"Humph. Watch what you say, Bradshaw. I may not be someone at your father's level, but at least I built everything I have using my own hands. That used to mean something. Now say what you want and get out, as I doubt that you have anything which can make me change my mind."
"Proof that A'Costa and Sullivan are laundering money from your company to accounts in the Cayman Islands."
These words which made no sense to Liz echoed through the room, but through the reflection of Mr. Sanders face that she could see on the glass window, it was clear that they meant something.
Something very important.
His confidence crippled, his back which had been broad and strong till now shook with weakness.
"Is it real?", He asked after a few seconds with a voice that was much more subdued than before.
"Does it matter?"
These cold words made him think again before laughing helplessly and shaking his head.
Sighing deeply, Mr. Sanders walked back to his desk and took a seat before calmly taking out a file in the Cabinet beside him.
Without hesitation, he signed it before pushing it forward.
The scratching sound of the pen on the paper made the CEO turn around and walk towards the table before taking the document in his hand and checking it.
After a few seconds, he nodded and closed the document and took out an envelope from an inner pocket of his suit before placing it on the table.
With shaking hands, Mr. Sanders took the envelope in his hands and opened it.
After reading it thoroughly three times, he put it back in before swiveling around in the chair and looking off into the distance.
"I'll do the needful. You can leave now."
Without a word, the CEO nodded and started walking towards the door.
Liz who had been watching everything with a puzzled expression followed Mr. Will before almost bumping into him because he had stopped just before exiting the room.
"It does mean something, Sanders. And that is why I didn't go to either of them with the same proof against you. My father put this plan into effect long ago, and I'm only bringing it to an end. If it's any consolation, we have tracked them doing the same for real, but there is no proof of that. You taught them well. Goodbye."
Saying so, the CEO walked out while Liz still had her eyes unconsciously fixed on Mr. Sanders who had turned around at these words.
It seemed as if they had broken something in him, as tears appeared in those eyes while regret and anguish could be seen inside them.
Looking up and seeing that Liz was still here, he said, "Beware of that family. They are… monsters. Almost all of them."
These enigmatic words startled Liz into realizing that the CEO was actually waiting for her outside the door.
Hurrying out, she followed him in silence to the limousine which started driving towards the city.
Liz had no idea what to say. She didn't know what was in the envelope, but she could guess that the document was the deed for the land that they had come to obtain.
Sure enough, the CEO had done as he had said: Mr. Sanders had ended up giving them the land for free.
She wanted to ask just who those people were and why that man had broken down on the mention of their names, but she resisted this impulse because she guessed that it was sensitive information.
"You look like you're constipated. You want to know why things turned out the way they did?"
Feeling embarrassed that she hadn't been able to keep this iconic expression of hers out of her face which usually came when she was resisting the urge to do something, Liz paused for a moment but nodded.
"First, understand that everything you hear when you're working for me is confidential, and cannot be repeated to anyone, even your family. I trust that you read this in the contract before signing it."
Liz nodded again. Indeed, it had been clearly spelt out in the contract.
"Mr. Sanders' wife is sterile. As someone who always longed to have a son, he chanced upon two protégés who entered the company with nothing just like him who had built his business empire from the ground up. He nurtured them and supported them for decades, and now, they're even on the board of directors. What broke his heart is that they formed two factions with the other directors to take him down from his seat. The whole stunt with the tie was fake. He only did it so that he could retain his place as CEO. A few years ago, my father opened accounts in the Cayman Islands in the names of all the directors in their company and even made a few transactions in them. If anyone checks, the timestamps on the transactions will match with that of money laundered from Sanders' company. Sanders will change the books to reflect that. By using these proofs, he's going to send those two to jail and subdue those factions. Basically, he's putting down two dogs which he fed with his own hands. That's why he broke like that. And that's why he gave the land for free."