My Hidden Mafia Husband

Chapter 4 That Was Power

With thirty seconds left until Fred responded to Owen's proposal and vice versa.

"Twenty seconds, kid. Let's see how long you can keep up the act!" Owen lit a cigarette and leisurely took a drag. Then he glanced at his Rolex on his left wrist. "Ten seconds."

Fred walked over the the sofa in the office reception area and sat down, calmly observing Owen.

"Five seconds." Owen smirked.

Fred propped up his legs, hands behind his head, reclining lazily on the sofa.

"Time's up, You chose your fate. Don't blame me for not giving you a chance!" Just as Owen was about to reach for his phone to call security and teach the brash young man a lesson, the phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, Owen's expression changed.

It was from Mr. Brown, the largest partner of the Stone Group. Without Mr. Brown, the Stone Group would lose two-thirds of its profits.

Weighing his options, Owen decided to answer Mr. Brown's call first. After all, dealing with a reckless troublemaker could wait.

Before Owen could even utter a greeting, Mr. Brown's furious voice came through the phone. "Owen! You've stirred up trouble, but don't you dare drag me into it. Our partnership is over!"

Owen was momentarily stunned. What was happening? The Stone Group had been cooperating with Mr. Brown for six years, always mutually beneficial. Why the sudden change? And Mr. Brown claimed he had angered someone powerful.

Before Owen could contemplate further, the landline on his desk began ringing. With a sinking feeling, he picked it up.

"Mr. Stone, it's bad news! Our company website is under heavy attack by hackers, completely paralyzed. All online product prices have been reduced to one dollar, and within seconds, thousands of orders have been placed. Our losses are at least a hundred million!"

Before Owen could respond, his secretary burst into the office, panic-stricken. "Mr. Stone, three potential partners who were about to finalize deals suddenly refuse to work with us, claiming there's no point in collaborating with a company on the brink of bankruptcy!"

Ang the old-fashioned phone's jarring ring echoed in Owen's ears. This phone was reserved for crucial matters, and every time it rang, it meant trouble.

With a grim expression, Owen picked up the phone.

"Mr. Stone, it's a disaster. Our company's stocks are being heavily manipulated by a mysterious financial group. They're well-funded and willing to incur losses, driving down our stock price by eleven points. It's deliberate sabotage! Our losses are estimated to be two hundred seventy million and increasing every second!"

"What?!" Each phone call and report from his secretary made Owen panic.

Owen's phone rang again, it was his father calling. Owen's father yelled angrily over the phone, "What the hell have you done? Several of my old buddies called, advising me to run away quickly. They said you've stirred up trouble with the wrong people!"

"I..." Owen opened his mouth, and he suddenly caught sight of Fred sitting on the sofa.

Looking at the young man in a white tank top and beach shorts, Owen suddenly realized something.

"It's you! It's you!" Owen pointed at Fred with his fingers trembling. The playful smirk on Fred's face filling him with dread.

"How can you say it's me?" Fred chuckled lightly. "I gave you two options, and you chose this one yourself."

The office was filled with the incessant ringing of the phone, making Owen feel particularly uncomfortable. He questioned frantically, "What have you done!"

"This is what you chose," Fred said, twirling his little finger in his ear.

The continuous ringing of the phone and the messages brought by department managers made Owen feel like he was going insane. He finally understood that the person in front of him was beyond his ability to contend with. When he said he would ruin the company, he wasn't joking! If he didn't comply soon, the company would truly be finished! The speed at which he accomplished all this was far beyond Owen's imagination!

Looking at the person half-lying on the couch, Owen now saw this young man as a demon from hell, capable of easily destroying him!

The incessant ringing of the phone shattered Owen's resolve. He staggered to Fred and collapsed to his knees with a thud. He said, "I agree! I agree to everything, please, spare me!"

Fred snapped his fingers. "Should have been obedient from the start."

In the hopeful gaze of Owen, Fred took out his phone and made a call, saying it's enough.

A few seconds later, when Owen answered the phone again, he was informed that the hackers attacking the company's website had left on their own, and the mysterious financial consortium manipulating the company's stocks had ceased their actions. In a short time, the company had incurred losses of nearly eighty million, not to mention the partners who terminated their cooperation with the company. If everything was taken into account, the losses for the company this time exceeded two hundred million!

Owen's back was drenched in cold sweat. He looked at the man before him with terror in his eyes. This was a person who could destroy his company with a single word. Who exactly was he? How many such people could one find in the entire country? How could the Foster Group get such a person to help?!

"Mr. Stone, you've angered the Foster family, but it's not enough to leave it at that. Tomorrow morning, I want to hear the news of your apology to the Foster family. The necessary compensation must not be lacking. If by noon you haven't properly apologized to Ms. Foster, I believe the outcome won't be one you want to face."

Fred got up, dusted off his pants, and looked at Owen with disdain, as if he were looking at a mere ant.

Owen nodded frantically in response, "Absolutely! I will!"

"Good for you." Fred said and patted Owen's face.

The extremely insulting gesture left Owen too afraid to express any dissatisfaction. Instead, he forced out a smile.

With the matter resolved, Fred left the Stone Tower. He hopped on his bike and hummed a tune as he returned to the villa. Seeing Joyce still asleep on the couch, he felt a surge of fondness. He approached her, lifted her and slowly walked upstairs to the bedroom.

The next day, Joyce was awakened by the glaring sunlight. She stretched lazily, feeling for the first time how deeply she had slept.

Glancing at the clock on the wall, the hour hand pointed to ten.

Joyce exclaimed, "Oh no."