Roberto turned his head and saw Darnell, instantly realizing that he had been played again. He was furious and slammed his cup onto the ground.
He rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight, and said, “Darnell, you bastard! You intentionally scalded me with boiling water. Are you trying to kill me?”
“Mr. Gower, I didn’t mean to,” Darnell said innocently. “I noticed that you’ve been shouting for so long, and your throat must be dry. So I poured you a cup of hot water to warm your body and soothe your throat.”
“I even warned you to be careful and not get burned, but you still drank it all at once. You brought this upon yourself. You can’t blame me,” Darnell continued.
“You-” Roberto was infuriated and felt blisters forming on his tongue. He angrily asked, “What are you doing here?”
“You’re not one of us anymore. You have no right to be here. Are you planning to steal documents for Pioneer Properties again for your own gain?” Roberto accused.
“I’m telling you, your actions are illegal. If it weren’t for Miss Fanshaw’s generosity and consideration for the company’s reputation, you would have been caught.”
Roberto glared at Darnell with a fierce gaze and warned, “If you keep causing trouble here, don’t blame me for being impolite.”
Sensing the hostility in Roberto’s words, Darnell couldn’t help but think of Toby Ramsey and the others. It seemed that Tia’s speculation was correct-Roberto must have some shady dealings with the Baycliff people. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so arrogant.
A hint of a smile appeared on Darnell’s lips as he said, “Mr. Gower, please do not jump to conclusions. I have never betrayed the company.”
“If I really did something wrong to the company, I wouldn’t be here right now, and I would still serve as Miss Fanshaw’s assistant. But Mr. Gower, you should be careful about your friends,” Darnell warned.
Roberto’s eyes narrowed as he asked, “What do you mean?”
“When I came up earlier, I saw Eliezer and Brian,” Darnell revealed with a lazy stretch. “They seemed quite angry.”
Roberto was taken aback and asked, “They’re out? Wasn’t it supposed to be in the afternoon?”
Earlier in the morning, Roberto asked his assistant when Brian and Eliezer would be released. The assistant informed him that they would be released at four in the afternoon. Roberto planned to pick them up during his break.
But now it seemed that they had already been released and went to Spectrum Pharmaceuticals without contacting him.
“Mr. Gower, Mr. Halford, Miss Fanshaw wants you all to go to the conference room immediately.”
At that moment, a figure rushed into the room urgently and spoke with solemnity, “Headquarters will also join via video conference.”
Furrowing his brows, Roberto asked Lillian, “What’s going on?”
Lillian shook her head and replied, “I don’t know.”
Roberto led the way out with his entourage while whispering a few words to someone nearby, his eyes flashing with a hint of malice.
Last time, Darnell was lucky and escaped. He didn’t manage to pin anything on him. As a result, Darnell showed up today, causing trouble again. This time, Roberto decided to present all the evidence and make sure Darnell was expelled from Spectrum Pharmaceuticals.
Meanwhile, Kameron appeared on the eighteenth floor with several police officers.
At 9:30 AM, the conference room.
A large conference table was placed in the middle of the conference room. The table was surrounded by high-level executives. Since Areli hadn’t arrived yet, everyone in the room was whispering among themselves.
Clearly, everyone was puzzled by the sudden meeting and wondered what significant event had occurred.
Not long ago, there had been a meeting because of Darnell’s matter. This time, it was not only an emergency meeting but also involved headquarters. It was no small matter.
Almost everyone could sense the tense atmosphere!
Just as people were discussing among themselves, Roberto entered the conference room with a few trusted individuals.
Roberto’s appearance immediately attracted the attention of over thirty high-level executives. Each person looked at him with a hint of respect in their eyes.
Apart from Roberto’s accumulated prestige over the years, there was also a small piece of news that made them feel obligated to stand on his side-Roberto was about to replace Areli.
Many people already knew that Areli had received an ultimatum from headquarters-to achieve four billion in sales before the end of the year or step down as general manager.
Spectrum Pharmaceuticals’ current sales performance only amounted to two billion. To double it within two or three months was nothing short of wishful thinking.
Therefore, many people believed that Areli would definitely leave before the end of the year. She would resign from her position as general manager, and it was clear who would take her place-Roberto, who had deep roots within the company.
So how could they not try to fawn over him?
Roberto nodded with a smug face at everyone before taking a seat in Areli’s position. Everyone was surprised because they thought there would be a change in leadership today.
“Mr. Gower, is that seat comfortable?” came a cold voice. Areli’s face darkened as she appeared at the door.
The voice sounded so piercing in the quiet conference room.
“I’m sorry for sitting in the wrong seat,” Roberto said with a big laugh. “I’m getting old. My eyesight isn’t as good as it used to be. Please forgive me for any offense.”
“When people get old and their eyesight fails them, it doesn’t matter, as long as their heart is pure,” Areli responded.
Areli walked straight up to Roberto and said by his side, “But if their heart is rotten, then nothing else matters.”
“Miss Fanshaw is absolutely right,” Roberto concurred.
Roberto casually gave up his seat and then pointed towards Darnell not far away, smirking, “I wonder why Miss Fanshaw keeps a traitor like Darnell around. Does Miss Fanshaw have ulterior motives like him? Or is it true what rumors say that you two are involved?” Roberto taunted.
Seeing Roberto’s triumphant expression made Areli want to slap him right then and there, but she managed to restrain herself.
” I do everything with a clear conscience, and he has indeed made significant contributions to the company. That’s beyond doubt.,” Areli defended herself and Darnell.
At this point, Lillian turned on the overhead video screen which showed no one but a camera facing towards the conference room.
Undoubtedly, key personnel from headquarters could see and hear everything happening here while remaining unseen themselves. Roberto didn’t pay much attention to that. He just sneered at Areli.
“Darnell met privately with Paige. What do you have to say about that?”
“Last time, he got away with it. Today, I will prove him guilty with evidence in front of everyone.”
“I will definitely kick this troublemaker out of the company and accuse Miss Fanshaw of covering up for him without any bottom line,” Roberto hissed fiercely.
“Before you accuse me, the police want to talk to you first,” Areli retorted.
At this moment, Kameron and others appeared with handcuffs in hand as they approached Roberto.
“Roberto Gower, Eliezer and Brian have accused you of embezzling public funds by issuing false invoices for years. They also claim that you repackaged expired vaccines and sold them in remote areas for personal gain amounting to three hundred million dollars.”
“Nonsense!” Roberto’s face turned pale as he pointed at Kameron and other officers accusingly. “Do you have any evidence?”
Areli gestured with her hand before the lights dimmed down. Curtains fell, and projectors turned on. Several contracts and invoices appeared on screen along with an old Jetta car trunk filled with gold bars.
The gold almost blinded everyone’s eyes while shocking their hearts simultaneously.
Then the door opened, revealing Eliezer and Brian who appeared different from their usual docile selves. They stared at Roberto intensely with resentment in their eyes.
Roberto trembled slightly before shouting angrily, “You two betrayed me?”