Chapter 199 The Reckless Girl
As soon as Mason finished speaking, the boardroom once again fell into dead silence. The directors’ eyes darted
between Lucas and Mason, their faces etched with hesitation and helplessness. But with their families in Mason's
hands, they had no choice.
Mason scanned the table, his lips curling into a smug smile. His voice rang cold and domineering as he said,
“Let's proceed. Anyone in favor oftaking over as president of the Hawthorne Group, raise your hand.”
His tone left no room for argument, forcing each person to make their decision. One after another, the board
members exchanged glances and slowly lifted their hands.
Mason nodded in satisfaction, a glint of malice flashing in his eyes. “Very good. Seems everyone made the smart
choice.”
But just as he was about to declare the results, Lucas let out a low chuckle. It wasn’t loud, but it was sharp
enough to echo across the room.
“Not so fast. The real show's just getting started.” Lucas pulled out a chair and sat down with deliberate calm.
His every move oozed control and confidence.
Mason's grin froze. He turned to Lucas, his eyes cold and threatening. “What other trick could you possibly have?
You really think you alone can change anything?”
Lucas motioned slightly with his fingers. Andrew stepped forward and pressed a button on the projector.
Instantly, a video appeared on the screen. It showed police officers storming into several different locations,
rescuing the families Mason had used to control the board members.
The atmosphere in the room exploded. The directors gaped at the footage, their faces lighting up with disbelief
and overwhelming relief. They jumped to their feet, turning toward Lucas, their eyes brimming with gratitude.
Lucas’s voice was calm but commanding. “Your families are safe now.”
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The directors’ gratitude quickly turned into fury.
“Mason! You psycho! You used our families to blackmail us!”
“You're a monster! You're not fit to run the Hawthorne Group!”
“Mr. Hawthorne, we support you! We can’t let someone like this take over the company!”
Mason's face turned ghostly pale. He stood up, eyes filled with rage and panic. “Why?! | was so close! | only
needed one more step!”
“Your gends here, Mason.” Lucas’s voice cut through the air like a blade. “You thought you had everything
under control. But you never realized-you were just another piece on my board.”
He waved his hand. The doors opened again, and uniformed police officers stepped inside, heading straight for
Mason.
Mason tried to resist, but he was quickly subdued. As they dragged him away, he thrashed and screamed, his
voice filled with hatred. “Lucas! Don’t think you've won! This isn’t over! You'll regret this!”
Lucas didn’t even flinch. He simply watched with an icy gaze, his expression unreadable.
Once Mason was taken away, silence fell over the room.
Lucas slowly stood, sweeping his eyes across the room. His voice was steady and firm. “The future of the
Hawthorne Group will take all of us. What happened today ends here.”
The directors bowed their heads, faces full of shame. They knew their earlier choices had nearly dragged the
entire company into the abyss.
Lucas paused at each person, then spoke again. “I know your decisions were made under duress. | won't hold it
against you.”
A collective sigh of relief passed through the room.
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But then, Lucas’s tone turned sharp. “That said, | expect you all to remember- there won't be a second time. If it
happens again, | won't be so forgiving.”
The directors nodded quickly, fear flickering in their eyes. They understood. Lucas’s mercy had limits, and his
methods made Mason look like a child.
“Mr. Hawthorne, we understand.” One director stood, his voice earnest. “From this moment on, you have our full
support.”
The rest of the board echoed the sentiment, pledging their loyalty to Lucas.
Once the last director left and the door closed with a soft click, Lucas’s body suddenly wavered. His face turned
pale as he grabbed the table for support, cold sweat beading on his forehead. His breathing quickened.
“Mr. Hawthorne!” Andrew rushed to his side, alarmed. “Are you alright? I'll take you back immediately!”
“I'm fine,” Lucas said, waving him off. “Just tired.”
Andrew frowned, his tone laced with concern. “You just recovered from the poisoning. You're not ready to push
yourself this hard. Mason could've been handled by the authorities. You didn’t need to show up yourself.”
Lucas gave a faint smile. “Those board members are too slick. If | hadn't walked in alive and well, they wouldn't
have believed anything.”
He coughed a few times, his body trembling slightly. Andrew quickly helped him sit and handed him a glass of
warm water.
Lucas took a sip and steadied his breath. “How's Sloane?”
Andrew lowered his head. “She's still unconscious. Dr. Benjamin said her body's severely exhausted.”
Turns out, Sloane had vanished because she had gone into a remote forest herself to find Septoherb to cure
Lucas’s poisoning. She returned covered in injuries, and after confirming Lucas had taken the herb, she collapsed
on the spot.
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Lucas’s eyes darkened with guilt. His voice trembled slightly. “She... she did all that for me...”
“If she hadn't returned in twith the herb,” Andrew said softly, “Dr. Benjamin said the poison might've-"
“Taketo the hospital,” Lucas interrupted, struggling to his feet.
Andrew hesitated, clearly wanting to object, but seeing the look in Lucas’s eyes, he gave in and helped him out.
Lucas walked quickly, each step heavy with urgency. When they arrived at Sloane's hospital room, he pushed the
door open and saw her lying quietly in bed. Her face was deathly pale, an IV drip hanging from her arm. His
chest tightened painfully.
He walked to her bedside and sat down, gently taking her hand in his. Her skin was cold and lifeless.
He remembered the first tthey met-how she had held a weapon to his throat, straddled him, and calmly
negotiated.
Back then, he had thought she was nothing but a reckless little girl. But now... that sreckless girl had risked
everything to save him, even trekking through a forest alone just to bring him the cure.
“Sloane...” he murmured her name, his voice barely audible.
His fingers brushed her cheek, feeling the faint warmth of her breath.
He had never imagined that one day, he would care this deeply about someone.
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