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Chapter 290 Strategic Moves
“Good?” Clarissa chuckled.
Others might not understand Shawn’s intentions, but she did. He was seeking a sense of superiority.
Everyone knows that Zev is set to inherit the Lockhart legacy. Still, they all pity him, believing he will never measure up to Shawn’s superiority.
“Zion, how did you and Kelly meet?” Shawn asked Zev with a smile.
“What do you want?” Zev looked at him warily.
“We met seven years ago during a peacekeeping mission,” Kelly interjected with a gentle smile, smoothing over the tension.
Zev was playing the fool. She had to show composure and tact, pulling him back when he went too far. Shawn’s lips curved upward, deliberately provoking, “I actually met her before you did.”
Shawn was a cautious man. He spent the entire evening testing Zev in every possible way, trying to determine whether he was a real threat.
Kelly sensed it, too. Once Shawn saw Zev as a threat, he would eliminate him before he had a chance to rise.
And right now, Zev was clearly no match for him.
Backing down was the right choice.
Survival came first in the cracks between power.
“Uh, so what if you met her first? She’s mine now. My wife. And that will never change. Got it?” Zev jabbed a finger into Shawn’s shoulder.
That stance was precisely the same as when he was a terrorist in Solaris.
Zev was furious, grabbing Kelly and storming off.
Kelly gave Shawn an apologetic smile. “Sorry, that’s just how he is. I’ll talk to him.”
Then, right in front of Shawn, she started scolding Zev. “When will you learn to control that temper of yours? You don’t care about time, place, or consequences!”
“What do you mean? Can’t you see the way that guy was looking at you? I’m a man, and he was basically challenging me!” Zev growled.
But his anger was real this time.
Shawn had indeed been provoking him.
Yet, from an outsider’s perspective, this outburst, combined with Kelly’s helpless reprimand, only reinforced the idea that Zev was an impulsive hothead who could never be a major player.
Which was precisely what Shawn wanted.
Watching the two of them leave, Shawn smirked.
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“You tested him all night. Satisfied with the result?” Clarissa approached, raising her glass toward him. “I know Zev better than you do. He’s nothing but a fool who does the most reckless, idiotic things imaginable.”
As she spoke, her fingers trembled with anger. She had endured ten months of pregnancy, only to give birth to Shane, who wasn’t even of Lockhart’s blood. The very thought of it reignited her rage, a stark reminder of Zev’s defiance and reckless foolishness.
“If you can’t even deal with an idiot, how capable are you?” Shawn sneered. “If you were truly skilled, you’d find a way to get rid of Kelly and marry Zion yourself. That would impress me.”
Clarissa frowned, staring at him. “I already have Shane. As long as he is set to inherit the Lockhart legacy, I’ll always have a stake in the shares. Marrying Zion would maximize my gains, but that doesn’t mean it would benefit you.”
She took a step closer, lowering her voice. “But if Wade passes away, I marry you while holding Shane’s shares. Tell me, who benefits then?“.
“I heard Shane isn’t actually Zion’s son,” Shawn mused, his expression unreadable. “If he’s not a Lockharts, how will he inherit the Lockharts’s shares?”
“Wade feels guilty and owes Shane a debt,” Clarissa said, narrowing her eyes. “On the surface, the Lynches have disowned him, but that’s just to make Wade even more remorseful. He’s old now, too soft–hearted to let a child suffer because of him. He will leave something behind.”
She let out a slow breath. “Besides, he has cancer. His body won’t hold out for much longer. Once he’s gone, I can legally take Shane back and, as his legal guardian, transfer his shares to myself.”
After all, Shane’s custody had always been in her hands.
Shawn observed her carefully, his eyes dark and contemplative.
After a long silence, he finally smiled. “Then let’s see how many chips Wade will give you.”
Clarissa clinked her glass against Shawn’s with a smile. “I’ll be back at Lockhart Group tomorrow. I still hold a position there. Everyone from the project managers to HR and key executives answers to me. I hear you want to expand into the Seaville market and take over Wagner Group. Well, the Lockharts are a major competitor.”
She was reminding him. Her influence was valuable. Her leverage was substantial.
And Shawn did need her help. With her, he could gain deeper insights into the Lockhart Group and even manipulate it from within.
Shawn’s goal was to rise above everyone else. Ultimately, he aimed to take over or destroy the legendary Lockhart Group at its peak.
“I’m looking forward to getting to know each other better in the future,” Shawn said, his words layered with meaning. He needed time to understand just how strong Clarissa’s hand was indeed.
Lockhart Group.
The moment Zev stepped into his office, Hanson followed him, speaking in a hushed tone. “Mr. Zion, the HR manager, demanded 800 thousand dollars in bribes from a job applicant’s family. We had them hand over the money and gathered plenty of evidence.”
With this, they now had undeniable leverage over her.
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Considering how Zey had already dealt with Dave, the project department manager, with ruthless efficiency, the HR manager was bound to panic.
Zev glanced at the evidence Hanson handed him, his voice cold. “Did she give up the list?”
“We used a bit of persuasion. She gave us everything. Here’s the list.” Hanson handed it over, smirking.
Impressive. As expected of Sylvester’s son, he had uncovered all of Clarissa’s planted insiders in the company in no time,
“Mr. Zion, Ms. Clarissa is back. She says she’s resuming control of the company. You…” The secretary hesitated outside the door. With Clarissa’s return, the question remained: Who would genuinely be in charge of Lockhart Group?
“Zion, you don’t have management experience. Wade and I have already discussed it. You should start by assisting me. You can learn while working as my assistant,” Clarissa walked in, speaking with arrogance.
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