Chapter 10
Three months later, I received permission from the team to visit home again.
Standing in the top-floor conference room of the Redwood Group headquarters, my aunt pushed the door open. She held a freshly printed financial newspaper in her hand.
“Take a look at this.”
She spread the paper out on the conference table. The front page boldly featured the headline—
“The Tanke Group Officially Declares Bankruptcy, Once-Mighty Business Empire Collapses.”
I skimmed through the article, which detailed the Tanke Group’s downward spiral over the past three months—
A 95% plummet in stock prices, mass withdrawal of all partners, and multiple projects forced to halt due to a broken financial chain.
The most ironic part? Accompanying the article was a photo of Kane cornered by creditors.
The once-charismatic business tycoon now looked aged, his hair streaked with gray and his eyes vacant.
I asked casually, “What about Leo?”
My aunt let out a short laugh. “Word is, he fled abroad. But…”
She smiled knowingly.
“His secretary, Aubrie, is now behind bars for charges of embezzlement and corporate fraud.”
I nodded, unsurprised by the outcome.
At that moment, the secretary knocked and stepped inside.
“Miss Redwood, Captain Willison has arrived.”
Tony entered in his sharp military uniform, saluting before handing over a file folder.
“Captain Redwood, here are the investigation results you requested. Over the years, Kane has indeed been involved in numerous illegal activities. The evidence is irrefutable. The prosecutor’s office is preparing to file charges.”
I opened the folder, flipping through the documentation that detailed Kane’s crimes.
To my shock, one of them involved a murder case from ten years ago.
My aunt shook her head in disbelief.
“What goes around comes around. We shouldn’t have helped the Tankes out financially years ago.”
I nodded, closing the folder and handing it back to Tony.
“Proceed according to the law.”
After Tony left, my aunt leaned closer, her expression teasingly mysterious.
“By the way, I have some good news for you. Do you remember Sir Sherwin’s grandson, Cesar? He’s back from Harvard Business School and has been talking non-stop about wanting to see you.”
I raised an eyebrow. “The little boy who used to follow me around everywhere?”
“That’s the one!” My aunt’s laughter crinkled her eyes. “That boy has grown up to be quite the handsome and capable young man. And the best part…”
She grinned.
“Sir Sherwin has promised that if you two hit it off, his tech company will be part of the dowry.”
I shook my head helplessly.
“Aunt, are you trying to set me up again?”
“This time is different!” My aunt declared with conviction. “Cesar has a great personality, solid values, and he’s been smitten with you since he was a kid. He’s nothing like that short-sighted boy from the Tanke family.”
Just as she finished, another knock came at the door. The secretary peeked in.
“Miss Redwood, Mr. Sherwin is here.”
My aunt’s face immediately lit up.
“Speak of the devil!”
I turned toward the door as the figure appeared—
Dressed in a simple black suit, tall and poised, he bore little resemblance to the tearful little boy from my memories.
But his bright, spirited eyes remained unchanged.
“Gloria, it’s been a long time.”
Cesar extended his hand confidently, a gentle smile playing on his lips.
I took his hand, a sudden feeling stirring in me. Perhaps this time, the arrangement might truly be different.
The sunlight outside poured in, warm and golden. My new life was just beginning.
