Inheritance of Two Trillion Chapter 2450 - 1821: The Human Heart Is Unfathomable

While possessing business acumen and corporate management skills, one cannot definitively claim to 'read people' accurately. The human heart is an intricate entity, and the world of adults is often shrouded in deception.

Mr. Brown, the President of Zhenbei Group’s Africa Division, could never have foreseen that Tike, the godson he painstakingly nurtured and supported for years—a man who projected an image of honesty, simplicity, calmness, and steadiness—was precisely the one harboring resentment and aiming to dismantle him and his son.

After concluding his conversation with Fiewood, the General Manager of Yorko, Tike lit a premium cigar in his private study. As tendrils of smoke ascended, his gaze became inscrutable and menacing, tinged with a disturbing intensity.

He then reached for his phone and dialed Caroline, who was situated far away in Ganande.

The connection was established promptly.

A woman’s melodious laughter emanated from the other end, "Mr. Tike, what a surprise call! Do you have some delightful news to share?"

Tike leisurely exhaled a plume of smoke and responded slowly, "I regret to disappoint you, Miss Caroline. As for good news? I am also awaiting it!"

"Then to what do I owe the pleasure of this call? I assumed you would be constantly by Mr. Brown’s side. Speaking of which, how has Mr. Brown’s health been recently? As people age, their vitality naturally wanes. Coupled with the recent string of problems and his son's predicament, can he truly endure? Perhaps it is time for him to relinquish his duties and rest." Caroline’s voice held a discernible amusement as she spoke on the phone.

A cold snort escaped Tike, "Had that old man truly desired retirement, he would have stepped down years ago. Now that his son is in trouble, his resolve to hold on is even stronger. However, it matters not; when his strength fails him, he will have no choice but to step down."

When discussing the elder Mr. Brown, Tike’s voice was devoid of any warmth, a stark contrast to the respectful deference he always displayed in Mr. Brown's presence.

"That sounds rather callous. Mr. Brown would surely be deeply wounded if he heard such sentiments! If he were to discover that his trusted associate all this time was you, that you had covertly infiltrated the businesses Cilio managed, issuing directives to those entities, and furthermore, framing his own son, Cilio, I wonder what his reaction would be! Mr. Brown might become so overwhelmed that he could no longer bear it, perhaps falling ill and stepping down."

Caroline's tone grew increasingly playful and delighted as she elaborated.

Tike’s expression immediately soured, and he forcefully extinguished his cigar in the ashtray. His voice shifted to a more serious and admonishing tone, "Caroline, cease this foolishness! If your intention is to provoke the elder by exposing me, you will bring about my downfall! Consider the consequences! At the very least, you will lose an ally! And a friend!"

Tike’s words carried an icy edge, laced with a palpable threat.

It was evident that Caroline’s suggestion had both startled and angered him, filling him with a growing sense of apprehension.

"I was merely jesting; there is no need to take it so to heart," Caroline replied with a light laugh over the line. "Why would I jeopardize an ally just to hasten Elder Brown’s departure? It wouldn't be my style."

Indeed?

Tike inwardly scoffed.

If it served her interests, she would undoubtedly act ruthlessly, like a venomous serpent striking without hesitation!

Dealing with Caroline was, in truth, a persistent source of stress for Tike.

He often questioned his own judgment in forging an alliance with her in the first place.

He remained perpetually vigilant, having witnessed her tendency to discard associates as easily as worn-out shoes when it suited her agenda.

Yet, once entangled in such a venture, extricating himself proved exceedingly difficult.

Nonetheless, thanks to Caroline’s strategic guidance, he had expertly used Cilio as a shield to illicitly acquire vast company assets. This ill-gotten wealth had enabled him to secure a larger contingent of loyal followers.

Poor Cilio, his every misstep had been orchestrated by others, meticulously planned by Tike.

The most ironic twist was that Cilio reaped only a meager portion of the benefits, while Tike, operating from the shadows, amassed tenfold the gains!

When investigator Bai Xiaosheng and his team launched their inquiry, Caroline adeptly collaborated with Tike, skillfully shifting all blame onto Cilio and simultaneously plotting to oust Elder Brown. This strategy aimed to clear the path for Tike to completely seize control of the African Division.

Without these underhanded maneuvers against Elder Brown and his son, Tike's advancement would have been limited, at best, to a figurehead position, requiring several more years of dedicated management to achieve true authority!

Beyond these clandestine operations targeting Elder Brown and his son, Caroline had also infiltrated Tike’s enterprises with her own operatives. However, upon their discovery, Tike promptly removed them all.

This confrontation led to a significant strain in their relationship, prompting Caroline to exercise greater caution.

Following all these developments, Tike harbored a persistent conviction that Caroline was a woman against whom he could never afford to lower his guard, even for a moment.

She posed a formidable threat as an adversary, and equally so as an ally.

"Mr. Tike?" Caroline's voice inquired once more through the phone.

Tike's focus was abruptly pulled back to the present.

"Could it be that you have absolutely nothing of substance to discuss and simply rang me up for a friendly conversation?" Caroline then let out a light laugh.

"That is certainly not the case!" Tike responded with a serious tone. "Caroline, you have managed to place quite a number of your operatives within my domain. I believed I had successfully purged them all, yet to my surprise, you've shifted your focus from our senior leadership to my mid-level personnel. It has only just come to my attention that several businesses now bear your influence within their middle management! Naturally, we will address these transgressions at a later juncture! What I truly need to ascertain is whether you have made arrangements for your individuals to present any conveniences to those investigating on Bai's end, thereby enabling their inquiry to proceed unobstructed!"