Everyone was looking at me.

"First, Julian must apologize publicly and admit his fault during the marriage."

Julian immediately said: "Impossible."

I looked at him.

"Then there is nothing to talk about."

Chairman Fu said in a deep voice: "Julian, let her finish."

I continued.

"Second, recover the assets transferred during the marriage, including the discounted refund of gifts received by Mina."

The sound of Mina’s muffled sobbing came from outside the door.

I ignored it.

"Third, Sia must apologize publicly and admit to spreading rumors."

The sister shouted from outside: "I won't!"

Patrick glanced at the time.

"Ms. Sia, there are three hours left until 8:00."

Chairman Fu rubbed his temples.

"Clara, these conditions are too damaging to our reputation."

I said: "Chairman Fu, did the Fu family ever leave me any dignity?"

The conference room went quiet.

I took out a stack of photos.

"On our wedding anniversary, Julian was out eating with Mina."

"When I was sick in the hospital, the mother scolded me in the family group chat for being pretentious."

"The sister listed the gifts I gave her on a second-hand platform, noting 'pre-sister-in-law’s aesthetic disaster'."

I placed them on the table one by one.

I said: "Chairman Fu, it’s not that you didn't know I would be in pain."

"You just thought that my pain didn't matter."

Some directors looked down at the documents.

Someone sighed softly.

Chairman Fu’s face finally could not hold up anymore.

Julian looked at the photos, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

"Clara..."

I raised my hand to stop him.

"Don't call me so familiarly."

The conference room door was suddenly pushed open.

Mina barged in.

"Ms. Clara, why must you destroy me?"

Her eyes were filled with tears.

"I admit, Julian and I were close, but the breakdown of the relationship was not entirely my fault. You have money and connections; you can easily make everyone stand on your side, but what about me? I am just an ordinary girl."

She looked at the group.

"I work hard, I try to live my life—what did I do wrong?"

She knew exactly how to stir up emotions with her words.

A few young employees were peeking in from the door.

Julian stood up.

"Mina, get out."

Mina shook her head.

"No. Today I want to set the record straight."

She looked at me.

"Do you dare to say you never bullied others by relying on your family? Do you dare to say you didn't come here today to ruin me?"

I said: "I dare."

She was stunned.

I picked up the list of expenses.

"Mina, I am only asking you to pay back the money."

Her tears fell even faster.

"You know I can't afford it right now."

"Then why didn't you think about whether you could afford it when you were taking it?"

She bit her lip.

Julian instinctively tried to protect her.

Chairman Fu slammed the table.

"Enough!"

Everyone went quiet.

Chairman Fu looked at Mina.

"Get out."

Mina could not believe it.

"Uncle..."

"Get out!"

Her face paled, and she turned and ran.

Julian took two steps to follow her, then stopped.

I watched this scene.

"Truly interesting."

At first, their whole family held Mina in the palm of their hands; now, the first thing they do is tell her not to get in their way.

Chairman Fu looked at me.

"Give me one day."

I asked: "To do what?"

"To handle the three things you mentioned."

I stood up.

"Chairman Fu, I am only giving you until 8:00 PM tonight."

He frowned.

"That is too rushed."

I said: "When the Fu family was humiliating me, you never asked if I was in a rush."

12

I walked out of the conference room.

Mina stood at the end of the corridor, looking at me with reddened eyes.

"Clara Shen, you will definitely regret this."

I stopped.

"You’ve said that, and so has the mother."

She said: "Do you think Gu Shi'an is helping you because of Evergreen Capital?"

I looked at her.

She smiled, though it looked somewhat strained.

"You don't know, do you? The relationship between the Gu family and the Lin family is not that simple. Your mother hasn't always kept her hands clean either."

I said: "Go on."

But she stopped talking.

"If you want to know, go ask your mother."

She turned and left.

I stood there.

Patrick walked up to my side.

"Ms. Clara?"

I said: "Look into who Mina has met recently."

Patrick nodded.

"Understood."

I looked toward the elevator.

