Margret wasted no time putting her plan into motion. She met with a few key board members who were still loyal to her, promising them wealth and power if they helped her destabilize Williams Corporation. Some were hesitant, afraid of Adrian's influence, but others—those who had benefited from her schemes in the past—were willing to take the risk.
She sat in a luxurious private lounge with two senior executives, Mr. Conrad and Mr. Liu, both of whom had worked under Williams for years.
"You've seen what's happening," Margret said smoothly, sipping her wine. "Adrian is reshaping the company, getting rid of anyone he deems untrustworthy. It's only a matter of time before you two are next."
Mr. Conrad frowned. "What exactly are you suggesting?"
Margret leaned in. "I'm offering you a way out—before Adrian tightens his grip. If we create enough instability, the shareholders will panic, and Adrian will struggle to keep control."
Mr. Liu shifted uncomfortably. "You mean sabotage?"
Margret smirked. "Such an ugly word. I prefer... strategic intervention."
The two men exchanged glances. They both knew Margret's ruthlessness, and more importantly, they knew she always found a way to come out on top.
"What do you need us to do?" Mr. Conrad asked cautiously.
Margret's eyes gleamed. "For now, feed me information. Everything Adrian is planning—I want to know before he even takes action."
Benson sat in his office, gripping the edge of his desk as he replayed the recent events in his mind. His mother's plans had failed miserably, and Adrian had outmaneuvered her once again. He had warned her, but she never listened. Now, the company was slipping further from their grasp.
Just then, Derrick walked in, his face unreadable. "I told you your mother is reckless," he said, shutting the door behind him.
Benson clenched his jaw. "And you think you're any better? You abandoned me and now suddenly want to act like a father?"
Derrick sighed. "I didn't abandon you, Benson. I made choices that kept you safe, even if you don't see it that way."
Benson scoffed. "Safe? You left me to grow up thinking I was another man's son, fighting for an inheritance that was never mine to begin with!"
Derrick stepped closer. "And if I had told you the truth? You think William would have let you stay in his house? He would have thrown you and your mother out in an instant."
Benson fell silent. He hated to admit it, but Derrick had a point.
Derrick leaned against the desk. "Now listen to me, son. Margret's days are numbered. Adrian is coming for her, and when he does, she'll drag you down with her if you stay by her side."
Benson folded his arms. "And what do you suggest? That I betray my own mother?"
Derrick smirked. "I suggest you stop letting her use you. You and I… we can still come out of this with power, but only if we play it right."
Benson narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"
Derrick lowered his voice. "Adrian thinks he's won. But what if we let him believe that while we make our own moves? There's more than one way to take control of this empire, Benson. We just have to be smarter about it."
Benson exhaled deeply, conflicted.
For years, he had blindly followed his mother, believing in her schemes. But she had led him down a path of failure time and time again. Maybe it was time to think for himself.
He looked up at Derrick, his father—this man he barely knew, yet who now seemed like the only person who could help him.
"Alright," Benson said finally. "Tell me the plan."
Derrick's smirk widened. "Now you're thinking like a winner."
Derrick leaned forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "We don't attack Adrian directly. That would be foolish. He's already ahead of us, and William trusts him. Instead, we make Adrian doubt himself. We create instability in his leadership."
Benson frowned. "How do we do that? The board already respects him, and now Grace is involved. She's not as easy to manipulate as Margret."
Derrick smirked. "That's exactly why we use her."
Benson raised an eyebrow. "Use Grace?"
Derrick nodded. "She's new to this level of power. If we plant the right doubts, push the right people to resist her leadership, she'll struggle. Adrian will be torn between running his own company and helping her, dividing his focus."
Benson exhaled, considering the idea. "And what about William? He still holds too much influence."
Derrick's expression darkened. "William is old. His time is running out, whether we help it along or not. If we play our cards right, he'll be too exhausted to fight back when the time comes."
Benson wasn't sure how far he was willing to go, but he knew one thing—he didn't want to lose everything to Adrian.
"Alright," Benson said. "Where do we start?"
Derrick tapped his fingers against the desk, a glint of triumph in his eyes. "First, we turn the board against Grace."
A week later, rumors began circulating among the company executives. Whispers that Grace lacked experience, that she was only in power because of Adrian, that she didn't have the business acumen to lead such a massive empire.
Derrick had called in favors, pressuring some board members to question her decisions publicly during meetings. Benson, though reluctant at first, played his part well—expressing his "concerns" about the company's direction under her leadership.
At first, Grace held her ground, confident in her abilities. But as the opposition grew, even Adrian noticed the tension.
One evening, Grace sat in Adrian's office, rubbing her temples in frustration. "I don't understand, Adrian. Everything was going smoothly, and now, suddenly, half the board is against me. It's like someone is pulling the strings."
Adrian clenched his jaw. "That's exactly what's happening."
Grace looked up at him. "You think it's Margret?"
Adrian shook his head. "No. She's too obvious. This feels more calculated."
Just then, his phone buzzed. A message from an anonymous number:
"You're fighting the wrong enemy."
Adrian narrowed his eyes. Someone was warning him. But who?
And more importantly… what was the real threat lurking beneath the surface
The men hesitated, but the promise of power was too tempting. Slowly, they nodded in agreement.
Margret leaned back, a satisfied smile on her lips. "Good. Now, let's bring Williams Corporation to its knees."
Back at the company, Adrian was already several steps ahead. He had instructed his most trusted employees to monitor internal communications and keep an eye on anyone acting suspiciously.
Grace, who had been helping him reorganize operations, walked into his office with a knowing smirk.
"It didn't take long for Margret to make her move," she said, placing a file on his desk.
Adrian opened it, scanning the contents. "Conrad and Liu?"
Grace nodded. "They've been in meetings with Margret. My sources tell me she's recruiting them to spy for her."
Adrian chuckled darkly. "She's predictable. That's what makes her easy to trap."
Grace took a seat across from him. "So, what's the plan? Let them think they're succeeding?"
Adrian's smirk widened. "Exactly. We'll feed them false information—let them believe they're ahead, while in reality, they're leading themselves into a trap."
Grace grinned. "I love it when you're devious."
Adrian leaned back, his eyes filled with determination. "Margret wants a war? Then let's give her one."
A few days later, Margret received a tip from Conrad—Adrian was about to make a major financial move that could leave a portion of the company vulnerable. If she struck at the right moment, she could cause heavy losses.
Excited, she arranged for a rival company to place a strategic attack—buying up key assets and manipulating the market.
But what she didn't know was that Adrian had orchestrated everything. The rival company she thought she was working with? It was actually controlled by Adrian through a proxy.
By the time Margret realized what was happening, it was too late.
She sat in her office, eyes wide with disbelief as she read the latest financial reports.
"No... this can't be happening!" she gasped.
Benson, who had been secretly watching from the sidelines, smirked. He had warned his mother, but she refused to listen. Now, she was watching her plan crumble before her eyes.
Just then, her phone rang.
She answered, and Adrian's voice came through, calm and mocking.
"Nice try, Margret. But you should know by now—you can't beat me at my own game."
Margret's hands shook with fury. "This isn't over, Adrian."
Adrian chuckled. "Oh, but it is. I have all the proof I need to take you down. Now, let's see how long you last when the board turns against you."
The call ended, leaving Margret seething.
She had lost this round.
But she wasn't done yet.
Not by a long shot.