Chapter 524
“I want Lauren to experience true despair and unrelenting pain,” Ruby hissed, her eyes alight with malice. “When the Rhodes family collapses completely, when their legacy is destroyed, I bet her anguished screams will sound like music to my ears.”
Aspen, standing calmly by the window, gave a faint smile. “Hatred is indeed a powerful motivator, but you can’t rely solely on it. The brain, Ruby, is the deadliest weapon of all.”
Ruby hesitated, then bowed her head respectfully. “Please, Ms. Stevens, enlighten me.”
Aspen’s cold smile deepened. “The Weller family is currently under the spotlight, drawing public scrutiny and outrage. It’s the perfect distraction for us. Everyone thinks the crisis in Rhodes Corporation’s Pharmaceutical Division is over, but this lull in vigilance is precisely when I strike.”
She turned to Ruby, her tone laced with pride. “The key is to attack your prey when they least expect it, when their guard is down–that’s when it’s most fatal.”
With a light laugh, she added, “I imagine neither Rhodes Corporation nor the Weller family has realized that I am the one orchestrating this chaos.”
Ruby’s expression faltered as she spoke cautiously. “Ms. Stevens, the entire Rhodes Corporation, including Michael, trusts me completely now. But there’s a man by Lauren’s side–Andrew Lloyd. He’s proving to be… difficult to deal with.”
Aspen’s face darkened instantly, her icy demeanor growing even colder. “Andrew again? Don’t worry about him. I’ll take care of that pest myself.”
Ruby glanced at Aspen, noticing a subtle shift in her as she mentioned Andrew. Curious, she could not resist asking, “Ms. Stevens, did Andrew offend you in the past?”
Aspen’s voice was as sharp as a blade. “Offend me? That man ruined everything. In Jayrodale, he almost turned my plans into a joke, leaving me humiliated.”
Her tone grew even colder. “But soon, reinforcements from Bridgefields‘ Stevens family will arrive. Andrew has tested my patience too many times. This time, I’ll eliminate him with decisive force.”
Ruby could not hide the shiver that ran down her spine. She had not known Aspen for long, but she had witnessed this woman’s sheer ruthlessness and cunning in that short time. It was Aspen’s overwhelming dominance that had compelled Ruby to submit so quickly.
Aspen continued, her words deliberate. “After I leave, contact Troy and have him secure the formula from Stevens Corporation’s Pharmaceutical Division. That’s your next step.”
She shot Ruby a meaningful look and added with a sly smile, “As a woman, you must learn to use your beauty–especially beautiful women. The power they wield between their legs can make even the most untouchable men grovel.”
Ruby chuckled seductively. “You’re absolutely right, Ms. Stevens. I got Troy wrapped around my finger. When we’re in bed, if I told him to eat dirt, he’d do it without hesitation!”
“And when Troy is no longer useful,” she continued with a wicked grin, “I’ll move on to Michael. That man is just as desperate as the rest. During today’s meeting, he couldn’t stop staring at my chest—at least ten times!”
Aspen shook her head, her voice steady. “I only care about Rhodes Corporation’s most valuable asset– the Pharmaceutical Division’s formulas. Once we have that and Rhodes Corporation takes a catastrophic hit, the chaos in Jayrodale’s business world will be unstoppable.”
“As for the rest,” she added with a dismissive wave, “do what you want. Sleep with whomever won’t interfere.”
With that, Aspen left the hotel, her figure elegant yet imposing. Beneath her composed exterior, however, was a deep-seated disdain for men–a lingering trauma.
Her distrust stemmed from the harrowing encounter she had barely escaped with Rodney—a moment that had left scars far deeper than she cared to admit. From a medical perspective, it could even be described as androphobia, an intense fear and revulsion toward men.