The Cherished Wife

Chapter 86

“Really?” Charles stood abruptly, yanking a paper from the pile behind him. “I didn’t come here to listen to your excuses. You seem to be in the dark on how I operate. Since I’ve brought you in, it’s clear–you’re out of the Collosus Group.”

“Mr. Hoffman!” Jenson’s legs turned to jelly, and he nearly dropped to his knees, “Mr. Hoffman, I admit it, I messed up! I was backed into a corner, you know? I’ve got my aging parents and my kids to look after, and sure, being the finance chief sounds like a sweet gig, but… it takes guts to do this job! I was desperate. My mom’s sick in the hospital with heart disease, she needs a transplant, and I was out of options.”

Charles gave Mr. Lowry an icy stare. “I gave you a chance to come clean, and you wasted it!” With that, Charles hit the intercom button, and Ronald was in the room in a flash. “Mr. Hoffman, Joey’s spilled the beans. A bunch of those phony accounts never reached you, so things were smooth sailing until now.”

A smirk played on Charles’s lips. “So, you’ve been pulling this off under the radar for quite a while, huh?”

“Mr. Hoffman, I’m sorry!” Jenson hit the floor on his knees. “I lost my way, but, but it was all Mr. Harris’s idea. He told me that if I didn’t participate, not only would my mom’s treatment go south, but I’d be out of a job too. My hands were tied.”

Charles just waved him off. Ronald stepped right up next to Jenson. “Mr. Hoffman, I’ve called the cops, and they should be here any minute!”

Jenson’s world crumbled. His face was the color of concrete. “It’s all over! All of it!”

“Not yet,” Ronald chimed in. Jenson’s head shot up, hope flickering in his eyes. “You’ve got a plan?”

Ronald squinted. “Mr. Lowry’s a clever guy. He’s gotta have a backup plan, right?”

“Of course, I do! I’ve always been worried that my secret would come out, so…” Mr. Lowry wasn’t dumb, He had had an ace up his sleeve from the start, just in case his secret was revealed. “If you can forgive me, I’m ready to give up what I’ve got!”

Charles’s eyes were like icy daggers as he glared at Jenson. “I really hate being pushed into a corner. It’s a really bad feeling,” he said coldly. “Too bad for you that you’ve just hit my biggest nerve!”

“Mr. Hoffman…”

needs some time to think about

a sympathetic glance, shook his head,

shots, not the other way around. He figured Jenson must have lost his marbles to try and pull a fast

got what you’ve been after, the very thing that could topple Mr.

are not the one setting the terms,” Charles said, his stare cold and merciless, as he took what Jenson had. “I make the

his

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+15 BONUS

Chapter 87

the towering window, lost in thought. Clearing his throat to announce his presence,

been taken

picked up a cigarette, and rolled it between his fingers without lighting it. “It’s high time

was the kind of guy who liked to get things done in one fell swoop since it was less hassle that

time. Things seemed to be moving faster than expected, and he could not quite catch Charles’s drift. “You said before

a sly smile. “I’m feeling good today. Don’t bother trying

Charles’s mind.

huff, Charles added, “Joseph thinks he’s

Noelle again. He did not

up in the Hoffman family

was not too thrilled about it. In his eyes, Charles was untouchable and almost flawless. Noelle,

something to say?” Charles’s eyes narrowed

Ronald was quick to deny it. “Frotconn has been pushing it, hiding behind the Collosus Group’s name

Lowry, and as for Joey…” Charles paused. “You’re on

“And what about