Chapter 141

Carl drove his own car, while Brandon insisted on riding with me. We were heading to the restaurant together.

In the car, Brandon stared at me intently. "How much did Dad leave you? Why didn't I know about the shares in this building materials company?"

He was aggressive. "Do you still consider me your husband? Why didn't you tell me about this?"

I glanced at him calmly. "Why are you in such a rush?"

"I only found out recently. I wanted to check out the company's progress first. If it wasn't doing well, I planned to sell the shares and reinvest the cash into our company."

"I didn't expect to see you here."

Hearing this, Brandon's expression softened a bit. "You should have discussed it with me. If I had known you were a shareholder, I wouldn't have been looked down upon today."

I scoffed. "Who told you to be so reckless? If you had talked to me beforehand, this wouldn't have happened."

Brandon felt guilty. He had come here behind my back, so naturally, he didn't dare to tell me.

Similarly, I hadn't told him about my shares either.

The car was silent for a while. Suddenly, Brandon leaned in and asked, "How many shares do you have in this company?"

I knew there was no point in hiding it; Brandon would find out anyway. So, I decided to be honest. "Not much. My dad left me about 30%."

Brandon's eyes widened with excitement. "Honey, do you know how much 30% is worth? This company went public a couple of years ago. Do you know its market value?"

"If you sell all of it and invest in our company, we could expand production."

I looked at him. "I haven't decided whether to sell or not, and you're already spending the money?"

"Besides, my dad's letter said this money was for me personally. Even if I sell it, it's my decision whether to invest it in the company. Can you stop being so possessive about my money?"

Brandon gave a sheepish smile. "I'm just trying to give you some advice, honey. I didn't mean anything by it. Whatever you decide, I'll support you."

I glanced at him without saying a word.

His intentions were clear as day.

The car soon arrived at a restaurant. Carl had reserved the entire place, and a waiter led us into the empty restaurant.

As we opened a private room door, I saw a familiar figure inside.

Royce was sitting there, wearing a black coat, looking intently at his phone.

His silver watch added to his sophisticated look.

Brandon paused, likely recognizing Royce. After all, if he had investigated Royce, he would know what he looked like.

Carl greeted us warmly. "Let me introduce you. This is our CEO, Mr. Castillo. He insisted on joining us for dinner when he heard I was meeting with Ms. Sharp."

"By the way, Mr. Castillo is also from Suncrest City, so he and Ms. Sharp should have a lot in common."

I nodded. "Yeah, Royce and I go way back. He was close with my parents."

I extended my hand to Royce. "Long time no see. Last time I was in Suncrest City, you came over for dinner."

Brandon already knew about my history with Royce, so there was no point in hiding it. I decided to be upfront.

Royce chuckled and adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses. "Long time no see, Ms. Sharp."

He glanced behind me at Brandon. "And this is?"

"My husband, Brandon."

Brandon immediately stepped forward and extended his hand to Royce. Although he didn't know Royce's full background, he had heard of him and knew he was a significant investor.

"Mr. Castillo, nice to meet you. I'm Brandon, the current general manager of BlueSky Building Supplies."

Royce looked at Brandon's hand for a moment before lightly shaking it and quickly letting go.

Brandon noticed the slight and his face darkened, but he held back, aware of Royce's influence.

After we all sat down, Brandon didn't give up and tried to engage Royce. "Mr. Castillo, what made you want to invest in this company?"

Royce glanced at me. "It was actually because of Mr. Sharp. When I returned to Suncrest City, I wanted to invest in local businesses. Mr. Sharp told me the building materials industry was a rising star and would have great potential. So, I invested in this company without hesitation."

"Mr. Sharp invested alongside me. Looking back, he was right. His foresight was impressive."

Royce's words brought back memories.

Gerald was a shrewd businessman who always told me to make money ethically and not to profit at the expense of others.

I learned a lot from him.

Even though he's gone now, his influence on me remains strong.

Brandon smiled. "It seems Mr. Castillo and my dad had the same vision. Otherwise, you wouldn't have invested in the same company."

Royce nodded, not committing to anything.

This was Brandon and Royce's first meeting.

I believed they would meet more frequently in the future.

Until I finally took back my company and made Brandon pay the price.

As we started eating, none of us touched our utensils much, except for Brandon, who ate happily while discussing the future of the building materials industry.

Carl frowned slightly but said nothing, clearly displeased with Brandon's boasting.

Brandon was in the middle of his enthusiastic speech when Royce suddenly stood up. "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom."

With Royce gone, Brandon had no one to talk to and fell silent.

At that moment, I received a WhatsApp message from Royce: "Come out."

I glanced at Brandon, who was too busy chatting with Carl to notice my phone.

I patted Brandon's shoulder. "I need to use the restroom too."

Brandon immediately looked at me. "Do you want me to go with you?"

I shook my head, smiling. "No, I'll be fine. Just keep Carl company."

He nodded, albeit reluctantly, and I slipped out of the room. I found Royce waiting for me in the hallway, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"What's up?" I asked, trying to keep my voice casual.

Royce straightened up and looked at me seriously. "We need to talk. There's something you should know about Brandon and his plans for the company."

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Royce sighed. "Let's just say, he's not as loyal to you as you think. He's been making some moves behind your back."

My heart sank, but I kept my expression neutral. "Tell me everything."

Royce nodded. "Let's find somewhere more private to talk."

We walked down the hallway to a quieter corner of the restaurant, where Royce began to explain everything he knew about Brandon's underhanded dealings. As he spoke, I felt a mix of anger and determination building inside me.

It was time to take control and make sure Brandon faced the consequences of his actions.