?<strong>Chapter 170:</strong>


    “Yes, I will,” Joelle responded instantly, her smile softening the moment. “But I hope you’ll never be in danger.”


    Rafael’s somber expression brightened immediately. Even though he knew it might not be appropriate, he moved closer and wrapped Joelle in an embrace. The noticeable bump of her belly created aical gap between them, causing both to share an awkward yet amused nce.


    “Joelle, will you be my girlfriend?”


    As she smiled, Joelle felt a sudden tightness in her chest and struggled to breathe. She was ready to open her heart and entertain the idea of a rtionship with Rafael. Yet, every time she considered moving forward, Adrian’s shadow loomed in her mind. How could she simply erase those eight years? She desired tomit to a genuine rtionship and reciprocate Rafael’s affection, but she needed time.


    “Rafael, let me think about it.”


    Rafael, feeling slightly awkward, nodded understandingly. “Okay, we’ll discuss it after you’ve had the baby. We can take things slow.”


    At home, Irene’s temper red upon discovering the turmoil within Miller Group. In a fury, she confronted Adrian at the Miller Mansion.


    Quincy attempted to defuse her anger. “Mom, don’t be too hard on Adrian. He’s still young, and it’s natural for him to stumble asionally. His father passed away early, and Adrian has done remarkably well managing thepany by himself.”


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    Amara scoffed dismissively, “What are you talking about? What do you know about running a business? Your son has a father, but who knows what he’ll end up doing?”


    “You…” Quincy pointed at Amara, too enraged to articte his thoughts.


    L intervened, her voice strained. “Amara, we’re allmitted to Miller Group. It belongs to all of us, and we can’t just overlook its problems.”


    Amara, never one to shy away from a confrontation, especially now that L dared to im collective ownership, was incensed.


    “When Adrian’s father was alive, Miller Group was under our stewardship. We allowed you some control in recent years, but what have you aplished? And now you dare to say Miller Group is yours? If you continue to jeopardize our family business, you’ll bring disgrace to us all!”


    “Enough!” Irene’s voice boomed, silencing the room instantly. This family had long been fractured, each faction guarding its own interests. Amidst the discord, Irene clung to her dignity, haunted by suspicions regarding her eldest son’s mysterious death.


    Reluctant to lose the remaining son, her previous silence had only precipitated today’s turmoil. Now, with Miller Group teetering on the edge and her own strength waning, the family’s unity seemed more fractured than ever, leaving Adrian as the sole bearer of responsibility.


    “Adrian,” she said, leaning heavily on her cane. “Tell me the truth. Do you have a n to pull us out of this crisis?”


    Adrian, who had maintained a stoic silence, finally spoke. “Grandma, my strategy might require a sacrifice from you.”


    Irene staggered slightly, her eyes widening in shock as she stared at Adrian. “So, you…”


    Adrian, avoiding her gaze and facing the gathered family members, snapped his fingers authoritatively. “Take a seat, everyone. It’s time for an open discussion.”


    As they settled with somber expressions, the legal team entered the room.


    “Mrs. Miller.” They greeted Irene.


    “What are you doing here?” she demanded.


    “I’m here to exin some details on Mr. Miller’s behalf concerning our dealings with Kenny’s studio.” A sense of foreboding washed over Irene as the word “karma” shed through her mind. “Proceed. Lay out everything you know.”


    The legal representative opened a folder and began, “Mr. Miller had reservations about this partnership from the start. Initially, the agreement with Kenny’s studio was to release only 2,000 limited-edition items. However, Kenny, driven by greed, colluded with InfinityGlobal to secretly increase this to pre-sell 30,000 units, unbeknownst to Mr. Miller. This breach not only sparked consumer bacsh but also vited Miller Group’s rights.


    InfinityGlobal, which was handling sales, is a new entity and ostensibly unrted to Kenny. Yet, it has direct ties to someone here.” He looked over at L, who was already panicking.


    “L Miller’s brother is a shareholder of InfinityGlobal.”


    Irene’s suspicions were confirmed.


    L stood hastily, attempting to interject, but Irene waved her off impatiently. “Continue,” shemanded.


    The legal representative resumed, “Under the contract, Miller Group was only to provide intellectual property licenses, with all other costs managed by InfinityGlobal and Kenny’s studio. Ostensibly, this should have alleviated our burden. However, in reality, cost-cutting measurespromised the product quality, leading to widespread consumer dissatisfaction, all of which fell on Miller Group. Mr. Miller, in his prudence, has yet to sign the contract.”


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