Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 828

Cody couldn't mask his sarcasm, "But the shareholders, they're not exactly rolling out the red carpet for an outsider like you at Sheldon Group, are they?

Moreover, Mr. Sheldon's contract clearly states that the Sky-Surprise Inn project is being sold to Mr. Lutz at a bargain!

We at Whitney offered a whooping $500 billion.

If Mr. Lutz puts in the cash, then the Sheldon Estate project is under your wing, and it would certainly shut the shareholders up."

Bryce's demeanor turned icy in an instant, mocking, "So, she disagrees with me joining Sheldon Group and contrives this scheme to make things difficult for me? A bargain and $500 billion are worlds apart!"

"Mr. Lutz aiming to swallow Sheldon Group without putting some skin in the game? Impossible. Whitney might be out of options now, but she sure doesn't want to see you having an easy time. It's as simple as that! You invest, you're in. Don't invest, and Whitney might as well dissolve Sheldon Group and declare bankruptcy, leaving nobody with anything," Cody bluntly put it, almost as if he was ready to let everything crash and burn. Bryce's gaze was frosty as he peered through Cody, trying to uncover Whitney's schemes.

Armed with Hudson's handwritten contract, he marched into Sheldon Group, signaling the end of Whitney's era.

Her hands were tied, undoubtedly. Internal strife stemmed from shareholder dissatisfaction, while externally, he was like a wolf, eyes locked on its prey.

Under such pressing circumstances, devoid of allies, she might indeed throw in the towel, bankrupt Sheldon Group, and abscond with whatever liquid assets she could.

Bryce's fingers tensed slightly, his eyes briefly flitting over the investment contract before he took it with a veiled sneer, "Fine, she wants me to back off, I might as well consider it."

Mission accomplished.

Cody, trying to keep his cool while visibly incredulous, blurted out, "Mr. Lutz, that's quite the ambition!

We're talking a $500 billion investment, and Ms. Valentine along with the shareholders demand it be transferred within three days for Mr. Lutz to assume the role and kickstart the Sky-Surprise Inn project! Are you sure about this?" Seeing Cody so worked up, Bryce felt his doubts evaporate.

It seemed Whitney was indeed at her wit's end, using the $500 billion figure as a last-ditch effort to block him.

Sadly, she underestimated his resolve to take over Sheldon Group.

He needed Sheldon Group's support as the third powerhouse in Harmonia Country to inflate Lutz Group's worth rapidly, overtaking Patrick Group. Once bolstered, he could then align with Inko Group, having Florence as an ace up his sleeve. "Give me a day to think it over, Cody. You can go back now," Bryce said, dismissing him.

Cody left with a mix of frustration and worry etched on his face.

Bryce watched him leave, then quickly summoned his team, "Check today's stock situation for Sheldon Group. And dig around inside are the shareholders really causing a stir? I need to know if Whitney is truly desperate, if she's seeking help." Florence arrived secretly, removing her hat and sitting down, her belly showing slightly, "Whitney's got no one to turn to, for sure. Ludwik's down on his luck.

As for Shane, I've asked around. He's not getting involved this time. With Sheldon Group facing such turmoil, who'd want to get their hands dirty?

Mr. Lutz, Sheldon Group is practically in your pocket now."

Bryce pondered, then his attention was caught by a news update from one of his aides, "Mr. Lutz! The unrest among Sheldon Group's stubborn shareholders isn't just simple troublemaking. Some went to Whitney's house to make a scene, and it made the news with footage of Whitney. Take a look!"

As Bryce glanced over, Florence sneered at the sight of Whitney being accosted by shareholders, "She's at the end of her rope. Probably couldn't handle the shareholders, so she threw this $500 billion curveball at you, hoping you'd fail to gather the funds and sign the contract, forcing you to give up the lead role!"

"You think so?" Bryce asked, skeptical, eyeing her, "Ever considered she's setting a trap, using bait?"

"Mr. Lutz, you mean she's plotting something?" Florence seemed unconvinced.

"Just being cautious." But Bryce also felt that Whitney couldn't play any tricks at this stage. Even if she managed to swindle his $500 billion, what good would it do her? Her goal was merely to keep him out of Sheldon Group.

Yet, this news about shareholders storming Whitney's place somewhat eased his mind.

After a moment of contemplation, he smirked and dialed Lutz Group's finance department, "What's our current liquidity?"

The reply came, "Mr. Lutz, it's just under $300 billion."

Bryce frowned, recalling his $300 billion investment with Wade in Inko Group.

Even though Lutz Group's market value had doubled within months in Emperor City, the liquidity was still tight.

"We'll have to borrow from the banks," Bryce decided.

The finance team hesitated, "Mr. Lutz, we should probably discuss this with the risk management department first. Borrowing $200 billion is no small feat, and if we can't pay it back..."

Florence couldn't help but raise an eyebrow upon hearing the figure, her skepticism thinly veiled. "Mr. Lutz, don't tell me Whitney's banking on the fact you're strapped for cash and desperately need this loan to invest in her, only to turn the tables on you later?" "And how exactly would she do that?" Bryce scoffed, confidence oozing from every pore. "She's practically lost all her clout within the Sheldon Group. Shareholders have been knocking on her door, causing a scene. The moment I secure my position within the Sheldon Group, it'll be child's play to swallow her father's company whole within a fortnight.

And then, what's this half a trillion but chump change in my pocket?"

Besides, the partnership with Inko Group is a surefire win. Once we roll out the new tech, seeing a return from three to six hundred billion is the least of my expectations. That half a trillion in loans will be covered in no time."

Florence could tell he was aiming to bite off more than he could chew, devouring the Sheldon Group in one gulp. Playing her own angle, she quickly agreed, "Right, that half a trillion's going to be well-guarded within the Sheldon Group under your watch. Always one step ahead, aren't you, Mr. Lutz... Just remember, you owe me one."

"The shares Whitney holds in the Sheldon Group will be yours to handle," Bryce replied with a frosty gaze.

Florence smiled ingratiatingly, though inwardly, she was plotting to reclaim the entirety of the Sheldon Group for herself someday.

For now, she had no choice but to rely on this despicable man, as even her own underhanded methods-like drugging Hudson to sign contracts weren't enough to outmaneuver the other Sheldon Group shareholders on her own.

And Bryce? He was having a tough time of it himself.

Where on earth was she going to find half a trillion?

"Alright, prepare to return to your duties at the Sheldon Group in a few days," Bryce dismissed her.

Later, dressed to the nines in a dapper suit, he led the Lutz Group's legal team straight to a bank in Emperor City.

-

Meanwhile, Whitney was at Sheldon Hospital, accompanying Hudson through a comprehensive brain scan.

She received a message from Cody: "Bryce has gone to the bank for the loan, just as Ludwik predicted. His ambition blinds him to him, you're a mere hurdle, yet he's convinced that half a trillion is his for the taking.

But what he fails to realize is that this isn't just about the Sheldon Group-Ludwik's thrown a wrench in his plans too."

Whitney responded calmly, "Then let's see him try his luck at the Sheldon Group investment tomorrow."

She hung up with a tone of indifference, but her expression quickly turned icy. Looking at her father's frail and dulled state, her disdain for Bryce deepened.