Chapter 561:

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Faced with this mutiny, Harold was completely powerless. Hayley’s latest counterattack had already sent the Old Master into a towering rage. He’d roared that if they were going to fight, they had to be ruthless and give their enemy no quarter. If Harold couldn’t stabilize the situation and prove his capability, his days as CEO were numbered.

“Emmalyn, what’s the situation with Rowan? Are you certain there won’t be any… surprises?” Harold’s brow was furrowed with worry as he fixed his gaze on her.

Emmalyn shook her head. “Dad, Rowan despises Hayley. I’m certain that tomorrow, he’ll do whatever it takes to destroy her in court.”

“You have to be absolutely certain. Everything we have is riding on tomorrow. We have to finish her for good.”

“Don’t worry, Dad. We’ve got this.” Emmalyn’s eyes burned with hatred and a feverish anticipation. “Hayley releasing the original surveillance footage might have swayed public opinion, but it doesn’t matter. As long as we play our ace, Rowan, we can’t possibly fail.”

“Heh. You two are awfully optimistic.”

Rendell, sitting in his wheelchair, toyed with a Zippo, his voice flat and dismissive. “Doesn’t it strike either of you as strange how Hayley got her hands on that original footage in the first place?”

The color drained from Emmalyn’s face. Her fists clenched. “She must have made a copy beforehand.”

“A copy?” Rendell narrowed his eyes, voicing the one terrifying possibility they had both completely ignored. “Has it ever crossed your minds that Hayley might have a powerful hacker backing her? A hacker who could have breached your phone, or your computer, and stolen the original footage right out from under your noses?”

“What?!” The blood drained from both Emmalyn’s and Harold’s faces.

𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘴.𝘤𝘰𝘮

They understood the implication perfectly. If what Rendell said was true, and Hayley had a hacker that skilled on her side, the danger was unthinkable. If that person was capable enough, then none of their secrets were safe.

Emmalyn pulled out her phone, and it suddenly felt searing hot in her palm. “No, that’s impossible! How could Hayley have someone that capable working for her? She’s just an ex-con from Unit One Prison, that hellhole. There’s no way she still has connections like that.”

“You’re right about that.” Harold nodded. “Hayley is a nobody. She used to grovel for our approval like a pathetic dog. Even if she’s grown a spine, she hasn’t had nearly enough time to build her own power base.”

Rendell Walker shook his head and sighed. “You’re both far too smug for your own good.”

With a sharp click, he flicked his lighter open. The flame cast flickering shadows across his angular face, especially his eyes, which were cold, calculating, and held a predatory gleam.

“You’ve never once considered Hayley a worthy opponent. You still think she’s the same nobody from four years ago.”

Harold and Emmalyn’s hearts sank. Rendell’s words completely tore through their contempt for Hayley.

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