Chapter 1548: He finally has a reason for world domination.
Kiara and Stephen were born in different generations. Stephen could easily be her father, as he wasn’t much younger than her parents.
Even so, both understood the importance of networking.
Especially in business — or in the world of adults in general — having a broad network could open many doors. That was why Kiara, even at a young age, had been trained to socialize with the sons and daughters of wealthy families at the Summit School of Excellence.
If Kiara hadn’t cut ties with her family, she probably could’ve made a few calls to pull some strings. But she hadn’t just cut ties — she had also left Anteca for years. She started from scratch out of pride and ego. And while she’d made some progress, her current network wasn’t broad enough, nor were her contacts capable of helping in a case this massive.
For Stephen, last night had been a slap in the face — a harsh reminder of reality.
He didn’t go into detail about how many favors he’d tried to call in, but he had done his best. To him, this wasn’t just about helping Kiara or her friend. It was also a way to help someone in the same position his son had once been in — only this time, Cassandra was innocent, and Sven was not.
Unfortunately, Stephen realized just how shallow and short his network had become. The few who were willing to help had no real power, and many didn’t want to be entangled in the political mess surrounding Cassandra’s case. Others saw it as an opportunity to profit.
Stephen should’ve been as sociable as Charles.
"I’m sorry."
Kiara pressed her lips into a thin line, surprisingly taking the news better than expected. "Thank you, CEO Bennet. Really. Please don’t apologize. Your offer already meant a lot to me. It’s not like I expected miracles, but after a full day of rest, I realized just how massive and complicated this case really is."
"Even the biggest law firm in Anteca wouldn’t take it," she added with a faint, understanding smile. "It’s just too much. Still, I appreciate your efforts — especially when you owe me nothing."
"Helping someone in need doesn’t hurt," he grumbled, looking more defeated than she was. "I’ll keep trying."