Chapter 521
Michael cut through the growing tension with a sharp tone. “That’s enough. Today’s meeting is over. What matters to me is your ability to do your job and make money for the company. Your personal lives and relationships are of no interest to me as CEO.”
He started to walk away but paused after a few steps, gesturing for Troy. “Mr. MacAfee, come to my office. I’d like to clarify a few details about the collaboration with you.”
Troy smirked, glancing at Andrew with a look of triumph. The unspoken message was clear: “So what if you caught me fooling around with Ruby? You can’t touch me if the CEO has my back.”
Ruby stood to leave, but as she passed Lauren, she leaned in with a cold smile. “Ms. Rhodes, I haven’t forgotten my grudge against you. Be careful not to make a mistake you’ll regret for the rest of your life.”
Lauren shot back without missing a beat. “Don’t worry, Ms. Dickinson. I’d be happy to send you back for another helping of prison meals—on the house.”
Ruby’s smile turned icy as she clicked away in her high heels, leaving the meeting room. The rest of the executives quickly followed suit, leaving only Andrew and Lauren behind.
Lauren’s face darkened as she muttered, “Ruby is a master manipulator. Her specialty is seduction—using her body to achieve her shady goals.”
She clenched her fists. “Troy must have fallen for her act. He’s probably completely under her spell now. And as for that Amberpeak Corporation deal? The more I think about it, the more it screams fraud.”
Andrew’s expression remained calm. “It’s not just a fraud. It’s a complete fabrication–not even a shred of it is real.”
Lauren looked at him in surprise. “Dr. Lloyd, what did you notice?”
She had suspicions about Ruby, but she could not make a strong case without concrete evidence. Ruby had come prepared, even presenting what appeared to be authentic Amberpeak Corporation documents.
Andrew smiled lightly. “Do you remember the questions I asked Ruby earlier?”
Before Lauren could reply, Andrew continued, “She answered smoothly, as if she had everything under control. But to someone with expertise–like me–it was obvious she was trying to cover something up.”
Lauren chuckled, amused. “Dr. Lloyd, you’re incredible. So, tell me–how did you see through her?”
Andrew smirked. “First, I asked about the specifics of the collaboration. She dodged the details and instead threw out a flashy number–two billion. It’s a figure designed to impress, but it’s all surface-level.”
He leaned forward slightly. “Think about it, Lauren. That two billion isn’t an investment from Amberpeak Corporation. They’re expecting Rhodes Corporation to front the money, manufacture the products, and only then will they pay.”
Lauren nodded. “Exactly. It’s a classic scam, just like construction projects where the client promises big payouts to get the contractor to start work, only to vanish without paying a dime once the job is done. The contractor ends up losing everything.”
Andrew continued, “Now, if Amberpeak Corporation’s reputation and credibility were genuinely behind this, it might convince some pharmaceutical companies to take that risk. After all, they have a strong foundation and wouldn’t usually default.”
“But,” he added, his eyes narrowing, “the real issue here is whether Ruby is truly an Amberpeak Corporation representative.”
Lauren frowned. “She just got out of prison, and we’re supposed to believe she’s suddenly earned the trust of Amberpeak’s chairman? That sounds completely unrealistic.”
“But she came prepared,” she admitted, frustration creeping into her voice. “The documents she presented looked legitimate–so convincing that I couldn’t find a single flaw.”
Andrew shrugged. “Let’s assume, for argument’s sake that she really does represent Amberpeak Corporation.”
His voice took on a sharper edge. “The real red flag came when I checked the documents she mentioned about the pills Amberpeak Corporation supposedly wants us to manufacture. That’s where the lie unraveled.”