Adler floored it all the way to Burke International.


    The security guards at the entrance recognized Sophie and Adler and immediately tried to block their way.


    "Ms. Sophie! Mr. Adler! You can''te in!"


    "If you don''t want any trouble, move!" Adler shouted, mming the elerator. The guards scrambled out of the way as Adler''s car crashed through the gates, the sound of shattering ss echoing through the air. "Sophie! You go ahead! I''ll cover you!"


    "Got it!" Sophie replied, jumping out of the car and storming towards the building. The guards, initially poised to stop her, were paralyzed by her sheer determination.


    Sophie took the CEO''s private elevator straight to the conference room floor. Stepping out, she found the room deserted, save for James.


    It had been a while since Sophie had seen him. James sat there, calm and collected, closing hisptop. Colt stood by his side, everything reminiscent of the old days in Devonport, where James ruled the business world unchallenged. "James, don''t you think you owe me an exnation?" Sophie demanded.


    James nced at her, his expression cold. "Mrs. Costello, you''re toote."


    Colt chimed in, "Ms. Sophie, the shareholders'' meeting just concluded. Mr. Burke was unanimously re-elected as CEO. Since Mr. Odie didn''t show, he forfeited his vote."N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Ignoring Colt, Sophie zeroed in on James. "Do you have Odie''s 45% shares?"


    "Yes," James responded coolly, holding up the share transfer agreement. "They were mine to begin with."


    "So, Odie''s trouble, was that your doing?" Sophie pressed.


    James barely lifted his gaze. "Mrs. Costello, I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    "Is it that you don''t know, or you just won''t admit it?" Sophie challenged.


    She had hoped James would own up to it. If he had, she might have believed it wasn''t really him behind it all, that someone else was puffing the strings. But James didn''Dadmit anything. en FindNovel


    "I genuinely don''t know what you''re talking about What does Odie''s trouble have to do with me?"


    James''s tone was icy. "Mrs. Costello, if you came for the shareholders'' meeting, fine. But it''s over now. Instead of questioning me, why don''t we talk business?"


    "Business? What business is there left between us?" Sophie retorted.


    "The 10% shares you hold, you bought them from Elodie. Since my grandmother has already paid you, you should return them." "Fine, I''ll return the shares," Sophie said coldly. "But we need to settle up about Odie."


    "What''s your connection to Odie?" James asked, feigning ignorance. "If I recall, Odie caused you a lot of pain. Now you''re settling scores for him? That doesn''t add up. Could it be you''ve taken a liking to Odie again and n to leave Colby? If so, I must warn you, the Minton family doesn''t have the clout the Costello family does."