"My son. My son? Isn't he your son, too? You've always kept him on the sidelines. When someone is kept in the dark, they use dirty methods to come to light!" she countered.

Bai Yu squeezed his eyes shut.

"He was not suited for business. He was never good at it. He didn't allow himself to cultivate any other skills. He wanted to do what his father and brother did. I was really proud he was trying, but I would be happier if he was a hard worker who wanted to prove himself than a gambler who needs to make under the table deals to facilitate his addictions."

He felt tears prickle at his eyes.

"What are you talking about?" she yelled. "Just tell me what happened. What did you do to him?"

"What did I do to him?" he gasped, looking at her accusingly. "I kept silent throughout the meeting because I had no right to veto and I allowed the others to talk rubbish about the company I poured blood, sweat, and tears into." Tears dripped out of his eyes and rolled down his cheeks. Finally, he allowed himself to cry.

"Why are you crying? What is wrong?" A misplaced worry for her husband bloomed in her heart.

"I am wondering if I was an incompetent husband and a father. What did I do so wrong for things to turn this way?" He collapsed on the chair and hid his face in his hands.

"What is wrong? How did things turn out?" she panicked.

After a few minutes, Bai Yu sniffled and wiped his tears away from his face.

"I don't want to talk about it right now. When your son feels like coming home, ask him what he did and how the meeting turned out." He sluggishly got up from his chair and trudged up the stairs.

"Yu! What happened?" she yelled after him. He didn't seem to hear her calling from behind him. He stopped in front of his office and stood for a few minutes before shaking his head and heading for the bedroom.

- - - - -

The shareholders had presumably left but they had congregated in a restaurant nearby. Someone had even brought Bai Ye Qing along forcefully to speak to the people to whom he had falsely given hope.

"Young Master Bai, what is this they are saying?" B1 asked. "I thought you were just being a hot-blooded young man, but you were swindling money from your father's company?" he asked. He had actually known of this fact well before but said nothing because he was profiting off this son since he had taken office.

"Please, don't pretend like you didn't know. It's just company money. It's mine at the end of the day. Why is spending a thousand dollars here and there such a big issue?" Bai Ye Qing rolled his eyes. "And don't pretend to be high and mighty. You have been skimming money from your profits for so many years. Just because no one held you accountable doesn't mean what you did wasn't wrong." He scoffed.

B1 fumed. "It's not a problem for you to do it. But did you have to be so stupid as to outright show everyone what you were up to? How could a puny girl who has been in the business for fewer years than my high blood pressure find out so easily?" he asked.

"She single-handedly exposed what a scumbag you are, and you are calling her a puny girl?" MA1 grumbled softly. "She indirectly pointed out every deal we made. Why do you think she was sitting there silently and waiting for us to speak our minds?" he asked.

B2 finally spoke up. "She was making notes of who to take care of after the meeting. We will be the first people on her list to make trouble for," he said with a frown.

"She is a major shareholder, but it doesn't mean she can discard us easily!" B1 exclaimed.

MA1 shook his head. "Didn't you see? She brought in an external auditor to look through all the contracts and financial books. The external auditor is answerable to the shareholders… us. But who is the one with the actual power? That Yun Qian Meng. She's planned this thoroughly." He shook his head in disbelief.

"Do you think she will be able to do anything about us?" B2 asked, sounding scared.

"Of course she can't take away our shares," B1 huffed.

"But she can remove us from the board easily. There will be many people who will try to butter her and curry favor. We placed ourselves on the wrong side of the company at the first go." Without knowing.

Bai Ye Qing slammed his hand on the table, his anger slowly rising. "Are you all thinking only of yourself? What about me? I am going down with you," he seethed.

The older gentlemen glared at him. "Young Master, we wouldn't be in a bind if you had been discreet."

Bai Ye Qing shook his head. "Yun Qian Meng is a shark. When she smells blood, she goes for the kill. No matter how good you are at hiding, she will find you out." He smirked at them. "If you dare abandon me, I will make sure all your dirty laundry is aired out into the public."

The elders stiffened.

"Are you threatening us?" MA1 asked, his voice low.

"No such thing. I pulled a few strings at the accounting department and changed the balance sheets. The discrepancy won't be too big. I made sure to make my share of the profit look lesser. But what about you? If I get caught and asked to produce the files, I will have no choice but to follow."

It was a clear threat.

"Why would you?" B1 shouted.

"Yun Qian Meng likes to play using the law. She is not going to let you off even if you beg her to. The best option is to minimize damages." Bai Ye Qing nodded sagely.