Chapter 774



Sophie instinctively clutched her mother’s hand tighter. “Mom, maybe we should just go,” she whispered, her voice trembling as her gaze darted toward the bodyguards.

Though Sophie enjoyed a bit of competition, even she knew to keep their safety in mind while abroad. Back home, she would have confidently called 911. But here, in unfamiliar territory, trust wasn’t a given. There was no guarantee the police would strive to bring justice.

Kallie, however, didn’t waver. She knelt beside Sophie, brushing a reassuring hand over her daughter’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, sweetheart,” she murmured. “We’re not the ones who need to leave.”

Hearing this, Rola let out a laugh, her tone laced with derision. She crossed her arms, leaning back with a smirk. “If you’re so set on making this difficult, don’t blame me for what happens next. Throw them out!”

The staff shifted uncomfortably, their eyes darting between Rola and Kallie as beads of sweat appeared on their brows. One of them leaned closer to Kallie, his voice a strained murmur. “Please, ma’am, we’d rather not make a scene. If you’d just cooperate, this can all be handled quietly.”

Kallie scoffed, an almost amused smile playing on her lips. “Rola’s quite bold, isn’t she? All because her father’s an investor here. But what if I told you I am also an investor?”

The room went silent, a ripple of uncertainty spreading through the crowd, followed by Rola’s shrill laughter. Her hands clenched into fists as she looked at Kallie with disdain.

“Oh, sure,” Rola sneered. “You’re jealous of my father’s wealth, so you had to come up with some wild story?” One of the staff cleared his throat awkwardly. “Er… Our investors attend annual meetings,” he said, glancing uncertainly between Rola and Kallie. “But we’ve never seen you before.”

Kallie remained calm, unbothered by their words. She waited patiently for everyone’s murmurs to settle before speaking. “I did invest, but not under my name,” she explained smoothly. “The funds are under someone else’s name, so naturally, I wouldn’t be attending the meetings myself.”

Even Sophie looked taken aback, her eyes wide with surprise. Kallie had never once mentioned this.

Kallie gave her daughter a reassuring smile. “I didn’t mean to keep it from you. I know how much it means to you to compete fairly. You didn’t want any shortcuts, and I respect that. I planned to tell you once the competition was over.”

Rola’s face twisted in frustration as she clenched her jaw. “I don’t believe you. If you’re telling the truth, call this supposed person right now. Otherwise, get out!”

Kallie nodded, unfazed. “I could, but he may be occupied.”

Rola snorted, crossing her arms in smug satisfaction. “As I thought. Just more lies.”

To everyone’s surprise, Kallie turned to the staff. “You have access to the investors’ contact list, correct? Call the one with the last name Nixon. Right away.”

The staff’s faces paled. Their gazes shifted to Kallie, now laced with uncertainty, and a flicker of apprehension. Among all the investors, there was indeed only one Nixon. And he happened to be the largest investor here. Kallie’s composed expression left little room for anyone to doubt her. High-profile families like the Nixons weren’t the sort to be impersonated lightly.

Yet, Rola, oblivious to the gravity of Kallie’s words, dismissed it as a bluff. She reasoned that even if Kallie’s claims were true, it wouldn’t matter. Her father was still a major investor here, perhaps the most powerful of them all.

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