What Mina said didn't sound like it was made up on the spot.

Someone behind her was feeding her lines.

The Fu family’s business wasn't over yet.

New trouble had already arrived.

At 7:50 PM, the sister finally posted an apology.

"Due to posting inappropriate content without verification, which caused an impact on Ms. Clara Shen, I hereby apologize."

It lacked sincerity.

But it was enough to make her lose face.

In the comment section, someone asked: "So the photo was a rumor?"

Someone replied: "To curse a former sister-in-law, she even used her own mother's medical condition. That’s really something."

The sister quickly closed the comments.

Mina also released a statement.

"Regarding some of the gifts, I will cooperate with returning them."

Below, some people expressed sympathy for her.

Others asked: "Did you know he was married when you accepted the gifts?"

She did not reply.

At 8:00 sharp, Julian posted a long essay.

He admitted to handling his feelings inappropriately during the marriage.

He admitted to not fully disclosing some assets in the divorce agreement.

He admitted to causing harm to Clara Shen.

The words were written with restraint.

But every word felt like it was being squeezed out through his gritted teeth.

After reading it, I didn't "like" or comment on it.

Lena called.

"Madame Evelyn asks if you are satisfied?"

I said: "It’s alright."

"Madame also said that Chairman Fu will come to visit you in person tonight."

I asked: "To see me?"

"Yes."

"Tell him to come to the riverside club."

"You want to meet him?"

"Yes."

I looked at Julian's apology.

I wanted to see what else the Fu family could offer to save their lives.

At 9:00 PM, in a private room at the riverside club.

Chairman Fu arrived.

He came alone.

No Julian, no mother.

As soon as he entered, he adopted a very humble posture.

"Clara."

I said: "Chairman Fu, sit."

He sat down and got straight to the point.

"I know the Fu family has let you down. Julian is young and foolish, and the mother and sister are also unreasonable."

I didn't respond.

He continued: "But Fu Medical has hundreds of employees. If the company really collapses, it won't just be the Fu family that is affected."

I asked: "And so?"

He produced a file.

"I am willing to transfer 12% of Fu Medical's shares to an entity designated by Evergreen. I only ask that Evergreen restores part of its credit support and gives Fu Medical three months."

I glanced at the document.

Twelve percent.

Chairman Fu was truly desperate.

"Can you really bear to part with it, Chairman Fu?"

He smiled bitterly.

"I have no choice even if I can't."

I said: "The shares are not enough."

His hands tightened.

"What else do you want?"

"Julian must withdraw from the company's core management."

Chairman Fu suddenly looked up.

"No."

I smiled.

"Then there is no need to talk."

He suppressed his emotions.

"Clara, Julian is my only son."

"So he is allowed to drag the company down with him?"

"He will change."

"Chairman Fu, people can change, but the accounting books cannot."

13

I pushed another document toward him.

"There are three obvious problems in the procurement projects he is responsible for. The supplier prices are 30% higher than the market average. One of the companies has a partnership with Mina's talent agency."

Chairman Fu flipped it open, his face darkening bit by bit.

"How do you know about this?"

I said: "Chairman Fu, Evergreen Capital invested 76 million, not just to write checks."

He looked up at me.

For the first time, there was genuine fear in his eyes.

I continued: "Julian withdraws from core management. All expenses related to Mina must be recovered. The sister is no longer allowed to participate in any external activities for Fu Medical."

Chairman Fu didn't speak.

I said: "Three conditions in exchange for three months."

He was silent for a long time.

"I need to consider this."

I stood up.

"Fine."

He asked: "How long?"

"Until 9:00 AM tomorrow morning."

His expression was ugly.

"Clara, you are even more ruthless than your mother."

I looked at him.

"No."

I picked up my bag.

"My mother is just protective. I am vengeful."

As I walked to the door, he suddenly said: "Do you think Gu Shi'an is helping you sincerely?"

I stopped.

Chairman Fu looked at me.

"The Gu family and the Lin family had a debt from years ago. Didn't your mother tell you?"