Chapter 178
Chapter 178:
As Alden approached the Wilson Group headquarters, his phone rang. It was Xavier on the line. “Mr. Wilson, your wife has safely boarded her flight without any issues p>
Breathing a sigh of relief, Alden exited his vehicle. Disguised with a mask and a voice modulator, he moved quickly among a group of Wilson Group executives, making his way to the building.
Alden was first ushered into Chadwick’s office. Chadwick stood to greet him, extending his hand, while Serena, poised and smiling, stood by his side as if she ran the place.
Behind his mask, Alden’s eyes darted between them, a hidden sneer on his face. He abruptly pulled back his hand and said sharply, “I heard Rylan has had a serious car accident. He’s now in the hospital, critically injured and fighting for his life p>
“That’s something that only concerns the family!” Chadwick responded at once, his voice showing not the slightest trace of worry for Rylan. “You have my word, Mr. Russell. I’ve always kept my private life separate from business. I would never allow something so petty on the personal front to get in the way of our collaboration p>
“Petty?” A piercing voice broke in, sudden and cutting.
Everyone except Alden froze in surprise.
Maisie burst into the room, disheveled and worn. She grabbed a decorative piece from a shelf and threw it at Chadwick, who dodged just in time.
Chadwick only narrowly avoided the strike. Before he had the chance to speak, Maisie had already burst into tears, shouting between sobs, “Chadwick, is there even a shred of conscience left in you? Rylan is in the hospital, fighting to stay alive, and you brush it off as some small personal issue? You really have no heart p>
Rylan’s accident had turned her entire world upside down. She had stayed at the hospital for a full day and night without rest, and the polished image she once took pride in now looked as though it had aged a decade in just one night. Her eyelids were puffed, her eyes were parched, and there was no sign left of the elegance she once carried.
Regaining his composure, Chadwick looked at her with hatred.
As Maisie continued her outburst, Chadwick struck her across the face, sending her tumbling to the floor. Coldly, he instructed the security, “Remove this hysterical woman immediately p>
𝖁𝖎𝖊𝖜 𝖋𝖔𝖗 𝖖𝖚𝖆𝖑𝖎𝖙𝖞 𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉: g⍺𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⧽ⅽ𝗈𝗺
As she was being pulled away, Maisie’s fingers clawed at the floor, her nails breaking and leaving trails of blood. Just as she neared the office door, Maisie collapsed into tears, begging, “Chadwick, you might dismiss me, but you cannot turn away from Rylan! He’s your son—his life is slipping away p>
Her cries, filled with despair, touched everyone there except Chadwick, who simply frowned in annoyance and urged the guards to hasten her removal.
Alden observed the drama with a sharp eye. It was only after Maisie’s form and cries had vanished into silence that he said calmly, “Mr. Wilson, you are ruthless. Is this typical behavior toward your family? Does it not weigh on your conscience p>
“Mr. Russell, you flatter me too much!” Chadwick, unabashed and smug, drew Serena closer and smirked at Alden. “Surely you can see that Serena’s charm far surpasses that of an old woman like Maisie p>
Because of Serena’s connection with Antonio, Chadwick lavished praise on Serena to gain favor with Covey. “Serena possesses a beauty that shines both inside and out—a true gem! Surely, someone of her caliber is fitting to be friends with your distinguished assistant, Mr. Green p>
Turning to Antonio, he asked, “Wouldn’t you agree p>
Antonio remained silent, his gaze shifting quietly to Alden.
A subtle, cold smile played on Alden’s lips as he observed Chadwick’s desperate antics. Chadwick, feeling the tension, chuckled nervously and said, “Mr. Russell, I consider you a true partner, and that’s why I’m transparent with you. We’re men of the world, after all. It ultimately comes down to interests, and I see no point in pretending to have integrity like others do p>
“Indeed, you’re anything but a hypocrite, Mr. Wilson,” Alden responded, his voice dripping with implication.
In truth, Chadwick’s nature was blatantly clear: he was thoroughly evil. As Chadwick pondered Alden’s words, his gaze accidentally fell on the ring adorning Alden’s hand.
The ring seemed eerily familiar. Chadwick felt as though he had seen it on Alden’s finger before. A sudden realization hit him, and he swiftly glanced toward Covey’s ears.