Colby wiped the barrel of his gun and turned to the person next to him. "Clean it up."


    "Yes, Mr. Colby."


    A few bodyguards moved in to deal with Johns'' body, while the shareholders who had backed Johns started trembling with fear.


    Colby leaned back in his office chair, looking at the row of shareholders standing before him. His voice was cold as ice. "You have two choices: sell your shares to me, or... end up like him." The shareholders exchanged terrified nces, shaking like leaves.


    "We... we willingly give up our shares in Costello Corporation!"N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    "Yes... we willingly... willingly surrender our shares!"


    Despite the air conditioning set at a cool 68°F, the shareholders were drenched in sweat.


    Colby gave hiswyer a signal, and thewyer stepped forward, handing over the share transfer agreements.


    With no other choice, they signed the agreements and left their fingerprints.


    Colby holstered his gun. "Gentlemen, please leave."


    "Yes, sir."


    The bodyguards escorted the trembling shareholders out.


    Adler nced at the blood-stained floor. "Isn''t this a bit too bloody?"


    Colby shot him a look. Adler added seriously, "But it''s way better than what you used to do."


    Colby took a deep breath. "Let''s go home. Everything here is sorted."


    "Alright!"


    Adler pulled out his phone, suddenly noticing the dozens of missed calls-all from Jenna.


    His heart sank. This is bad! His phone had been on silent, and he hadn''t answered a single call!


    Meanwhile, at the Burke Estate, up on the second-floor hallway, Jenna had been calling Adler repeatedly


    with no response. Frustrated, sheet


    stomped her foot. "That Adler, if he''s not gonna use his phone, he might as well smash it! Keeping it like a brick! At such an important time, he''spletely unreliable!"


    "Calm down, Jenna," Angelo tried to soothe her. "Sophie is on her way back, right? She should be here any minute..."


    Just then, the door to the Burke Estate opened.


    Sophie walked in and immediately felt the heavy, oppressive atmosphere in the hall.


    The room was filled with business tycoons in sharp suits. At the center were two elderly figures from the Aldridge family, both over sixty and leaning on canes, seated on the main sofa.  en


    Sophie recognized them from the list Gordon had given her to study.


    These were the giants of the Devonport business scene thirty years ago.


    Leading them was Kevin, a senior figure from a branch of the Aldridge family and a cousin of thete patriarch.


    Next to him was Christian, a sworn brother to the patriarch, also from a branch of the Aldridge family.


    These two were nearly seventy and had retired years ago.


    Also present were four directors of


    the Aldridge family, all nearing retirement. These directors were mostly rtives and wielded


    significant influence in the business


    world.


    Although they held shares in the Aldridge family''s enterprises, they rarely involved themselves in day-to-day affairs.


    One was an overseas Chinese, the youngest professor abroad, now ranked among the top ten on the Forbes billionaires list.


    The other was a top financier overseas, reputed to have created stock market legends with his exceptional intellect.