Chapter 403: Chapter 403: It Doesn’t Matter Anymore
Evelyn Clayton took a deep breath: "Setting aside everything else, Harrison Grant wants you to marry Matthew Sullivan for two reasons. First, your public identity is still quite glamorous, and he wants you to pave the way for Matthew Sullivan, likely aiming to bring Matthew back into the public eye; secondly, as you mentioned, he wants to collaborate with Philip Lockwood. But now Philip Lockwood has neither money nor power, and his company is on the brink. Harrison Grant doing this..."
A flash of insight crossed Evelyn Clayton’s mind, and her expression showed a hint of horror.
Atlas Group, tax evasion, acquisition...
Evelyn Clayton immediately reached for her phone, opening the contact list only to remember that she had already blocked Philip Lockwood and Charlotte Sterling’s phone numbers.
"Iris, give me your phone."
Iris Lockwood was bewildered but handed over her phone obediently.
Evelyn Clayton’s face was like frost and snow as she dialed Charlotte Sterling’s number.
It connected after two rings, and Charlotte Sterling’s mocking laughter immediately filled the line: "Oh, Iris, you still know to call me, huh? Where have you been hiding the past few days?"
Evelyn Clayton raised an eyebrow in mockery and responded coldly, "It’s me."
There was silence on the other end for a while, Charlotte Sterling seemed incredulous and said, "E- Evelyn?"
"Do you have time?" Evelyn Clayton went straight to the point, "Let’s meet in half an hour."
Charlotte Sterling took a deep breath, her voice trembling with uncontrollable anger: "You, you haven’t contacted the family for so long, and now you speak like this! Is this how you talk to me?!"
"Charlotte Sterling, let me be blunt, my patience is thin." Evelyn Clayton spoke word by word, her tone icy, "Aren’t you planning to marry Iris to Matthew Sullivan? Do you believe I can shatter your dream in an instant, leaving nothing behind?"
Charlotte Sterling was livid: "You, you—"
"Half an hour later, meet me at the teahouse you often visit, I’ll be waiting for you."
Hanging up the phone, Evelyn Clayton stood up, calling on Yara Reagan and Iris Lockwood, "Come with me, you don’t need to intervene, just watch what happens, let’s go."
Iris Lockwood was puzzled and unsure: "What are we going to do?"
"I suspect Harrison Grant acquired Philip Lockwood’s company just to deal with the recent news about The Grant Group’s tax evasion. If nothing unexpected happens, he’ll transfer the messy accounts of Atlas Group into Philip Lockwood’s Aegis Culture."
Evelyn Clayton explained, her eyes bright as she looked at Iris Lockwood.
"Did Philip Lockwood ever coerce or tempt you by saying he’d give you shares of Aegis Culture as long as you agree to marry Matthew Sullivan?"
Iris Lockwood was completely frozen in place.
After a long time, she nodded awkwardly, her eyes crimson, revealing a sense of despair greater than heartbreak.
"So, my father wants me to be the scapegoat?"
Evelyn Clayton sneered, "To be precise, he wants you and Matthew Sullivan to be the scapegoats together. If my guess is correct, the first step of Harrison Grant’s plan is to formally announce your engagement to Matthew Sullivan, diverting public attention, and then reveal that Aegis Culture has always been in your name, and finally ’incidentally’ reveal that Matthew Sullivan has been manipulating people within Atlas Group to help Aegis Culture with its accounts."
"In this way, Atlas stays clean, while you and Matthew Sullivan are notorious, and as for Philip Lockwood, by then he would probably have made off with the money to some unknown place."
Iris Lockwood was in a daze.
"But, but is Matthew Sullivan really willing?" Iris Lockwood couldn’t hold back her tears, "Does he agree to become infamous too?"
Evelyn Clayton coldly curled her lips.
"Matthew Sullivan’s reputation, could it really get any worse than it is now? To him, these things don’t matter anymore."