radicalducati Chapter 614: The New Rising Power
Chapter 614: The New Rising Power
“Blake, you’ve been doing really well so far,” Bianca said with a gentle smile. “If anything difficult comes up, like we said before, we’ll be here to support you.”
“That’s great!” Blake replied, pouring himself a glass of wine and raising it toward Dave.
“You’re giving me too much credit,” Dave said. “You’re the new rising power in Edenfield’s business world.”
He clinked glasses with Blake and spoke seriously. “When it comes to partnerships, two things matter most: how the profits are shared and how the responsibilities are divided.”
He took a sip of his wine, then added casually, “This wine has been aged for thirty years. You can enjoy it without worry.”
Blake’s eyelids twitched. “Ah, that explains why it tastes so good. The last party didn’t have anything like this.”
“It’s fine. No need to think about the past,” Dave replied lightly. “By the way, as I promised Bianca, you can come to my company tomorrow. I’ll show you a few projects.”
“Thank you, Mr. Evans,” Blake said, standing up and finishing his drink in one go. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without the two of you. And of course, thank you as well, Miss McGee.”
The four of them enjoyed the rest of the evening in a light, cheerful mood. The competition never came up again.
After dinner, Blake and Brenda were the first to leave.
A light drizzle had started outside. Dave stood at the hotel entrance while his subordinate held an umbrella for him.
Bianca walked over, took the umbrella from the subordinate, and stood next to Dave.
“They’ve left. What’s on your mind?” she asked, her eyes flicking to his sharp features.
Dave slipped an arm around her waist, took the umbrella, and held it over her. “I’m thinking about how to settle this.”
Bianca nodded. “I’ve been thinking about it too. There’s something about Brenda… she feels familiar, but I’m sure we’ve never met.”
Lightning lit up the sky, followed by the low roll of thunder. The rain came down harder, and they quickly made their way to the car.
Inside the vast Lawson Mansion, Blake walked in with an easy stride, pulling off his tie and tossing it aside as if it were nothing.
Brenda followed behind him, a smile playing on her lips, unable to hide her excitement, as if she were holding on to a delicious secret.
“Well, would you look at that? Dave and Bianca aren’t as clever as they seem,” she said.
“Exactly,” Blake replied with a grin. “You were perfect tonight. I never thought you’d step into Brenda’s role so seamlessly.”
Brenda’s smile widened at the compliment. Blake’s eyes gleamed with ambition as he added, “Next, it’ll be my turn to drag Dave down from his high horse.”
Blake walked over to a magazine on the table and, with a sharp motion, knocked it to the floor. He stepped on it with deliberate pressure.
On the cover was a photo of Dave, looking every bit the picture of success, with the words Business Legend printed above.
It was the latest issue of a financial magazine, telling the story of Dave’s rise, how he had come back from the brink of death to lead Phoenix Alliance Group, like a phoenix rising from the ashes.
But to Blake, those polished words were an insult. Dave’s empire had been built on the ruin of his father, Brady.
Phoenix Alliance Group had drained billions from the Lawson Group, stripping him of his inheritance, while Triumph Capital hung over him like a blade.
“I’ll give Dave this, he pays attention to the smallest details. If I hadn’t played my part well, he might’ve caught on tonight,” Ashley said, her tone full of satisfaction.
“But you’re not having second thoughts, are you? Especially since Bianca’s company also took a serious hit.”
Ashley glanced at Blake, resentment simmering inside her. Fate had been cruel to her. Why did Bianca get all the affection? Whether it was Dave or Blake, neither truly looked at her the way they looked at Bianca. She was just as deserving, just as capable.
She had been born for greatness, raised in privilege, surrounded by beauty. But then Bianca had stolen it all. The bitterness Ashley felt toward her ran deep, dark, and endless. At one point, she had even considered seducing Blake. Once the Lawson Group rose from the ashes, she could have had everything she wanted.
Rupert had promised her control of the group, but Ashley didn’t care about running it.
She only wanted Blake to want her. He could take care of the business.
But Blake’s eyes were fixed solely on Bianca.
“Of course not,” Blake said, his eyes sharp and cold. “You don’t need to worry. We’re on the same side now. But remember this, leave Bianca to me. She’s my target.”
“Fine,” Ashley replied firmly but filled with concern. “I just hope you won’t get in the way of our plan. I’m going to take a shower upstairs.”
She gave one last glance at the heavy rain outside before quietly heading up the stairs. Under her breath, she muttered, “Then you can disappear with Bianca.”
She had already given Blake a chance. Sadly, he was just as foolish as Dave.
Once in her room, Ashley picked up her phone and called Rupert.
“Dad,” she said as soon as he picked up. “Once everything’s done, let’s get rid of Blake too.”
A low chuckle came from the other end. “Good girl. The Lawson Group will be yours, and there’ll be plenty of good men for you to choose from.” Rupert’s voice held a trace of amusement. “How did things go today?”
“All smooth, thanks to the lessons you’ve drilled into me.”
“That’s what I like to hear. Now, let’s push them even higher,” Rupert said with a sneer. “If they want the championship, let them have it. Just make sure you’re working hard to spread the word that supporting Dave and Bianca will bring huge returns.”
“Don’t worry,” Ashley said confidently. “Phoenix Alliance Group’s stock price is still climbing. I’ve already had Blake spread the word. We’re pushing companies to work with Emerald Artists Agency, stressing the profit sharing, the responsibilities, and the steep penalties for breaking the contract.”
Ashley leaned back, satisfaction settling over her. Dave had said exactly what she’d been waiting to hear at dinner earlier.
“This time, we won’t just destroy Dave’s and Bianca’s reputations. We’ll watch the empire they worked so hard to build crumble to nothing.”
“Absolutely. Everything’s already moving quickly on its perfect timing, but you’ll need to endure a bit more before it all comes together,” Rupert said, his tone softer, almost coaxing. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you get your reward in the end.”
“I’m no stranger to hardship,” Ashley said, her eyes cold and unyielding. “All I care about is making Dave and Bianca’s lives a living hell. I’ll do whatever it takes.”