Chapter 293: A Futile Attempt

By this point, Vincent could no longer keep up his usual composure, even with dozens of cameras pointed at him.

His face twisted with rage. The veins along his forehead stood out as he clenched his jaw, practically grinding his teeth.

"Luca... Hale..."

Each word came out through gritted teeth, carrying enough hatred to make the people nearby instinctively keep their distance.

Unfortunately for him, the cameras captured everything.

Within minutes, screenshots of his furious expression began circulating online. The contrast between the man who had stood confidently on stage just moments earlier and the one now glaring with barely restrained fury was striking.

It didn’t take long for people to start making fun of him.

The internet was full of people who loved a good spectacle, and with Luca giving the situation a little push, the pictures spread even faster.

In less than ten minutes, Vincent’s sudden change in demeanor had become a trending topic.

Of course, Luca wasn’t the only one who knew how to play the game of public opinion.

The comments mocking Vincent were relentless. Members of Maison Premier kept rushing over with updates, each new report making his expression darker.

Eventually, he could no longer pretend everything was fine.

"Excuse me. Something urgent has come up that requires my attention. Please feel free to take a short break. We’ll resume the press conference shortly."

He forced the words out with a strained smile before leaving the stage.

The pressure was mounting. If he didn’t find a way to contain the situation quickly, the consequences could be far worse than a few embarrassing headlines.

...

"What exactly happened, Vincent?!"

Inside the private lounge, Akari Sato slammed her fist against the table.

Maison Premier was supposed to be their first step toward establishing a foothold in Capital City. None of them had expected their plans to run into this much trouble so soon.

The controversy might not be enough to undermine Astral Technology Park’s foundations, but it had undoubtedly made their path forward much more difficult.

A woman who appeared to be in her early thirties lowered her phone and looked at Vincent, who sat silently in a chair with a dark expression.

"Mr. Denim, our General Manager Rodgers is also concerned about this situation. If it can’t be resolved, Sapphire-Vanguard Group will have to reconsider our cooperation."

Her tone was calm, but the warning was unmistakable.

Sapphire-Vanguard was already a major force in Rose City. That didn’t mean the company had no interest in expanding elsewhere. There was always money to be made in a new market.

Rodgers had originally planned to use the Luiz Conglomerate in New Orleans as a stepping stone into the city’s business world. He wanted to establish a branch there and gradually expand Sapphire-Vanguard’s influence.

Unfortunately, just as the time seemed right, the Luiz Conglomerate fell into Luca’s hands.

The business empire Gordon Luiz had spent years building collapsed, eventually transforming into what was now known as the Hale-Viv Conglomerate.

With that route closed, Rodgers had turned his attention toward Capital City.

If the Luiz Conglomerate had once been his gateway into New Orleans, then Maison Premier was supposed to be the key to opening the Capital City market.

What he hadn’t expected was to run into Luca again.

And this time, Luca wasn’t merely an obstacle. He was one of Rodgers’ biggest competitors.

Of course, Rodgers didn’t consider Astral Technology Park a lost cause just because Luca owned Nexora Technologies. He still believed their project had considerable potential.

But Vincent’s careless remarks had dragged the newly established company into an unnecessary media storm.

If Rodgers had been in Capital City, he would have given Vincent a serious dressing-down.

He had once regarded the man as a legendary figure among the city’s younger generation. Now, that impression was rapidly fading.

’An idiot.’

That was the only word Rodgers could think of.

Entering a strategic partnership with someone who couldn’t even control his own public statements might turn out to be a costly mistake.

...

While Vincent was struggling to figure out how to salvage the situation, Luca and the others were enjoying themselves in a much more relaxed atmosphere.

"I bet Vincent is having a terrible time right now. That’s what he gets for constantly trying to show off."

Michael leaned back against the sofa, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.

He glanced at Luca and shook his head with a grin.

"Luca, you’re really something else. You’re way too cunning."

After spending so much time around Luca, Michael had developed a fairly good understanding of his personality.

