Filed to story: Billionaire Bride’s Revenge (Vera & Howard)
“Dad, is what they’re saying online true? Did our family really evade taxes?”
Jeff clenched his teeth, his eyes blazing with rage. “Who could have leaked this? Is it Vera?” As the words left his mouth, he shook his head, dismissing the thought. It didn’t add up. Even when Vera was with the Montgomery family, she was never involved in company affairs. There was no way she could know about the tax evasion.
Only he and the CFO were aware of this in the entire company. But the CFO had been his trusted ally for years. Could he really have been the one to leak it?
As Jeff continued to speculate about who might have betrayed him, Lily’s anxiety grew. She silently cursed his stubbornness and urgently reminded him, “Dad, now isn’t the time to figure out who leaked it. We need to pay the taxes right away.”
Jeff nearly shouted, “Now? For every penny we evaded, we’ll be fined ten times over! Where are we supposed to get that kind of money?”
As soon as the news reached her, Lily felt her entire world shatter.
She had worked so hard to secure her place within the Montgomery family. Was it true that the company was on the brink of collapse due to tax issues? Was she really about to be thrust back into the realm of the ordinary?
Absolutely not!
The thought was unbearable. She was determined to cling to her elevated status and the privileges of being a Montgomery. Clenching her teeth to steady herself, Lily fixed her gaze on Jeff.
“Dad, if we’re facing a payment, you have to tell me how much. We need to find a solution together. This company represents your life’s work; we can’t just let it fall apart!”
Jeff slouched in his chair, a grim smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“Five billion dollars. How could we come up with that much?”
He had only intended to take a small amount to escape the heavy taxes. But over time, his greed grew, and he found more ways to deceive the system. After all these years of trickery, he had evaded nearly five hundred million dollars in taxes. That was almost the entire value of the company.
“Five billion…”
Lily’s knees buckled, and she almost fell to the ground. Her hope evaporated, and her world shattered. Even if they somehow managed to cover the debt, the identity of being a Montgomery would slip away from her grasp.
In that instant, it felt as if her life as a wealthy woman was slipping away-like a brief, precious dream fading before her eyes.
She had to do something-anything-to prevent this from happening.
The tension was palpable throughout the Montgomery Group, but the Guerrero Group was facing an even harsher reality.
Ever since the news broke that one of their previous projects had used substandard materials, irate clients had been rallying outside the company, demanding answers. The uproar spread beyond a single site; property owners from other Guerrero Group projects had joined in, angrily protesting and demanding compensation. How could they have used substandard materials in their construction? If something went wrong, countless lives could be endangered.
Despite the bodyguards stationed at the entrance, the furious property owners were ready to storm the building at any moment.
Delmar slouched in his chair, his voice barely audible as he muttered, “It’s over. Everything’s over.”
The building in question had stood strong for over ten years without a hitch. He had believed the work was safe, but somehow the Montgomery family had discovered the truth. How could they have found out?
If this matter escalates, they would all be facing prison. Tricia, upon seeing the news, bolted from the hospital, brushing aside the doctors’ protests. She slipped into the company through the fire escape. Entering Delmar’s office, she found him sitting there, lost in thought.
“Dad, why are you just sitting here? We need a plan. If this keeps going, we’re finished!”
Delmar pounded his fist on the desk and barked in exasperation, “What can I do now? Those property owners outside are demanding compensation. Where am I supposed to find the money? That building has stood for over ten years without any problems. The Montgomery family must have stirred them up to cause trouble! You, Jeff Montgomery!”
The only option left was to pay the angry property owners. But with so many buildings sold over the years, the amount of money needed would be staggering. Even if they sold every asset in the Guerrero family, it wouldn’t be enough to cover it.
Tricia’s face went pale, and she felt a wave of dizziness. “What are we going to do?”
She hadn’t anticipated that the Montgomery family would have something like this up their sleeve. Suddenly, Delmar jumped up, a new plan forming in his mind.
“I’m going to sell everything immediately. Our only chance is to escape. We need to get out while we still can!”
But before he could put his plan into action, the blare of police sirens pierced the air from the street below.
Delmar and Tricia exchanged puzzled looks, bewildered by the sudden arrival of the police. Before they could react, the door burst open, and officers swiftly apprehended them.
Outside, a crowd of reporters had already gathered, capturing every moment as Delmar and Tricia were led away in handcuffs. The images quickly ignited a flurry of discussions online.
As the media frenzy reached its peak, Vera observed the unfolding drama with a hint of satisfaction. The clash between the Guerrero Group and the Montgomery Group had finally culminated in the collapse of the Guerrero Group.
The Guerrero Group had already been on the brink of collapse due to Vera’s relentless tactics, and this latest scandal was the final blow, leading to its complete shutdown. In contrast, the Montgomery Group, though bruised, faced significantly less damage. As long as they settled the fines for tax evasion, they could steer clear of prison.
A faint smile played on Vera’s lips as she reopened her computer. She had stumbled upon some damning information and decided to sell it to an entertainment blogger. Operating through anonymous accounts, she leaked details about Jeff’s past infidelities and the scandalous story of Sharon’s confrontation, which led to the other woman’s abortion. The blogger eagerly bought the information for half a million dollars.
Within minutes, the blogger published the scoop with a headline designed to grab attention-
Shocking NEWS! Jeff Montgomery Exposed in Affair
The news spread like wildfire.
The story sparked a storm of online discussions.
Unsurprisingly, Victor soon came across the headline. His gaze, filled with a mix of curiosity and concern, shifted to Vera, whose lips curved into a self-assured smile.
Every detail of the unfolding drama seemed to fit perfectly with Vera’s master plan.
Yet, Victor’s thoughts lingered on the software.
Setting the laptop aside, he turned to Vera and asked, “I’m intrigued. How did you come across so much incriminating information about these two companies?”
Vera’s eyes gleamed with a hint of mischief as she deflected his question. “People always leave traces when they act. No matter how hard they try, those traces are impossible to erase.”
Victor’s gaze grew more contemplative, and he responded with a casual tone, “I suppose that’s true. It’s just their misfortune for crossing paths with you.”
He turned his attention back to the trending topics. While the Montgomery family might weather this storm, they would never reclaim their previous status.
“My motto is straightforward,” she said. “Don’t strike unless provoked.”
Vera strolled toward the window, her eyes fixed on the clear blue sky outside. She turned her gaze back to Victor. “If anyone targets me, they will face twice the retribution.”
She had not planned to entangle herself with the Montgomery family, but Lily had left her with no other choice.
Victor gently pulled back the blanket, rose from the bed, and joined Vera at the window. His imposing figure loomed over her as the evening light poured through the window. It was as though his presence offered her a protective shield.
After resting for a while, he had noticeably improved.
Vera’s brow furrowed with worry when she saw him standing. She hurried over, taking his arm gently to steer him back to bed. “The doctor advised that you stay in bed as much as possible. You really should not be up,” she said firmly.
Victor stayed put, a hint of amusement in his tone. “If I stay in bed any longer, I will start to feel like I am rotting.”
She was adamant about this. Gently nudging him, she insisted, “No, you need to focus on recovering completely.”