Now You Want Me? Too Late

In the meantime, Owen received an update. He pressed his phone tightly against his ear, listening for a few seconds before speaking in a low voice.

"Bring him in."

He ended the call and leaned toward Elias, whispering in his ear, "We got the driver. He has already confessed. It was Miss Vivian who ordered him to kill the hacker."

Elias lifted his chin slightly, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes.

"He will be brought here." Then he held up his phone in front of Elias’s face. "This is the transaction record. Miss Vivian transferred fifty thousand dollars to him for the job."

Elias straightened his suit jacket as he stood up.

"Everyone heard what my sister said. She got injured while trying to catch the traitor. But she didn’t stop recording."

His gaze swept across the conference room before settling on Vivian. "The footage clearly showed Vivian’s face. She was the one who leaked the project files."

Cedric couldn’t find a single word to defend his daughter. Frustration and helplessness warred across his face as he furiously tugged at his tie.

"And as for the hacker she hired..." Elias’s voice turned colder. "She had already arranged for someone to silence him. She thought killing him would erase the evidence and keep her safe. But we found the driver who hit the man. And he confessed."

After a moment of pause, he added, "She paid him. We have the transaction record."

Owen connected his phone to the conference room system. A moment later, the bank transfer details appeared on the large screen.

The room erupted in shocked murmurs.

"She killed someone."

"Oh, my God! She is insane."

"Vivian? You really went this far." Shock was all over Evelyn’s face. "You killed someone?"

"This is not true," Vivian exclaimed frantically. "Turn it off. That transaction never came from my bank account. Someone forged it. I don’t know that man."

"Are you sure?" Elias’s lips curved into an almost amused smile.

Vivian glared back at him. "Yes. That transaction is fake."

"Hmm." Elias calmly picked up his phone and made a call.

The call connected within a few rings.

"I need you to do me a favor. Please verify a transaction for me."

He gave the bank manager the details displayed on the screen.

A few seconds later, the manager’s voice came through the speaker, loud and clear.

"Yes, Mr. Rowan. That transaction of fifty thousand dollars was made yesterday. It was transferred directly from Miss Vivian’s account."

"Thank you." Elias ended the call and lowered his phone. "You heard him. The transaction is legitimate." His gaze was locked onto Vivian. "You paid that man."

Vivian shook her head, still refusing to accept it. "I didn’t. Someone might have hacked my account. Yes. That’s it. Someone is trying to frame me."

"No one is trying to frame you," Elias thundered. "You lied so much that you started believing in your own lies. Snap out, Vivian. Accept reality."

"What reality are you talking about?" Cedric came to defend his daughter. "With your power and money, you could have fabricated all this evidence. You are deliberately targeting my daughter just to protect your wife. I won’t tolerate this. I’ll sue you."

"Go ahead and do whatever you want," Elias challenged, his tone calm and composed. "But first, let’s hear what the man you claim you don’t know has to say."

He gestured toward Owen.

"Bring him in."

Owen immediately opened the door.

Two men dressed in black dragged the driver into the conference room.

His clothes were stained with dirt. His face was covered in bruises, and he limped badly as he struggled to stand.

The moment Vivian saw him, the blood drained from her face. She finally realized no one could save her.

There was no way out.

The man looked around the room until his eyes landed on Vivian.

He immediately pointed at her and shouted, "It’s her. She paid me to kill that guy. I needed money desperately. So I didn’t turn her down."

He broke down into tears. "I am sorry. I know what I did was wrong. Please forgive me."

"He is lying," Vivian’s voice cracked. Tears streamed down her face. She still clung desperately to her last defense, believing she could turn the tables. But it was too late.

The evidence was piling up against her. And everyone in the room had witnessed her lies unravel one after another.

Even Cedric fell silent. He understood that Vivian was beyond saving. If he continued defending her, he would only drag himself and the entire Sterling Group into Elias’s wrath.

Slowly, he sank back into his chair.

