,” he said. “Ask yourself who your real boss is.”
Marc was stunned.
His boss? Officially, it was the Nolan Group.
-But when you dug a little deeper… Was it Irene? Ruby? Or the father and son back in action?
Only then did he realize: all these years, he had been floating between sides, never choosing.
He had become exactly the kind of spineless fence–sitter he once despised..
Eric glanced at his watch.
“You have five minutes . ”
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Marc snapped back to reality. Eric wasn’t asking–he was giving him a final chance,
The message was clear: if Mare decided to stay neutral, his son would end up in prison for that tampered car.
Choose Eric’s side, and the whole mess could quietly go away.
But the stakes were high. Irene and Ruby’s factions were powerful too.
Could Eric–a man who had spent years in a coma–really turn the tide?
“Three… two
“Mr. Nolan!” Marc blurted out, panicked by the countdown.
At the final second, he bit the bullet.
“You are my boss. Always have been. Still are. And in the future, you always will be.”
Eric didn’t look pleased. Instead, he pressed harder.
“Words are cheap.”
Marc took a deep breath and pointed to the office building beside them.
This factory–your grandfather handed it to me personally. I’ve been in charge of it since day one. I have the authority. I’ve been managing the finances, the stamps, everything.”
He stepped aside and gestured for Eric and Alice to follow him into the office.
Soon, they were in Marc’s office.
He opened his safe, took out the seals and official documents, and laid them on the table.
“Mr. Nolan, I’ll remake everything just the way you say.”
Eric
gave Daniel a slight nod.
Daniel immediately stepped forward to take over the materials and arranged for a full handover.
Now that things had gone this far, Marc no longer pretended to have any leverage.
“Mr. Nolan… about that car–about my son…
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Eric didn’t flinch.
“The car’s been inspected. It was deliberately sabotaged.”
He paused, then stood.
“Your son’s pretty skilled. He can come work for me in the future.”
Marc’s face lit up in gratitude.
Alice, however, could only sigh inwardly.
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First, Eric used the car to threaten Marc. Now he was using the man’s son as a bargaining chip.
If anything, this was political chess at its finest. Eric knew exactly how to win a war in plain sight.
Once everything at the factory was settled, the two of them headed to work.
In the car, Alice couldn’t help but chuckle quietly.
“If Ruby ever finds out her own daughter accidentally helped you take over one of the most profitable factories in the group, she’s going to blow a gasket.”
Eric was in a good mood.
“Grandma’s already making arrangements for your betrothal gift.”
Alice raised an eyebrow in surprise.
But then she nodded, like it all made sense.
“Sandy really is your sister, huh? The way she helped out, she’s more useful than half your –allies.
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