NOVEL NEXT Chapter 79: Planning
Vincent and Olivia came out of the office two hours later. Olivia's face was still flushed red and she was holding onto Vincent's arm for support.
Vincent had a satisfied smile on his face. He had worked hard to convince Olivia and was already planning to give her some explanation. It's not like he was lying to her. Liora was his pawn to be used against Aelric—he was just reminding her last night who she works for now.
He decided to postpone going for a ride. There were still many matters to discuss, so they went to his office.
Upon reaching the office, Olivia straightened her shoulders and smoothed her hair back into its usual perfect style. Her flushed cheeks returned to their normal color, and her eyes sharpened with the same focus that made her feared throughout the company. Vincent really admired this point about her. He took his seat and his eyes turned sharp, ready for whatever comes next.
"Sir, our recent operations against Meridian and Annapurna have been successful," Olivia began, pulling up data on her tablet. "The sabotage of their cultivation systems has proceeded as planned. Both companies believe the equipment failures are results of their corporate warfare rather than our intervention."
She swiped to the next screen. "Meridian's eastern facility had three major breakdowns this week alone. Their repair costs have exceeded two million dollars, and they've publicly blamed Annapurna for corporate espionage."
"And Annapurna's response?" Vincent asked.
"They retaliated by filing lawsuits and launching their own investigation into Meridian's operations. Both companies are now burning through their legal budgets while their production suffers." Olivia paused, unable to hide a small smile. She couldn't help feeling proud of her man who seemed to be good at everything.
"The raw material manipulation has been even more profitable," she continued. "Our shell companies bought up seventy percent of the rare earth supplies both corporations needed. We've been selling them back at triple the market price."
Vincent nodded with a satisfied smile on his face. Meridian and Annapurna were lifting Cornelius corporation while drowning themselves and the best part is that they didn't even know it.
"Now... I want you to prepare for transfer of some money through our shell companies and other channels. Call the head of the finance department, other department heads. Also call Matthew and his team. The amount is a bit large so tell them to prepare well." Vincent said leaning back on his chair.
"How much are we talking about?" Olivia asked, her hands already moving across her tablet to call the department heads.
"Two billion dollars."
Olivia's hands froze. The tablet slipped from her fingers, and she barely caught it before it hit the floor. She stared at Vincent with wide, unblinking eyes, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.
"Chairman." Her voice came out as barely a whisper. "Can you please repeat that. I... I didn't hear you right."
"$2 billion."
"$2 million?"
"$2 billion."
"$200 m-million?"
Vincent watched her with growing amusement as she swayed slightly on her feet. "It's two billion dollars, Olivia. We aren't negotiating here."
"H-HOW CAN IT BE TWO BILLION DOLLARS?!?" poor Olivia couldn't hold her emotions. Her mind was a mess right now. Where did the money come from? Where was it? Was this a joke? How can she make all that white without being traced?
Vincent on the other hand was quite enjoying her reactions. He took out a wine bottle then two glasses and poured in the wine. He didn't blame Olivia for acting that way. After all, the amount was nearly half the corporation's total valuation.
By the time he was done, Olivia had already digested the information and thought of some solutions already thanks to her refined level mind cultivation.
"Come sit. Let's hear your thoughts."
But to Vincent's surprise Olivia's tears were already starting to flow.
"I-I'm sorry. I'm so useless," she lowered her head still standing there. "You were away all night arranging funds and I..." Her voice cracked as guilt washed over her. Here she had been sulking like a child while he worked to secure their company's future.
Vincent was dumbfounded. This woman trusted him too much, already making up reasons for him before he could. It took some time to console her before everyone arrived in the meeting room.
Vincent enjoyed another wave of shocked reactions. Matthew almost knelt down to worship him. Everyone's eyes were practically glowing with excitement. Their ambitions, which had almost died out, were erupting again just at the thought of acquiring two middle-level corporations.
After the meeting everyone quickly got to work. The finance team began setting up complex transfer routes through offshore accounts. Legal advisors prepared documentation for multiple shell companies. IT specialists worked on digital trails that would make the money appear legitimate. The funds Vincent had access to through the system were completely clean, but moving them into the real world required careful planning.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Hey look. It's him."
"Haha, isn't that the trash who just got dumped by the goddess."
"I think he doesn't even know that he got dumped. Look at him walking so carefree."
"Yeah definitely or wouldn't he be in hospital after cutting his wrist by now."
A group of college students could be seen talking and laughing while pointing at a boy wearing worn down clothes and carrying a bag with a hole. The boy could hear them and the more he heard people around him talk, the deeper his frown became.
Yes. It was Aelric, the simp who got dumped just today or so is what people said.
"Fuck, what do you mean? Who said I got dumped? She didn't dump me. I caught her cheating on me." Aelric who couldn't take it anymore approached the group of four with a darkened face.
"Pfft. At least have some shame. How dare you slander my goddess."
"Yeah, we have already read the post on college forum."
Aelric's mouth twitched. Something seems off. These guys were showing too much hostility and what is this about college forum. He quickly opened his phone and clicked the college forum and found himself on the top.
The more he read, the redder he became. The more he read, the more he clenched his phone and grinded his teeth. The group of boys who were mocking him quickly backed off. The licking dog they knew looked like a crazy dog right now.
"AHHHH, FUCK. FUCK YOU LIORA. HOW CAN YOU LIE SO EASILY YOU DAMN BITCH?!!"
Aelric smashed his phone on the ground roaring curses at the college entrance. His eyes then turned at the group. He lunged at them with red eyes and fists clenched.
"Shit. Stop right there crazy bastard."
"Damn asshole. You really are brainless."
Aelric's first punch caught the loudest boy square in the jaw, sending him stumbling backward into a trash can. The second guy tried to grab Aelric's arm, but got an elbow to his ribs that doubled him over.
"You fucking!" the third boy yelled, swinging wildly at Aelric's head.
Aelric ducked and drove his shoulder into the boy's stomach, both of them crashing to the ground. They rolled around throwing messy punches while the fourth guy kicked at Aelric from the side.
Blood trickled from Aelric's split lip, but rage and protagonist aura gave him strength. He managed to land another solid hit before the remaining three boys overwhelmed him. One grabbed his arms while another prepared to punch his face.
Just as the fist was about to connect with his nose, a girl's voice rang out from behind them.
"S-Stop!"