Chapter 156

Verena saved the phone number, pausing as she stared at the string of digits, a sly little smile tugging at her lips.

The Faircloughs held considerable power overseas,and Verena was well aware she couldn't see the full extent of the forces supporting Erick from the shadows.Confronting Erick head-on seemed reckless;instead, she decided to use the leverage of his older brother, Tobin, to keep Erick's influence in check.

With her plan in place, Verena pressed the call button.

Meanwhile, across the ocean, Smoothdeed Group's senior management gathered deep into a business meeting.

Just outside those doors, Tobin's assistant noticed an incoming call from overseas.

The number flashed on a device reserved only for Tobin's closest associates and family. Not wanting to keep the caller waiting, the assistant answered immediately.

The assistant put on his best professional tone and said, "You've reached Tobin Fairclough, General Manager of Smoothdeed Group. May I know who's calling?"

Verena's brows knitted together at the sound of the young man's voice. Samuel's intel described Tobin as a seasoned executive, and this didn't match what she expected.

She asked directly, "And you are?"

The assistant responded without missing a beat,"This is Javier Rogers, Mr. Fairclough's assistant."

That answer seemed to satisfy her,at least for now."Alright, Mr. Rogers. I need to speak with Mr.Fairclough directly. Can you put me through?"

Javier kept his tone courteous as he explained, "I'm afraid Mr. Fairclough is in a meeting at the moment.If there's anything you'd like to pass along, I'll be sure he gets the message."

Choosing not to introduce herself right away, Verena remained vigilant. Despite speaking to Tobin's assistant, she couldn't shake the suspicion that Erick might have planted someone close enough to overhear every word.

Keeping things vague, she replied, "You can let Mr.Fairclough know that Willis returned his call.He's tried to reach me several times, and I finally had a moment to get back to him. Please let him know after his meeting."

Javier responded with polite assurance, "Understood.I'll make sure MMr. Fairclough gets the message."

Moments later, the door to the conference room swung open.

Tobin stepped out, and Javier hurried over to mneet him."Sir, you just got a private call. The person on the line said it was urgent..."

Without waiting for the rest, Tobin stopped him with a terse gesture, his expression dark. "Save it for later.There's something I need to handle right now."

The sudden interruption in the meeting had been caused by unsettling news from Tobin's secretary that his father had suffered a sudden medical emergency and had briefly lost his vital signs. The shock had left Tobin no choice but to abandon the meeting on the spot.

Noticing how anxious Tobin was, Javier thought better of pressing further and simply kept pace behind him.

After Maxton's collapse, Tobin had arranged for a private medical facility inside the family estate,ensuring his father would always be within reach of professional care. By the time Tobin reached the estate, the family's live -in doctor greeted him with an update. Only five minutes earlier, Maxton's condition had stabilized, and his vital signs were back to normal.

Relief washed over Tobin as soon as he heard the news.

Despite wanting to stay longer, Tobin knew the company needed his attention. He offered a few gentle words to the unconscious Maxton before leaving for the company.

On the drive back to the office, Tobin sank into the car seat and shut his eyes as he replayed the day's events and the tasks waiting for him. Then Javier's words about an important call sprang into his mind.

He opened his eyes and asked, "You mentioned an important call earlier. Who was trying to reach me?"

Javier handed him the phone, glancing toward the back seat. "The caller introduced herself as Willis, and she sounded like a young woman."

Taking the device, Tobin watched in silence as Javier quietly raised the privacy partition in the car.

A slight crease formed on Tobin's brow. A young woman,calling his private line? He studied the unfamiliar number in the call log,unable to remember ever speaking with anyone fitting that description. Still, considering the exclusivity of his private number, he suspected it could be a matter worth his attention.

A brief pause lingered before Tobin finally made up his mind and dialed the number back.

The call went through, but he kept quiet, choosing not to say a word at first.

Breaking the silence, Verena spoke up. "Is this Mr.Tobin Fairclough?"

The unfamiliar sound of a woman's voice made Tobin bristle wwith suspicion. "Who is this?" he demanded, his tone tight.

A subtle smile touched Verena's lips when she picked up on his hesitation.

Without hesitation, she answered, "I'm Evelyn Rowe.Half a year ago, you contacted my assistant about helpoing your father."

Tobin's entire expression changed at the mention of Evelyn. Surprise and anticipation rushed into his voice."Wait, are you really Evelyn?"

Verena confirmed it with a calm, steady tone. "Back then, my assistant was busy handling everything because | was caught up in other obligations. I couldn't respond personally, so my assistant turned you down on my behalf. Now that things have settled on my end, I wanted to reach out myself."

Hearing that, Tobin's urgency became obvious. "So you're saying you'll take my father's case now?Whatever you ask for, it's yours. As long as you can help my father recover, I'll make it happen."

While Tobin pleaded, Verena looked outside her window, her gaze cool, a sly smile flickering across her face.

She replied, "There's nothing I want for myself. I just want to make a deal with you."

Tobin hesitated, clearly surprised.′′Adeal?"

A hint of intrigue colored Verena's voice as she continued, "I'll forward you a document. Everything you need to know will be there."

Seconds later, a message arrived on Tobin's phone with the promised document attached.

As Tobin tapped on the file, a video began to play: a fleet of black vehicles boxed in a lone gray car. He immediately recognized the tattoo on one of the men -Erick's subordinate, unmistakable even from this angle. The call remained open, and Verena broke the silence."Your brother's men were actually after me.Unfortunately, someone else got caught in the crossfire."

Rage flushed across Tobin's face; his grip on the phone tightened until his knuckles stood out,veins pronounced.

Barely containing his fury, he snapped, "I knew he'd do anything for money, but I never thought he'd go this far! He actually tried to have our father killed!"

Clearly uninterested in family drama, Verena kept her tone cool. "Tell me, Mr. Fairclough, did you never think it odd that every doctor you called was either in a plane crash or a mysterious accident the very next day? Isn't that a little too much of a coincidence?"

Tobin's pulse pounded at his temples as the realization hit him, the color risng in his face.

Verena added, "So here's what I want: I'll treat your father, but only if you remove the danger hanging over my head."

Turning to the window, Tobin's eyes hardened, his voice cold. "You have my word. If you save my father,I'll do whatever it takes to protect you. No one will dare threaten you again, not while I'm here." A faint, knowing smile touched Verena's lips. "Then let's hope this partnership works out for us both,Mr.Fairclough."