He Chose Her Joke, I Chose His Ruin Chapter 07

He Chose Her Joke, I Chose His Ruin Chapter 07

Ava nodded. “Understood.”

Adrian’s face turned ashen. “Elena, are you insane? If Starlight Capital pulls funding, the New Energy Park

project collapses. Do you have any idea how much that costs?”

I looked at him, calm. “I do. Per preliminary estimates: 3.7 billion.”

He lunged forward. “You know this is Vale Group’s most critical project this year!”

I smiled faintly. “Of course I know. Because I built it.”

“Adrian, surely you didn’t think sitting in the chairman’s office signing papers made it yours?”

The color drained from his face.

Three years ago, during the Vale family’s bloodiest internal war, Adrian had held almost no cards.

Victor Vale, the heir apparent, controlled the legacy clients. The board backed him.

I’d walked into Vale Group with the New Energy Park proposal.

I spent three months securing government policy incentives, another six locking down the full supply chain.

One year to build a profitable model.

That project was Adrian’s ladder.

He told the world he had vision.

I never corrected him.

Back then, I thought-if he thrived, I thrived.

Now I planned to unravel every last piece of it myself.

Adrian lowered his voice. “Elena, don’t be rash. Name your terms-we can negotiate.”

I met his gaze. “I want you to pay.”

Celeste shrieked, “Adrian, don’t beg her! She’s bluffing! What can a woman like her even do?”

I looked at Celeste. “You’ll find out soon.”

Later, I went to the hospital.

While the doctor dressed my wounds, Ava stood nearby, reporting.

“Police have taken Celeste into formal questioning. Twenty-three complicit guests who filmed the incident

have had their devices seized.”

“Adrian didn’t go to the station. Chairman Vale summoned him back.”

I nodded. “Vale Group?”

“The formal divestment notice has been dispatched. The Finance Department has frozen all associated

funds.

Three core suppliers have confirmed they will align with your directives. Also, four board members contacted me-asked if you’ll attend tomorrow’s emergency meeting.”

I glanced down at the bandages on my arm. “I’ll be there.”

Ava hesitated. “Are you physically up for it?”

I gave a thin smile. “I endured hours under frigid spray without collapsing. A board meeting won’t kill me.”

She was quiet for a moment. “Elena… you don’t have to carry this alone.”

I knew what she meant.

She’d watched me claw my way up.

I never allowed myself to stop.

Because I learned early-no one was coming to save me.

After my mother died, I lived with my uncle. His wife resented feeding me, made me scrub clothes before

dawn.

Scholarships got me through college. Project bonuses gave me my first capital.

Then I met Adrian.

He was being exiled by the Vales, looking like a stray dog dumped on the curb.

He sat in the rain, smoking, his pricey suit soaked clear through.

I offered him my umbrella.

He asked, “Aren’t you afraid I’ll drag you down?”

I said, “Yes. But I’m more afraid of watching someone give up when they could still stand.”

He stood up.

Yet the very first thing he did was stab me in the back.

I closed my eyes. “Ava, send me tomorrow’s materials. And dig into Shaw family’s recent finances.”

“Already running it,” she said.

After a pause, she added, “Elena, there’s something you should know. Last month, the Shaw family secured

eight billion in bridge financing from Vale Group, secured against equity in Shaw Cultural City.”