Chapter 83: It’s Robert Lowell
Julian Faulkner’s tone was ice-cold.
Vivian Lowell instinctively felt a shiver run through her heart.
But the faint warmth spreading across the back of her hand kept her from being afraid. Julian Faulkner’s palm was warm, a stark contrast to his tone.
’If he and I were just strangers, I’d probably be terrified, wouldn’t I?’ she thought.
Sure enough, the vile woman cowering in the corner shuddered, staring at Julian Faulkner in disbelief.
’An electronic tracking device... living under surveillance for the rest of my life!’
The very thought of such a life terrified her!
"No!"
She shook her head frantically, glaring at Julian Faulkner as she shouted, "You can’t do this! Who do you think you are?! Where are the police?! I’m telling the police!"
The vile woman tried to get up.
Lawyer Jennings held her down and said coolly, "I suggest you believe what President Faulkner said. Our patience is running thin. You’d better think it over."
The vile woman’s eyes darted from Lawyer Jennings to Vivian Lowell and Julian Faulkner.
Perhaps it was because Julian Faulkner’s presence was too overwhelming, or perhaps the vile woman was truly scared. She suddenly asked, "If I talk, aside from a reduced sentence, can you give me some money?"
’She’s making demands?’
Vivian Lowell stole a glance at Julian Faulkner. She knew that the moment the woman started making demands, it meant she was ready to compromise.
’Give her money?’
Honestly, Vivian didn’t want to give her a thing.
Not unless what she revealed was enough to satisfy Vivian.
After a brief pause, Julian Faulkner spoke from beside her. "Money? I’ve already looked into your accounts. A little after eight o’clock last night, after you stormed into the pet hospital and injured Eleanor Rhodes."
"Half an hour later, five hundred thousand was wired to you in an international transfer. Into your US dollar account, to be specific."
"How does the owner of a failed cat cafe suddenly get her hands on five hundred thousand US dollars? It’s baffling, really. I imagine that once the police learn of this..."
"...it will just be one more piece of evidence proving you were paid to hurt someone."
!?
Vivian Lowell was stunned!
She and Julian Faulkner had discussed this vile woman last night.
They had both been convinced that the vile woman and the man in the raincoat had planned this all along, but she had assumed the investigation would take time.
’I never thought Julian Faulkner would be so incredible!’
’He even managed to dig up all this information on the vile woman!’
’As expected of Julian Faulkner!’
Vivian Lowell immediately shot Julian Faulkner an admiring glance and said in a low voice, "President Faulkner, you’re amazing..."
The corners of Julian Faulkner’s mouth lifted in a barely perceptible arc.
He quickly resumed his icy demeanor as he looked at the vile woman.
The vile woman caved.
She told them everything.
Someone had indeed paid her to do it, and the target was Vivian Lowell!
’It was me?’
Vivian Lowell caught the key point.
The target was her, not Eleanor Rhodes.
Vivian pressed, "Who gave you the money? What were you trying to do?"
「Half an hour later.」
Vivian Lowell and Julian Faulkner were back at the Faulkner Group.
In the president’s office, Julian Faulkner made a call. Putting his phone down, he looked at Vivian Lowell’s grave expression and said, "Don’t worry."
"A man who would stoop to hiring someone to harm people won’t escape the arm of the law now that we have evidence."
Vivian Lowell took a deep breath and nodded.
The vile woman had confessed everything.
The person who paid her was a man. Julian Faulkner had Vance Wyatt use AI technology to generate a composite sketch based on the woman’s description of his face.
Vivian Lowell recognized him at a glance. The man who paid her was one of Robert Lowell’s men.
He was Robert Lowell’s assistant.
It all started after Vivian Lowell and Eleanor Rhodes posted the video of the man in the raincoat online. His entire family was doxxed. After the man was released from his seven-day detention, the assistant had approached him and his wife.
What happened next...
...the man in the raincoat jumping from the building, the vile woman showing up to cause trouble, even their son’s death—it was all part of their plan.
Their son had a terminal illness.
He couldn’t be saved, even if they poured money into the hospital. So the man and his wife agreed to take five hundred thousand US dollars to slander Vivian Lowell and Eleanor Rhodes.
The wife’s part of the plan was to find a way to injure Eleanor Rhodes.
Five hundred thousand US dollars.
Vivian Lowell’s gaze darkened as she looked out at the skyscrapers beyond the office window.
’And Robert Lowell thought that sum was enough to ruin both me and Eleanor?’
There was no doubt that if the online outrage continued to escalate, Vivian’s company would inevitably be affected.
Ever since that banquet, the Lowell Family had been plotting against her.
Sharon Galahad being taken in by the authorities had only accelerated their plans.
Outside, the sky had begun to darken.
Heavy, dark clouds gathered, and flashes of lightning could be seen in the distance.
It was March.
This looked to be the first thunderstorm of the spring.
It wasn’t an early storm, but it perfectly matched Vivian’s dark mood.
Julian Faulkner came up behind her.
He took off his suit jacket and draped it over Vivian’s shoulders. "It’s a little chilly in here," he said softly. "Don’t catch a cold."
"I just got word—regarding Sharon Galahad’s tax evasion, Robert Lowell helped her pay back the full amount. As for her embezzlement of company funds—"
"Robert Lowell produced evidence claiming that he was the one who had needed the money and had asked Sharon Galahad to withdraw it temporarily. It was paid back afterward."
"So the authorities can’t do much to Sharon Galahad. However, because of this incident, the Lowell Family’s major financial irregularities have left some shareholders and investors extremely unhappy. They’re already planning to divest."
Vivian Lowell sneered.
In a way, tax evasion wasn’t a major crime.
Once you’re caught, the tax authorities give you a deadline to pay what you owe. As long as you pay back the evaded amount, you’re in the clear.
Embezzling company funds?
With Robert Lowell, the company’s own president, stepping in to cover for her, it was a non-issue.
Just a few investors pulling out.
Robert Lowell and Sharon Galahad held over 50% of the company’s shares. Even if some shareholders pulled out, and even if it was a major blow, the company could still continue to operate.
"We can’t just let this go."
Vivian Lowell looked at Julian Faulkner. "As it happens, I know some of those investors."
"The Lowell Group is in serious trouble, so divestment is a given. But since the Lowell Group brought this scandal upon themselves, shouldn’t they have to offer some compensation for the trouble?"
"And then there’s the Grant Family. What’s the status of their marriage alliance with the Lowell Family?"
The Grant Family always put their interests first.
Mason Grant had been designated as the next successor because of his marriage alliance with the Lowell Family. Now that the Lowells were in trouble, Mason’s older brother was no pushover.
Vivian Lowell took out her phone and made the call.