Chapter 9: The Dangerous Proposal
1091 Words
The rain outside the WeiTech tower had not stopped.
It fell heavily against the tall glass windows, turning the city lights of Jiang City into blurred streaks of gold and white. Inside the boardroom, the atmosphere was just as tense as the storm outside.
No one spoke for several seconds.
Guo Ren stood calmly near the window, his hands in his coat pockets, watching Liang Wei and Zhang Mei with a faint, unreadable smile.
Zhang Mei still held the photographs in her hands.
Her fingers trembled slightly.
Three years ago… these exact pictures had destroyed her life.
The accusation had been simple but devastating Zhang Mei had secretly met with executives from a rival company and leaked the Zhang family's business secrets.
Her father had believed the evidence.
The board had believed the evidence.
The entire business world had believed the evidence.
And now the man who orchestrated it was standing in front of her, casually admitting everything.
"You framed me," Zhang Mei said slowly.
Guo Ren shrugged.
"I needed someone to take the fall."
The coldness in his voice made the room feel even colder.
Liang Wei leaned back slightly in his chair, his sharp eyes fixed on Guo Ren.
"You walk into my company," he said quietly, "confess to corporate sabotage, and expect us to listen to you?"
Guo Ren chuckled.
"I expect you to be smart enough to."
His gaze shifted toward Zhang Mei again.
"Because the person who destroyed her life three years ago wasn't just me."
Zhang Mei's eyes narrowed.
"What are you talking about?"
Guo Ren stepped closer to the table and tapped one finger on the photographs.
"Wang Xiao."
The name made Liang Wei's expression darken slightly.
Guo Ren continued.
"He was the one who pushed the plan forward. I simply executed it."
Zhang Mei felt her chest tighten.
Wang Xiao.
The same man now trying to destroy WeiTech.
The same man buying shares and attacking Liang Wei's company from the shadows.
"Why?" she asked.
Guo Ren gave a small smile.
"Because you were dangerous."
Zhang Mei blinked.
"Dangerous?"
"You were about to inherit Zhang Shipping," he said. "You had influence, intelligence, and your father trusted you."
He leaned slightly closer.
"Wang Xiao doesn't like competitors."
Liang Wei finally spoke again.
"And what does this have to do with us now?"
Guo Ren looked back at him calmly.
"Everything."
He pulled another document from inside his coat and placed it on the table.
Liang Wei picked it up.
His eyes scanned the page quickly.
Then they sharpened.
"This is a list of WeiTech shareholders."
"Correct," Guo Ren said.
"And?"
"Wang Xiao has already acquired fifteen percent."
Zhang Mei sucked in a quiet breath.
Fifteen percent was a dangerous amount.
In corporate warfare, that was enough to start influencing decisions… or even attempt a hostile takeover.
Liang Wei placed the document down slowly.
"You're telling me something I already suspected."
Guo Ren nodded.
"But you don't know the rest."
Silence filled the room again.
"What rest?" Zhang Mei asked.
Guo Ren's eyes glinted.
"Wang Xiao isn't just trying to weaken WeiTech."
He paused deliberately.
"He's preparing to take control of it."
Zhang Mei looked at Liang Wei.
Even though his expression remained calm, she knew he understood the danger immediately.
If Wang Xiao gained enough shares…
WeiTech could fall.
Guo Ren continued speaking.
"And once WeiTech falls…"
His gaze moved slowly toward Zhang Mei.
"You fall with it."
Zhang Mei's jaw tightened.
"I'm not afraid of Wang Xiao."
Guo Ren laughed softly.
"You should be."
Before she could respond, Liang Wei suddenly stood.
The sound of the chair scraping against the floor cut through the room.
He walked slowly toward Guo Ren.
The difference in height and presence between the two men was obvious.
Liang Wei stopped just inches away from him.
"Let's stop wasting time," he said coldly. "What exactly do you want?"
Guo Ren met his gaze calmly.
"An alliance."
Zhang Mei immediately spoke.
"No."
Both men looked at her.
She walked forward.
"You framed me. You destroyed my life."
Her voice was steady, but the anger behind it was clear.
"And now you expect us to trust you?"
Guo Ren's smile faded slightly.
"I don't expect trust."
He pointed at the shareholder document.
"I expect survival."
Liang Wei said nothing.
Guo Ren continued.
"Wang Xiao is building a network of allies. Investors. Executives. Even people inside WeiTech."
Zhang Mei frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Guo Ren's eyes gleamed.
"There's a spy in your company."
The words fell heavily into the room.
Huo Zhen, who had been standing quietly near the door, straightened immediately.
"That's impossible," he said.
Guo Ren looked at him.
"Is it?"
He turned back toward Liang Wei.
"Someone inside WeiTech has been feeding information to Wang Xiao for months."
Liang Wei's eyes narrowed.
Zhang Mei felt a chill run down her spine.
"Do you know who it is?" she asked.
Guo Ren shook his head.
"Not yet."
Liang Wei crossed his arms.
"Then why should I accept your alliance?"
Guo Ren smiled again.
"Because I know something you don't."
He stepped closer to the table.
"Wang Xiao's next move."
Zhang Mei's heart began beating faster.
"What move?"
Guo Ren's voice dropped slightly.
"Tomorrow morning."
The room went silent again.
Liang Wei's expression hardened.
"What happens tomorrow?"
Guo Ren looked directly at Zhang Mei.
His next words came slowly.
"Wang Xiao plans to destroy her reputation again."
Zhang Mei froze.
"What?"
Guo Ren slid his phone across the table.
Liang Wei picked it up.
A news headline draft appeared on the screen.
Zhang Mei leaned closer to see it.
Her breath caught.
The headline read:
"WeiTech CEO's Wife Linked to Corporate Espionage Scandal—New Evidence Emerges."
Zhang Mei's hands went cold.
The nightmare from three years ago…
Was about to happen again.
Guo Ren spoke quietly.
"And this time…"
His eyes gleamed.
"Wang Xiao plans to finish what he started."
Lightning flashed outside the windows.
Thunder followed immediately after.
In the bright flash of light, Liang Wei's face turned completely cold.
He slowly placed the phone down.
Then he said something that made the room fall silent.
"Looks like we start a war."
But Guo Ren wasn't finished.
Because he leaned closer to Zhang Mei and said one final sentence.
A sentence that made her blood run cold.
"There's something else you should know."
Zhang Mei looked at him.
"What?"
Guo Ren's smile returned.
"The person helping Wang Xiao expose this scandal tomorrow…"
He paused.
"...is someone you trust."
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD