Chapter 469

Carmen had been riding high lately. Alvin, the man she had been pining for, not only reached out to her but also offered to help. She wasn’t sure why, but it was clear that Alvin and Aubree had fallen out. Not only would he refuse to help Aubree, but he also wanted her completely out of Rithol City.

The thought alone was enough to make Carmen laugh in her sleep.

For years, Alvin had only ever had eyes for Aubree. But once Aubree was gone, and Carmen took control of Wilson Group, how could he possibly ignore her then?

With a merger between the Turner and Wilson families, her name would usher in a new era for Rithol!

And as if that weren’t enough, Aubree had finally gotten what she deserved. The news of her arrest had Carmen so giddy she nearly set off fireworks across the city in celebration.

On top of all that, good things just kept happening to her.

Not long ago, her Bumblebee shared e-bike project had successfully disrupted the traditional bike-sharing market, drawing attention from major corporations, most importantly, Wilson Group itself.

Ronald had no idea who was behind the project. His connection with Quirinus was genuine, so he arranged a meeting, hinting that if it was a Diamonde Group venture, they could collaborate. If it were merely an outside investment, he wanted an introduction to the visionary behind it.

Perfect.

This was exactly what Carmen and Quirinus had been waiting for.

With Ernesto acting as the go-between, Carmen and Ronald finally met.

“Carmen, you did this project?” Ronald was completely floored. He’d considered all sorts of people connected to the Diamonde Group, and even guessed that maybe the Diamonde Group had just spotted the potential and invested early on. But it never crossed his mind that the mastermind behind it all would be his adopted daughter!

Carmen nodded shyly. “Yeah, it was me. But I couldn’t have done it without Ernesto’s support.”

Ronald shot the two of them a skeptical look, clearly unsure what to make of the situation.

Still, it wasn’t a bad thing. Having connections always made things go smoother.

“Dad, I know you want to invest. Truthfully, I started BeeShare hoping to help you. I didn’t say anything earlier because I didn’t want another half-finished failure. I wanted to prove it could succeed first. Dad, I’m willing to merge the entire company into Wilson Group.”

Between partial dividends and outright ownership, the choice was obvious. Ronald’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

“Of course. But Ernesto holds 20%. He’s the majority stakeholder. The final decision isn’t mine alone. You’ll need to discuss the details with him.”

This had been their plan all along. If Carmen had revealed herself too soon, Ronald’s cautious nature would have raised red flags. Even if Ernesto stayed in the shadows, financial trails could expose the scheme.

So, making Ernesto the biggest shareholder and the official spokesperson right from the start was the smartest play. That way, when it came time to negotiate the acquisition, Carmen could just play dumb and act like she knew nothing, letting all the scheming and plotting fall squarely on Ernesto’s shoulders.

With this setup, Ronald would definitely want to buy out BeeShare, but he’d also demand to purchase all of Ernesto’s shares, kicking the Diamonde Group out of the deal entirely.

And that would be the perfect moment for Ernesto to suggest bringing Carmen into the Wilson Group.

“Ronald,” Ernesto said, “we’re family, so let’s speak frankly. I’ll sell BeeShare at market price, but I keep my shares.”

“Absolutely not!” Ronald immediately refused. For years, he had deliberately kept Alice away from Wilson Group affairs to prevent this scheming fox from gaining influence.

Letting him retain BeeShare shares? That’d be handing him a key to the Wilson empire. Ronald wouldn’t leave such a gaping vulnerability.

But he needed this project.

“I’ll buy all your shares at double the market price,” Ronald said.

“That won’t do. Anyone with eyes can see BeeShare’s future profitability. Countless firms are lining up to invest. Selling my shares to you would be a loss for me.”

Ernesto didn’t yield an inch.

The negotiation appeared deadlocked.

“Dad… Ernesto, didn’t we agree that once Dad was here, we’d sell the project to Wilson Group? Ernesto, how could you…” Carmen immediately put on an anxious look, clearly speaking up for Ronald at every turn.

Ronald’s face softened. At least she is loyal, he thought.

“Silly girl, I supported this project because I saw how Aubree’s rising star has left you and your mother with dwindling influence in the Wilson family. I wanted to secure your position. If we simply sell to the Wilsons outright, it won’t achieve anything,” Ernesto said.

A flicker of doubt in Ronald’s eyes. Would he really be so selfless? he wondered.

Then again, it wasn’t impossible. The Diamondes had always cared for Alice, except when their core interests were at stake.

“What exactly do you want?” Ronald seized the key point. Ernesto wasn’t outright refusing to sell; he just had terms.

“I can sell my shares at cost or even below, as a personal favor. But in return, Carmen must join the Wilson Group and the board of directors.”

So that is his game. Ernesto has been planning this from the start! Ronald almost blurted out “No way” until he recalled his board’s directive: Secure BeeShare at all costs, barring outrageous terms.

After the bike-sharing boom, there was no doubt that BeeShare would be a smash hit.

Ronald glanced at Carmen. She looked really anxious, like she wanted to say something but kept holding back.

Suddenly, he smiled. Even if Ernesto plans to manipulate the Wilsons through Carmen… Does he really think a girl I’ve raised for decades would betray me? No way would Carmen ever help him pull something like that. A board seat would be ceremonial anyway.

Besides, Ronald had already planned to find a way to get Carmen to hand over her shares sooner or later.

But having her actually work at Wilson Group….

After thinking it over, Ronald offered a compromise. “Carmen can join the board, and she can work at Wilson Group, but not at headquarters. Instead, she can go to Telmaur as general manager. Only after she proves herself and gains the board’s approval can she be transferred back to the headquarters.”

Ernesto shot a glance at Carmen. “Alright.”

Both sides had brought lawyers, and the contract had been prepared in advance; only minor revisions were needed now. Once they confirmed there were no issues, they signed the agreement.

The shared e-bike project, BeeShare, was sold to the Wilson Group for 500 million dollars, with Carmen and Ernesto selling all their shares to the Wilsons.

However, BeeShare’s operations were still entrusted to Aubree.

500 million might not seem like much, but it’s worth noting that BeeShare was still in its early stages, with minimal initial investment.

The sale price was already several times the original value.

When the news broke, it stunned many. “Carmen is the one behind BeeShare? The Wilsons… truly a force to be reckoned with.”

In the detention center, Aubree and Oliver locked eyes.

She looked terrible, her body wracked with pain. She was barely holding on.