Chapter 277

Isabella and Michael started to split up. Michael was having people verify the authenticity of the information, while Isabella reached out to the minority shareholders. She needed to confirm if the other party had already contacted John and then offer a high price to buy some time.

Meanwhile, John and Bianca, upon returning to the vineyard, rained curses down on Jasper and then called those same minority shareholders.

For Carol, helping Isabella become the second-largest shareholder was a strategic move. It would position Isabella advantageously within the company, allowing her to gradually consolidate power and eventually reclaim all the company's shares.

But for Isabella or Bianca, what they wanted from the beginning was all the company's shares!

As for becoming the second-largest shareholder?

They never even considered it!

While both sides were busy vying for the shares, a third party was quietly putting their own plan into motion.

On another front, Paxton was equally occupied, but he was busy inviting people to dinner.

In a luxurious restaurant, Paxton had ordered a table full of sumptuous food in a private room, waiting for his distinguished guests.

This dinner was to entertain the heads of the Davis and Larson families, two major families.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and the head of the Davis Family, Richard Davis, and the head of the Larson Family, Anthony Larson, walked in.

"Hey, gentlemen! I've been expecting you. Please, have a seat," Paxton greeted them warmly, gesturing towards the table.

Richard had a gentle expression, while Anthony's face was somewhat indifferent.

"Paxton, I don't have much time. Let's skip lunch and get straight to the point. What do you want?" Anthony said, sitting down with a hint of impatience.

A flicker of annoyance crossed Paxton's eyes. He felt no trace of respect coming from Anthony.

Still, Paxton hid his irritation behind a composed smile.

"Mr. Brown, just tell us what's going on. I'm curious too," Richard, Joseph's father, asked, his polite tone masking his contempt for Paxton.

Paxton didn't want to waste time with pleasantries. "I'm here to discuss the Taylor Family's secrets," he said bluntly.

Richard and Anthony exchanged surprised glances.

They were well aware of the recent conflict between Paxton and John, and Paxton's attempts to uncover the Taylor Family's secrets from Jasper.

If Jasper weren't in a coma and under police guard, Paxton would have likely tried to have someone break him out of the hospital.

Richard gave Paxton a faint, enigmatic smile. "Mr. Brown, you must be joking. The Taylor Family has already fallen. What secrets could they possibly have? If there were any, why wouldn't Jasper have used them?"

Anthony, his fingers drumming on the table with a rhythm of irritation, cut in, "Cut the crap. We know you pissed off John and you're scared he's gonna come after you, so now you're trying to drag both our families into this mess."

A look of understanding crossed Paxton's eyes. Those who rise to power in a prominent family aren't fools, and Anthony was right about that, but Paxton would never admit it.

Paxton sat down, a sly smile creeping onto his lips. "I get it, you think the rumor is nonsense. But what if I told you that Jasper's dad, Patrick, did leave behind a secret? And that secret is hidden within the three companies of the Taylor Family."

Richard's eyes flashed with a hint of doubt, and Anthony's confident facade slipped for just a moment. Did Paxton know something they didn't?

"Enough with the riddles. Just spill it. What do you know? I don't have time for your games," Anthony snapped, his patience wearing thin. He was intrigued by the Taylor Family's secret, but Paxton's cryptic attitude was driving him nuts.

Paxton grinned and said, "You guys know our family only made it to the top because we scooped up a bunch of the Taylor Family's assets. We stumbled upon a weird secret in the process. When Jasper's dad was still around, their family lost a ton of money, and no one had a clue where it went. This shortfall is what gave us the chance to step in and take their place."

At the dining table, Anthony and Richard exchanged uneasy looks. They had indeed played a part in the Taylor Family's downfall and had grabbed some of their assets. But the speed at which the Taylor Family crumbled always seemed fishy, like someone was pulling strings behind the scenes.

"So, you're saying Patrick from the Taylor Family stashed all the assets somewhere and turned it into a treasure hunt?" Anthony's voice dripped with sarcasm.

Paxton shook his head, his face serious. "I don't think Patrick was that childish. He had to have a reason for doing it, but what was it? We're still digging into it. The missing wealth is probably with Jasper, but why hasn't he used it? I think there might be some specific conditions attached to those assets."

Richard tapped the table lightly, stroking his chin as he thought. "Having wealth you can't use is like having treasure locked in a vault with a password. Jasper probably doesn't know the password, but he knows where the vault is."

Anthony waved his hand dismissively. "Even if there is some treasure, what's it got to do with us? You want us to help you grab it? Why are you getting involved with Isabella and Bianca? Even if the Taylor sisters manage to regain their former glory, they're just the fifth family. They pose no threat to us."

Richard nodded in agreement, echoing Anthony's sentiments. "We don't really know what those treasures are. If it's just a pile of money, we have nothing to worry about." He chuckled. "A family can't thrive on wealth alone; connections, resources, and even political influence-those aren't things money can buy."

"What if it's some high-tech product that could change the current social landscape?" Paxton said casually.

Richard and Anthony exchanged shocked glances. "What do you know?" Anthony asked, his urgency palpable.

Paxton pulled out a document and replied nonchalantly, "Through some investigations, I found that the Taylor family's funds have been funneled into a mysterious lab. But I haven't uncovered what exactly they're experimenting on."

Richard and Anthony fell silent, realizing that an experiment capable of bankrupting the Taylor family must be quite extraordinary.

Paxton watched the two of them deep in thought, a smile spreading across his face, his eyes sparkling with a knowing intensity. "Greed's a strong motivator. If Isabella gets the treasure, I'm not worried. But if Bianca gets it? Don't forget her connection with John. If Bianca becomes the head of the Taylor Family, all that wealth goes to John, and then to the Williams Family."

"Aren't you worried about getting swallowed up by the powerful Williams Family?" Paxton's fingers tapped the table lightly, each tap seeming to hit Anthony and Richard right in the heart.