The laughing was so annoying. It was just like a needle piercing into his eardrum. He wobbled, and even his fingers were trembling.
After a while, he spoke. His voice was so cold, "What do you want to do?"
"Very simple." The man said, "I know you can purchase the Runestone Group as long as you continue to follow it today, but Joseph, you should look afterward. You are clever. You don't want to harm what you want to protect just for the short-term benefits, right? My request is very simple and easy for you. Stop purchasing the Runestone Group."
Joseph felt confused.
Joseph stared at the trend chart on the computer. The numbers just jumped continuously.
He was serious, "You want to threaten me? Do you know who I am?"
"Everybody knows that it's not easy to threaten you since nobody can have a good result finally. But Mr. Dover, I'm not the average person." The man said slowly, "I have these photos now, which means that I am grabbing your soft spot. I will not be so silly to show off myself without having the ability to be your counterpart. Now, it's interesting, right?"
Joseph stared at the photo on the desk. There was deep coldness on his face.
"Just put it this way, I am very clear about what has happened to your family. To remind you, Irish was one of those children at that time. It depends on you what to do next. Do you want Irish or the company? Of course, you can purchase the Runestone Group, and what I can assure you is that soon, all people will know what happened to your wife when she was little. More importantly, your family, especially what your father did, will be disclosed in public."
"You are indeed bold. You are the first to threaten me in this way." Joseph tried his best to resist his anger and keep his voice calm.
"I have no other way. I just want to find someone to shoulder the pain with me. Mr. Dover, to be clear, I just want you to die immediately. Oh, no, not let you die, but make it harder for you to live." The man laughed, "I have no hatred for Vincent. I just want to make it difficult for you to make a living in this field with his help. You are Jacob's son. He was dead now. It would be best if you compensated for it as his replacement. I'm not afraid that you will find me. I turned to Leo and got a big sum of money from him. I have no worries about making a living now. Welcome. Just find me. It's no good to do that, though."
Joseph said coldly, "Then just pray that I'll not find you. Otherwise, I'll kill you."
"Please have a clear idea about your own situation now before looking for me." He didn't threaten the man, "Do not care which one is under the sun now. In fact, you are in a bad condition now unless you stop investigating it. But I'm sure that you won't do that, right? Mr. Dover, if today I get the news that you have purchased the Runestone Group, then do not blame me that I will disclose some news to the media. I'll spend the rest of my time enjoying your wife's beauty."
And then the man ended the conversation, laughing.
Joseph really wanted to throw the phone to the floor.
Joseph made the decision to seek out valuable clues regarding Irish's abduction by consulting her uncle and aunt. With a sense of urgency, Steven found himself compelled to divulge every relevant detail, albeit feeling powerless in the face of the situation.
After an entire week had passed since Irish's disappearance, Steven received a phone call from the police station. The authorities requested their immediate presence at the station.
Filled with a glimmer of hope, Steven rushed to the police station. Upon his arrival, he encountered a young policeman who had taken charge of the case. The officer handed Rachel a photograph and inquired, "Is this your daughter?"
As Rachel laid eyes on the photo, she abruptly lost consciousness.
Mary immediately looked after her, and Steven took over the photo. He was totally shocked. The girl in the photo lay on a stretcher with gauze on her head and injury on her face, closing her eyes.
He asked the policeman crazily, and the policeman just told him that Irish had been sent to the hospital.
Policeman told him with difficulty that he should make good preparations since Irish was badly harmed.
The policeman took Steven to the hospital.
Doctors were saving Irish.
Later, Steven knew that a group of drug dealers had taken away Irish. During this period, Irish was not only frightened but treated in a bad way. She tried to flee but was still caught back, and there were wounds on her hands and feet.
Steven asked with an air of vigilance, "What do you mean 'she was treated in a bad way'?"
The policeman answered embarrassedly, "Someone sexually assaulted her. When she was found, her private parts were even bleeding."
Steven was just like someone had stabbed him, while Mary stared into her eyes and shook her head, "No...no, Irish is still a child." When Rachel heard that, she broke down again and rushed to the emergency room door, and patted on the door, crying.
After emergency treatment, Irish went through a dangerous period. Considering her condition, doctors still suggested she should remain in the ICU.
Later the doctors also confirmed that Irish was severely assaulted, including being raped by an adult man. Just one man did it, not a group.
The policeman in charge was also shocked by it, and he just reported it to his leader, requiring further investigation.
****
William's case entered the phase of trial scheduling, attracting considerable media attention due to its high-profile nature. The Lakes found themselves surrounded by reporters, causing significant distress. The pervasive presence of journalists also extended to Irish, who encountered these figures during her daily commute to and from work. The situation became increasingly challenging as the media closely followed every development in the case.
Except for William's case, the outside world was more concerned about the situation of the Runestone Group.
Leo showed up and announced to the outside world that he would purchase the Runestone Group fully. His speech shocked everyone, and his action was also quick. Under such messy circumstances, he finished his purchasing plan in the first period.
Just in several days, the Runestone Group became one of the Key Group's parts.
Now there was nobody in charge of the Runestone Group. Irish was the only one to make a decision. Without William, Irish was not only the largest shareholder but also, she had the strongest discourse power to some extent since many old shareholders were dismissed in such a messy situation.
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