Chapter 142: Strategic

“The truth is,” Oscar began, lowering his voice dramatically, “the ambush was necessary. I needed your natural, unfiltered reaction to get the best pictures.”

Evelyn narrowed her eyes, frowning.

“You set me up for a media ambush… for aesthetic purposes?”

Oscar raised both hands defensively, his grin nervous.

“It’s not what it sounds like, Eve. The whole thing was strategic. I’ll upload an article about your grand reappearance.”

The line in her forehead became deep from hearing that.

“It’ll overshadow the latest scandal of William Walters and Lana Scott. You know, to help the public forget your father’s latest romantic chaos.”

Evelyn shook her head, amused by his plan.

“Ah,” she said dryly. “So, that’s your real reason…”

Oscar gave a guilty smile. “Well… yes. I’ve already received Lana’s money, so I need to act quickly, right?”

“Wow, that was quick. Where’d she even get that kind of money?”

“From Walters Group, of course.”

Oscar’s smile widened until he noticed the sudden look on her face. Her eyes widened slightly, as though a puzzle piece had just clicked into place.

“You’re realizing it now, aren’t you? Where did her precious ’funds’ come from?”He smirked knowingly.

Evelyn’s mind spun. She’d been confused for days about how J Corp and Moressy Holding had suddenly acquired so many shares of Walters Group in such a short time.

But now… it made sense. Lana. That conniving woman.

“So, you’re saying you bought those shares from Lana?”

“Technically,” Oscar leaned back in his seat, “it was Lana who persuaded your father to sell them, to save the company.”

He paused for an amusing chuckle.

Then continue, “What she didn’t mention to your father was that she pocketed the money instead of investing it back. Classic gold digger behavior. And your dear father? Completely clueless.”

He took a sip of his drink and continued, “Oh… and I also bought a few percent of shares from your uncle, aunt, and a few of the other shareholders.”

Evelyn sat there in stunned silence.

Her father, a man once feared in the business world, had fallen for such an obvious trap.

The mighty William Walters… He met his downfall at the hands of a woman who probably cried on cue and called it love.

“Wow! Heaven really has a sense of humor,” she chuckled.

“Yeah. And it seems heaven also protects you. No one saw it coming… that the two mysterious investors, J Corp and Moressy Investment, are actually US!”

Evelyn laughed softly.

“Correction… It’s yours, Oscar. I only wired the money to Moressy. You did all the hard work.”

He sighed.

“Eve, I offered to help you take revenge, but you kept refusing. I had no choice but to do the fun part myself.”

She smiled, “Thank you, Oscar. You’re not just my friend. You’re my family.”

“Hmm, I know that,” he said with exaggerated pride. “You don’t have to remind me of our weird little bond.”

He added, “Ever since that day your stupid father kicked you out, I’ve been plotting vengeance for you. J Corp started buying Walters Group shares before you even knew it.”

Evelyn knew Oscar’s secret empire well, J Corp. His hidden investment company was his safety net, his playground for legally questionable genius.

On paper, he was a low-profile consultant. In reality, he was a hacker feared by many.

And because she admired both his madness and his results, she had followed in his footsteps, founding Moressy Investment.

All the money she earned over the past four years, every sleepless night, every deal, was funneled into that company.

She had trusted Oscar completely to manage it.

Moressy thrived under his leadership, even buying shares of Wilson Group when their stock plummeted.

She never interfered. She didn’t need to because Oscar knew precisely how to turn chaos into profit.

But two days ago, when she’d received the encrypted file titled ’Project Phoenix’, she finally saw the whole, bigger picture.

Oscar’s masterpiece; his cunning plan to shock the Walters shareholders and resurrect her name in one, glorious move.

…

Their conversation continued, filled with business talk, old memories, and bits of friendly bickering.

The waiter soon arrived with their meals, carefully placing hot steak and roasted vegetables before them.

The aroma filled the air, sharp and comforting.

Evelyn cut into her meat and, between bites, suddenly remembered something.

“Wait,” she said, pausing mid-chew. “The representatives. From J Corp and Moressy. Where are they now? I feel bad for not treating them to a proper lunch after all that drama.”

Oscar wiped his mouth with his napkin and grinned.

“Don’t worry about them. They’re professionals. Their time is money. They already flew home right after the meeting.”

“No wonder they seemed unbothered about my family drama earlier,” Evelyn said with a laugh. “Still, I should have at least…”

Her voice faded when her phone vibrated in her bag. She reached for her Birkin bag and pulled out her phone.

On the glowing screen, a single word appeared in bold letters, “Hubby.”

Evelyn froze mid-motion, her perfectly manicured fingers tightening around the phone.

She completely forgot to call her husband after the shareholder meeting, even though she had promised to call him as soon as it was over.

But Oscar’s sudden arrival had made her forget.

“Who?” Oscar asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.

“Axel…” she said softly before answering the call.

She quickly gestured for Oscar to keep quiet.

He nodded obediently and continued enjoying his steak, pretending not to listen.

“Hi, Eve…” came Axel’s voice, gentle and caring from the other end. Warm enough to melt her tension away.

“Axel, I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “I didn’t call you at the earliest as I promised. It’s just that something suddenly came up…”

“No, it’s fine. Don’t feel bad about it,” his voice sounds calm. “I understand how chaotic it must be there. I just wanted to make sure you’re alright.”

He paused for a moment before continuing, his tone growing more concerned. “You mentioned something came up? Is it done? And are you okay?”

“Yeah, it’s done. It’s better than I expected, so I’m okay,” she explained. “By the way, my friend from abroad came to see me unannounced, so I’m having lunch with him now.”

She spoke honestly, her voice gentle and sincere.

“Friend?”

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