The Fatal Blow
“You’ve got the wrong idea, Sonia. I’m your family friend, so how can I possibly not wish you well?”
Asher was a sly old fox in every sense of the word, so he could keep his countenance even when
Sonia exposed his dark side. “I don’t mean anything else by saying these things. I just thought that
since President Fuller and you are a couple, you should let him know some of your past instead of
hiding it from him, or it’ll be unfair to him. What do you think?”
Sonia sneered. “President Dafoe, you always sound like you have some sort of moral authority.”
“You’ve got to be joking Sonia.”
“Too bad, though.” Sonia stared at him frostily. “Do you think Toby is unaware of what you just said?”
“What?” Asher was startled.
Sonia continued, “Or do you think that you—an outsider—know more than he does?” At this moment,
she had regained her composure and calmed down. At first, she had really worried that Toby would
mind what Asher had said. She was indeed very thick with Charles and the two other men, but it was
true that there was nothing between them. She had a clear conscience about her relationship with
them, but she feared that Toby would overthink things and become jealous. After all, this man would
get jealous over something as minor as a phone call from another man. It would be strange that he
didn’t become jealous after she told him that they had been close in the past. And when he did, she’d
have to placate him, not to mention the chances of her failing to pacify him. This was what she really
worried about when she heard Asher’s words.
As it turned out, however, her worries were unnecessary. When Toby raised her chin just now, he gave
her a look that told her clearly that he was somewhat jealous, but he wouldn’t be jealous pointlessly.
What had happened in the past was over, so they shouldn’t be brought up at present to affect their
present life. Also, the look in his eyes told her that he knew there was nothing between her and Charles
and others. Even if there was something, it was Charles and the others who had feelings for her, not
vice versa. Therefore, even if he was angry, he would be angry with Charles and the others, not with
her. Upon learning about this, she heaved a sigh of relief. Not only was she relieved, but she could now
deal with Asher with peace of mind.
“Little Leaf is right.” Toby gave Sonia’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Like I said, even if she used to have
many men around her, that only happened before she got together with me. I won’t blame her for that,
nor do I have the right to blame her. Not only that, but I have to thank those men around her. If they
hadn’t been helping her and protecting her, she wouldn’t have taken over Paradigm Co. so smoothly.
Also, I know very well what their relationship with her is like. There’s nothing between them. Otherwise,
with my possessiveness, do you think I’ll let them off if there’s really something between them and
her?”
Upon hearing this, Asher was rendered speechless once again. What kind of a person is this? His
woman has so many men around her, but he doesn’t mind it. Not only that, but he even says he wants
to thank those men! Is he crazy? He couldn’t understand this.
Seeing the look of disbelief on Asher’s face, Toby narrowed his eyes menacingly. “Also, what you just
said about Little Leaf having met these men while you weren’t noticing is sheer nonsense. Carl went to
Westsanshire a few months ago and has never come back since then. The Lane Family has been
engaged in a new industry lately, and Charles is so busy that he’s been staying at Lane Corporation for
two months. How can he have the time to go everywhere? Lastly, Zane has to take the political exam
lately, so he has been secluding himself from the outside world for two months lest he fail the exam.
So, do you think they have time to come here? Or do you think they have the nerve to go against me?”
Asher’s face turned livid one minute and pale the next. He was already at a complete loss for words. At
the moment, he was in a state of total confusion. Everything in my plan went so smoothly that it was
about to succeed. Why would these two people outargue me in just a few words and cause my plan to
fail in the end? Are they really so affectionate toward each other that they don’t mind everything about
each other? Does such a relationship really exist in the world? He could hardly believe such an
outcome, nor could he accept it.
Just then, Toby spoke. “President Dafoe, we all know that you said these things today just to drive a
wedge between Little Leaf and me to stop us from getting married. After all, our marriage won’t do you
any good, so you couldn’t wait to try dividing us. Unfortunately, all your plans have failed. Now, why
don’t you think about what you’ll get for trying to drive a wedge between us?” He raised his eyes. The
look in his eyes was imperturbable, but it felt murderous for some reason.
Asher couldn’t help but step back. “W-What are you planning to do? I’m telling you, Toby, don’t do
anything reckless. We’re now living in a society governed by law. Don’t tell me you want to lay a hand
on me!”
Toby looked at Asher—who looked as cowardly as a dog at the moment—with his eyes full of disdain.
“A society governed by law, huh? Seems like you’ve now admitted everything you did just now—hurting
Little Leaf’s pride, driving a wedge between us, and spreading false stories about her relationships with
other men. Asher Dafoe, how many people in the world do you think dare to go against me? What do
you think they’ll get for doing so? Or do you think that those who go against me can safely escape my
clutches if they bring up the subject of law?”
Asher’s face began to turn pale, and his facial muscles twitched even more violently in fear. At the
same time, he began to regret saying so much just now. Of course, rather than regretting saying those
things, he regretted saying those things in front of Toby and trying to make him love Sonia less. Ha!
This guy is simply abnormal! For a time, he cursed inwardly. “Toby Fuller, I know that you’re rich and
powerful and that you have someone backing you up. But don’t forget that if you dare to do anything to
me, I’ll hold a press conference and disclose what you did to me! Let’s see if the person backing you
will oppose the entire society to protect you when public opinion is aroused by then!” he warned Toby,
his face contorting with a hint of provocation in his eyes.
Toby didn’t say a word. Instead, he merely looked at Asher and curled his thin lips into a glacial smile
that would give people the creeps.
Asher couldn’t help but cringe in fear for a moment.
Just then, Sonia could no longer stand the sight of this, and she rolled her eyes right away. “President
Dafoe, don’t you think it’s stupid of you to say that? You want to hold a press conference to disclose
what we did to you? Ha! Do you think we’ll give you the opportunity? If one is to defeat someone, they
have to make sure that the person will never rise again, especially when you’ve explicitly threatened to
not let us off. In that case, we have to finish you off with one blow so that you won’t have the chance to
make everything public. What do you think, President Dafoe?”
Asher’s eyes instantly widened, and his pupils shrank to the size of a needle tip. Not only that, but he
trembled all over with fear written all over his face. She’s right. All I cared about was to warn him, but it
never crossed my mind that my warning might make me unable to step out of the elevator alive. And
besides, Sonia is right that one has to defeat their enemy thoroughly so that they’ll never rise again,
especially when the enemy bears a grudge against them in the first place. Otherwise, letting the enemy
off will bring them endless trouble. If it were me, I’d have done the same. Does it mean that I’m gonna
die here?
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