Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 846

"Phineas didn't give us the cutting-edge tech we were promised..." Wade's revelation hit him like a ton of bricks, his eyes reddening with anger, "When we signed the contract, we had no way to compare, to realize the deception.

It wasn't until Ludwik turned that high-tech into a market-ready product that we finally saw, we've been played."

"Ludwik... partnering with Parker, and to think they convinced Phineas to set us up."

Grinding his teeth, Wade was seething. It took him three decades of enduring humiliation to swallow the Lippert family empire whole. He thought he could eradicate Ludwik, the next generation, once and for all. Yet, when Ludwik was down and out, he grossly underestimated the young man's cunning.

Like a viper, as long as it's not completely dead, Ludwik would use every trick in the book to turn the tables.

Wade's lips trembled slightly.

Bryce, pale as a ghost, asked, "Mr. Patrick, what do we do now? The whole world's eyes are on the Hausen Group, this partnership between Parker and Phineas. Our product launch... it's doomed."

How could it not be doomed?!

Wade, defeated, looked beneath the stage at the reporters who were already buzzing with speculation. This press conference had turned into a farce for him and Bryce, a mess they couldn't explain away to their partners.

The business moguls of Emperor City, and indeed, the whole of Harmonia Country, were no fools.

Did anyone really not understand the situation at hand?

Wade seemed to age a decade in that moment.

He looked down at the gathered journalists, already restless and eager to cause a stir with their microphones.

He couldn't stay here any longer!

Stumbling to his feet, as reporters saw them leaving and hurriedly rushed forward to catch the big news.

Bryce signaled to the bodyguards, and it was with great difficulty that they managed to escort the three of them out. However, turning around, they saw the CEOs of the companies they had contracts with, all blocked at the venue's entrance, demanding compensation for breach of contract.

"Mr. Patrick, Mr. Lutz, you boasted to the heavens, guaranteeing this was Inko Group's most advanced technology. That the aerospace materials developed were top-notch, assuring us a no-lose deal.

Well, last night the Lippert family's product launched first, and it's already being used in rockets.

What are we supposed to sell now?

I signed a deal worth half a billion with the Patrick Group, now pay up!"

"Mr. Lutz, don't think you can escape either. My deal with the Lutz Group was worth ten billion, and now your product isn't developed with the most advanced technology as promised. I'll sue you for breach of contract, as per the agreement, you owe me twenty billion!" Wade and Bryce's faces turned sour, desperately signaling their bodyguards to block these irate CEOS.

These orders were not even their biggest contracts.

"Don't you dare leave!"

"You think you can run off with our hard-earned money? No way!"

"The Patrick Group, claiming to be the top enterprise in Emperor City, thinking of playing dirty, Wade... ha, you stepped on the Lippert family to climb up. I always knew you were petty, not cut out to be a magnate. Indeed, your business acumen is trash! You're nowhere near old man Jason Lippert!"

"What did you say?" Wade stopped dead, his usually calm face contorted with fury, "Say that again, I dare you!"

"Say it a million times and you're still nothing but a leech that rose through Mrs. Lippert Thea!" The accuser, now also infuriated, blurted out gossip in front of the reporters, "Your affair with Thea, the whole wives' circle in Emperor City was buzzing about it back then. Only when Jason was on his deathbed did Thea force a divorce, so you could be together officially.

My wife knew all about it. You were entangled with her even before the Lippert family fell.

I heard, this Jarvis here, is the illegitimate child born from your sordid affair... Look everyone, Wade has been a kept man for years just to grab the Lippert family's fortune!"

"You're spouting nonsense. Jarvis, deal with this man!" Wade was livid.

Jarvis quickly led the bodyguards forward.

Bryce watched coolly from the sidelines, shaking his head. Wade had been stepped on a sore spot, forgetting this person was a business partner. At such a crucial time, he still didn't know to hold back. Bryce discreetly moved through the crowd and left.

Getting into his car, he grew more incensed the more he thought about it, furiously smashing everything inside the vehicle. He then drove straight to the Inko Group.

Phineas had played him!

He was determined to settle this score!

-

Inko Group, Chairman's Office.

When Phineas saw Parker's press conference, he was livid, his face turning a shade of steel blue.

He immediately made a call, scolding, "Parkie, have you lost your mind stepping in now? When your uncle let you help that Ludwik, it wasn't to drag Inko Group into this mess. Don't mess this up, kid!" Parker was with Ludwik at the time.

The two men, puffing on cigars, with Ludwik shooting Parker an apologetic glance.

Parker, nonchalant, let out a chuckle, "Uncle, calm down, will ya? The fact that your dear nephew is the president of Hausen Group, even if I didn't spill it, Wade Bryce would've found out eventually. Since it was bound to come out, why not make a thunderous impact in Emperor City?"

"I swear you're doing this to help Ludwik, even selling out your own uncle!" Phineas was fuming, yet he had no real power over his nephew, torn between familial love and frustration.

Parker: "I gotta admit, I dropped the ball on this one. Went ahead without your say-so and dragged Inko Group into the mud.

But come on, are we really sweating over the likes of the Patrick Group and the Lutz Group? Inko Group doesn't need to lose sleep over them.

Remember how they were practically begging on their knees for a chance to collaborate, hoping to hitch a ride on Inko Group's coattails for their big break in Emperor City? If they've fallen into a pit now, it's on them." Phineas, stone-faced, replied, "It's not about Inko Group being scared of a fight.

These guys don't even register on my radar.

But you've got no clue about how deep Inko Group's waters run globally, Parker. Let me tell you, Inko Group isn't just about this domestic market you see, and I'm not the only big fish calling the shots behind it.

Sure, I handle our domestic affairs, but there's a line. If this blows up and reaches the ears of our other chairman, it won't look good."

"Wait, Inko Group has another chairman?" Parker was genuinely surprised.

"It's far more complicated than you think!" Phineas's gaze hardened as he issued another warning, about to add more, but then his secretary walked in, looking troubled, "Mr. Wilson, there's a Bryce outside causing a scene, and he's not easy to handle!" Phineas slapped his forehead, then barked into the intercom, "You little rascal, look at what you've done!"