"I’m not lying," the driver insisted. "I have phone records."

He pulled out his phone with trembling hands and pressed play.

A recording filled the room.

Vivian’s voice rang clearly through the speaker.

"Listen carefully. The hacker has been tracked. Elias’s men will catch him any moment. Finish him before he reveals anything. I’ll pay you more."

The driver’s recorded voice answered. "Okay, Madam. I’ll do it. But I need the money right away. Fifty grand. Transfer it to my account, and your work will be done."

Silence descended over the room.

No one moved. No one spoke.

Even Vivian couldn’t say anything in her defense. She stared at the phone as though she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

Another recording started playing.

’Madam, it’s done. The hacker is dead.’

’Good. Get out of there. Hide somewhere. Don’t let anyone catch you.’

’Alright, Madam. I’m leaving. But I need more money. As long as you pay, I’ll stay away from here.’

’Go and hide. You will get the money.’

The recording ended.

Silence.

No one had anything left to say. The room seemed to hold its breath, waiting for what would happen next.

Elias slowly raised his hand. With a subtle motion of his fingers, he signaled his men.

The two men immediately dragged the driver out of the conference room.

"Owen, call the police," he commanded, cold and decisive. "I don’t want a criminal inside my company."

"Sure, sir." Owen pulled out his phone.

"No, no... Stop," Vivian cried in panic. "Don’t call the police."

She rushed toward Elias and grabbed his hand. "Elias..."

Her fingers trembled around his. "You can’t do this to me. We grew up together. For the sake of years of friendship, forgive me this time. I swear I won’t do something like this again."

Elias looked down at her hand. Then he slowly pulled his hand free.

"So what if we grew up together?" His voice was devoid of warmth. "That doesn’t give me the right to cover up a crime like a murder. You should face the consequences of your own actions."

Vivian staggered backward. She had always known Elias could be indifferent toward her. She had experienced his coldness countless times. But she had never seen him so cold and merciless before.

There wasn’t even a trace of hesitation in his eyes. The last fragile hope inside her shattered.

He wasn’t going to save her.

"Dad..." Vivian turned desperately toward her father. Fresh tears welled in her eyes as she hurried over and clutched his sleeves.

"Please do something. Tell Elias not to involve the cops."

Cedric looked at his daughter.

For years, he had treated Vivian like a princess. He had given her everything she wanted. He had indulged every demand and protected her from every consequence.

And now she was standing before him, desperate and terrified.

Every instinct inside him screamed at him to save his daughter. But he knew better.

Vivian was badly trapped now. Helping her meant dragging himself and the whole Sterling Group into the hell. He couldn’t allow that. Not even for his daughter.

Cedric swallowed.

"Shut up." He pushed her away.

Vivian stumbled backward, staring at him in disbelief.

Cedric pointed an accusing finger at her, his face twisted with anger and disappointment.

"I raised you like a princess and treated you like a treasure. I never stopped you for anything. But now I regret it. I should never have spoiled you this much."

Vivian stared at him as though he had struck her.

"Dad..."

Cedric raised his hand, silencing her. "You committed an unforgivable crime. I can’t help you."

"I am your daughter." Vivian broke down. "How could you abandon me?"

Cedric looked away.

The pain in his expression lasted only a moment before his face hardened again.

"From this moment on, you have no connection to the Sterling family."

Vivian’s entire body went rigid.

"I don’t want any ties to a murderer."

He took a slow breath. Then, in front of everyone in the conference room, he delivered the final blow.

"I, Cedric Sterling, disown you."

Vivian stared at him in stunned silence.

’Disown you.’ The words echoed through the room.

In that instant, she lost the last person she had believed would stand beside her. Her father had turned his back on her at this moment of crisis.

"Dad," she rasped, her throat tightening with emotions. She had never felt so helpless and vulnerable before. "You were supposed to believe me, protect me... But you are discarding me like I am nothing."

The pain transformed into rage. "How could you?"