Chapter 231
Chapter 231
“All that talk out there, it’s just a misunderstanding. Calvin’s only his assistant. It’s strictly a professional relationship,” Audrey said plainly.
In Baldwin’s mind, the fragments of recent events began to stitch themselves into a larger, more troubling picture.
That night on the cruise, Yann’s lip had clearly been bitten. Coincidentally, Audrey had been dining at the same restaurant.
Just yesterday, Yann hosted a private banquet at an exclusive club. Audrey appeared there as well, on the same floor, no less.
Then last night, Calvin was seen driving Audrey’s car. He said she had left early, and he was merely returning the vehicle.
But Calvin had always been inseparable from Yann. Why would he go out of his way to chauffeur a junior secretary like Audrey?
None of it made any sense unless Audrey had left with Yann that night.
Baldwin’s eyes widened as the realization slowly dawned. His lips moved soundlessly before he finally managed to speak.
“Your husband… is… Mr. Winifred?”
Audrey nodded, calm and composed. “Soon, I’ll be moving back to Ashbourne with him. Then there’ll be no need to keep a low profile.”
Baldwin watched her leave, still dazed, his thoughts tangled in confusion.
It wasn’t until Nash’s call came through that Baldwin was yanked back to reality. He scrambled for his phone and answered.
“Hey, Nash. Perfect timing. I’ve got something to tell you…”
“I had someone dig into the city hall database. Yann’s wife is Audrey!”
Baldwin rubbed his face, letting out a breath. “Yeah… I just found out too.”
Thanks to Earl’s endorsement, the negotiations between FlexiTech Group and Randy progressed without a hitch.
When Talia got wind of it, she was so furious she hurled her coffee cup to the floor.
Most of StellarCore’s software bore a striking resemblance to FlexiTech’s, similar enough to raise suspicion, though not enough for a lawsuit. Their core modules mirrored each other in more ways than one.
Had Yann not withdrawn his technical support, StellarCore’s new product would have easily outperformed the competition.
But now their software was left half–finished. Both projects had stalled, and if Randy really did join FlexiTech, the other side would dominate the market
without question.
Not only had the alliance failed, but she had also lost her strongest potential partner. Without him, there was no way Edmund would continue to back
her.
“No. I have to speak to Randy myself.”
She made her way to the hotel where Randy was staying, but the concierge refused to give out his room number, only stating he hadn’t returned yet.
While she waited in the lobby, she dialed Edmund’s number.
“Grandpa, you promised to help me!”
“My help comes with conditions, girl. Have you met them?” Edmund’s voice, lazy yet heavy with authority, sent a chill down her spine.
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Chapter 231
Though it looked like her father was running the family business, it was Edmund who truly held the reins.
He had never relinquished control, not because he couldn’t, but because he had yet to find a successor who met his standards.
Talia didn’t know him as well as Amelia did.
Edmund had always intended to use her marriage as a political tool. A union could either build an empire or bring it to its knees.
The man she married couldn’t be weak, or he’d bleed her dry. But he couldn’t be too powerful either, or he’d consume her whole.
“Grandpa, Amelia’s met me. She liked me. She really did.” Talia stood before the floor–to–ceiling window, one hand in her pocket, her posture sharp and unyielding.
In the glass, her reflection stared back, crisp suit lines, a steely gaze brimming with ambition.
“Even Logan couldn’t interfere with Yann’s marriage,” Edmund said, sipping his coffee slowly. His words came unhurriedly, but they carried weight. “You think Amelia can? He’s already gone public with the marriage. Even if you wanted to be his mistress, he might not let you.”
Talia had been consoling herself with the thought that Yann had only she could still keep Edmund in the dark.
She hadn’t anticipated how blunt he would be.
cted their marriage certificate without disclosing who his wife was, so perhaps
“If you spent half as much effort on your work as you do trying to outmaneuver me,” Edmund said with a sharp edge in his voice, “you might have something to show for it by now.”
Talia didn’t reply. Her attention had shifted to the entrance of the hotel, where she spotted a woman stepping out of a car with Randy, both of them smiling and chatting.
‘Audrey?! Why is she everywhere?‘ The thought struck like a blow.
Edmund’s voice came again, colder now. “What, nothing to say?”
“No, Grandpa. I’ll reflect on it seriously. I won’t keep you from your rest.” Talia ended the call and slowly turned around, her gaze fixed on the glass doors of the hotel.
Audrey had seen her too and walked in with a radiant smile. “Ms. Price. What a coincidence!”
Talia ignored her entirely and strode up to Randy, extending a hand with professional calm. “Mr. Flynn. I’m Talia Price, CEO of StellarCore.”
Randy’s smile faltered slightly. His expression grew unreadable as he accepted the handshake.
“We’ve hit a few bottlenecks in the development of our new software,” Talia said, voice even and practiced. “I was hoping you might be willing to offer your expertise.”
Before Randy could answer, Audrey chimed in, her tone laced with amusement. “Which software? The one Darkshell International pulled their support from due to, what was it, plagiarism concerns?”
Talia shot her a warning look, sharp enough to draw blood.
Then, turning back to Randy, she softened her expression with calculated grace. “If there were any truth to those rumors, I trust the law would’ve handled it.
“Mr. Flynn, I hope you won’t let idle gossip cloud your judgment. I’m offering you a serious opportunity to join a team that values your talent.”
Unfazed by the subtle threat in Talia’s eyes, Audrey continued, casually naming several software programs.
Though no court had passed judgment, anyone who had used them could see the glaring similarities, similar enough that it cast a long shadow.
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Chapter 231
Randy, an engineer devoted to original development, visibly tensed. He despised companies that coasted on the work of others under the guise of innovation.
“Audrey,” Talia said coldly, her patience thinning, “this isn’t your area. If you don’t understand the context, I suggest you don’t speak.”
Audrey smiled serenely. “You’re right. I don’t u else’s work as my own.”
understand everything, which is why I make a point of learning sincerely, rather than passing off someone
“Ms. Price, if you’re so confident your software is clean, then tell me. Why did Darkshell International drop support? Why are other firms distancing
themselves?”
Talia remained silent, her eyes narrowing.
The truth, of course, went beyond technical concerns.
It was personal. She had gone after Audrey, and Yann had retaliated, swiftly and thoroughly.
Not only had the tech support been withdrawn, but two associated projects had collapsed in its wake, resulting in substantial losses.
But she couldn’t let Randy know about Audrey’s connection to Yann. That would only shift the power dynamic. Who wouldn’t choose to align with Audrey once they realized who had her back?
Talia gave a soft, scornful laugh. “Ms. Henderson, perhaps your time would be better spent focusing on Stride Commerce, now that your Series A has
closed.
“Whether or not Mr. Flynn chooses to work with me, he certainly won’t be joining your company. There’s simply no space for you in this sector.”
Audrey raised an eyebrow. “So you agree joining FlexiTech Group would be Mr. Flynn’s most rational choice?”
She turned to Randy, her expression one of triumphant amusement.
“Mr. Flynn, the elevator’s here,” she said lightly, gesturing toward the open doors. “Shall we continue our conversation upstairs?”
Randy gave a brief nod and stepped in beside her.
Just before the doors slid shut, Talia caught Audrey mouthing a silent taunt. “You lost to me. Again!”
As the elevator disappeared from view, Talia’s composure cracked. She pulled out her phone and dialed quickly.
“Jocelyn. I need you to check FlexiTech Group. See if they’ve received any recent major investments or undergone a shift in shareholder structure. I just ran into Audrey again… and I have a bad feeling she’s about to ruin everything.”
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