With people he considered his own, Luca was generous and easygoing. He rarely nitpicked over small things, and he treated those around him with genuine warmth.

But when dealing with his enemies?

It was an entirely different story.

He could be just as friendly on the surface, all while quietly arranging things behind the scenes. By the time his opponents realized what was happening, they were usually already in trouble.

In Michael’s eyes, Vincent had practically dug his own grave.

Even if he hadn’t made that ridiculous statement about Daniel, Luca would never have let him walk away from today’s press conference unscathed.

"I didn’t force him to say anything, did I?"

Luca spread his hands, looking genuinely offended.

"This whole mess is his own doing. Don’t go around accusing an innocent man."

He wore such an earnest expression that Michael nearly burst out laughing.

’Innocent? You?’

Michael decided it was better not to say that out loud.

Their laughter had barely settled when the meeting room door opened.

A cool-looking man wearing sunglasses stepped inside, carrying a bag over one shoulder. He glanced around until his eyes settled on Luca, then walked straight toward him.

Stopping beside the sofa, he bowed slightly.

"President Hale, our people have found Stephanie. However..."

Luca’s expression changed.

"However, what?"

The man straightened.

"Her mental state isn’t very good. She’s also sustained quite a few bruises on her arms and legs."

His report made the atmosphere in the room noticeably quieter.

Luca’s brows drew together.

Stephanie had agreed to help him because she wanted revenge against Vincent and Maison Premier. Despite knowing exactly what kind of people she was dealing with, she had still returned to that place and carried out the task he had given her.

He had expected things to be difficult for her, but seeing that she had been injured so badly still left him displeased.

’That bastard really doesn’t know when to stop.’

After thinking for a moment, Luca gave his instructions.

"Take her to San Fierro Hospital. Keep everything discreet and make sure she receives proper treatment. Once her external injuries have healed, arrange a flight abroad through Starline Airways."

There was no need to worry about her immigration arrangements.

If Stephanie wanted to go to the United Kingdom, someone from Hernandez Finances could meet her and handle everything. If she preferred somewhere else in Europe, Mr. Vanderbilt could make the necessary arrangements.

"Understood, President Hale."

The man nodded before turning to leave.

As soon as he was gone, Michael couldn’t help leaning forward.

"Luca, wait. The Stephanie you were talking about... Is she Vincent’s wife?"

"Yeah."

Luca nodded casually.

Michael hesitated, then opened his mouth again.

"Then, you wouldn’t have..."

He didn’t get to finish. A cold gaze settled on him from the side.

Michael turned his head and found Arabella sitting beside Luca, looking at him with her usual composed expression. She hadn’t said a word. Yet something about the way she was looking at him made the back of his neck feel cold.

He instinctively drew his head back.

’Why is she looking at me like that?’

Seeing Michael’s sudden change in behavior, Luca couldn’t help laughing.

He casually slipped an arm around Arabella’s waist and gave her a playful pinch.

"Don’t start imagining things. Without Stephanie’s help, bringing down Maison Premier wouldn’t have been nearly as easy. She’s our ally."

Arabella’s expression softened slightly, though she didn’t say anything.

The others in the room also nodded.

Taking down Vincent was one thing. Bringing down an established family like Maison Premier, which had maintained its position in Capital City for decades, was an entirely different matter.

Stephanie had played an important role in making that possible.

Without her cooperation, Justina wouldn’t have been able to access Vincent’s computer and retrieve the information stored inside.

The evidence they had obtained revealed a great deal about Maison Premier’s dealings over the years, including several of the family’s more unsavory activities.

It was an important advantage they couldn’t have easily obtained through other means.

Just then, Daniel’s voice came from the other side of the room.

"Look at this. Vincent has apologized."

Everyone turned toward the screen.

The footage showed Vincent standing in front of the cameras, his head lowered. His posture was stiff, but he maintained the gesture long enough to make it clear that he was offering a public apology.

The words coming out of his mouth were obviously prepared by his public relations team.

Michael watched for a moment before breaking into a grin.

"Hehe. Looks like he finally had to swallow his pride after you refused to answer his calls."