Aaron's gloomy eyes stared at the two names, his brow slightly furrowed.
Just then, his secretary Zhang called. As soon as he picked up, a panicked voice came through, "Chairman Lin, there's been an accident at the Cangtian project. The scaffolding collapsed, injuring more than twenty workers, with two of them severely injured and already dead."
Whenever such a major safety incident occurs at a construction site, the project will inevitably be halted and subjected to an investigation by the relevant authorities.
The Lin Group was already facing a significant funding shortfall, and now this—it's undoubtedly adding insult to injury.
"I understand," Aaron said as he hung up the phone.
Once this news gets out, the banks will certainly demand their money back. Where would he find the funds to cover the gap?
All of his assets were already mortgaged or used as collateral for loans.
He had to figure out a way to get some money. As long as he could secure enough funds to survive this period, the Lin Group wouldn't fall.
Aaron had worked diligently for the Lin Group for so many years; how could he just stand by and watch it collapse, ruining everything in his hands?
His fingers pressed down on the two names, and he murmured quietly, "I've raised you both for so many years; it's time for you to give back to the Lin family."
Photos of Zuri and Saira, along with their personal information, were sent out through email.
Half an hour later, a reply came in.
The email contained only an address and a time—nothing else.
Aaron couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Both of them had been approved. That's good.
The early summer sunlight streamed through the sheer curtains, falling onto the thick carpet. In the middle of the large bed, the silky blanket rose slightly, and the person in bed sat up, leaning against the headboard. After glancing at the time, a slight smile tugged at their lips.
That matter should come to light within the next few days.
Before long, the Lin Group would be on the verge of collapse, never to rise again.
Neither Aaron, Dalia, Saira, Christian, nor any of the Lin family members—they were all about to meet the end of their good days.
The thought brightened Zuri's mood considerably, as radiant as the sunlight outside.
After getting ready, Zuri headed downstairs, her expression neutral. Upon entering the dining room, Aaron greeted her with a smile, "It's the weekend. Why didn't you sleep in a bit?"
Zuri was surprised. "I'm used to it."
Saira and Dalia entered the dining room, and Aaron greeted them with the same smile, as if the previously tense atmosphere had completely dissipated.
"Father seems to be in a good mood today," Saira whispered to Christian.
Christian nodded. "There must be some good news."
After breakfast, Aaron turned to Zuri and Saira, saying, "There's a banquet tonight. Zuri, Saira, you both should accompany me."
When Christian heard about the banquet, he immediately chimed in, "Dad, I want to go too."
"What would you do there? Embarrass yourself?" Aaron reprimanded him.
Christian fell silent, not daring to speak further.
Aaron smiled at Zuri and Saira. "I'll have someone send dresses over later. Make sure you dress up nicely tonight. Even though the Lin Group may seem like it's on the brink of collapse, you still represent the Lin name when you go out. You must carry yourselves with confidence. The more challenging the times, the more you need to exude poise and self-assurance. Understand?"
"Understood," Saira replied obediently.
She had initially thought her father was taking them out to leverage their connections, but now it seemed that wasn't the case.
Zuri nodded, indicating she understood, but she felt uneasy.
This feeling was somewhat familiar.
At a time like this, if Aaron was taking his two daughters to a banquet, there was no way he didn't have an ulterior motive.
That old fox never did anything without a purpose.
He must be planning to use the two of them to see if he could secure some investment to save the company—just like in her past life, when he had directly pushed her to Miles in exchange for a reward.
Wait...
Zuri's heart suddenly sank.
She finally remembered why this situation felt so familiar.
This was exactly like in her past life when the Lin Group faced a crisis, and without hesitation, they had pushed her out. Now, it seemed they were planning to push both her and Saira out.
Aaron was still the same Aaron.
In his eyes, people were either useful or not. There was no such thing as familial love.
He was planning to sell them off again.
Once was enough in her past life.
If he wanted to do it again in this life, it would depend on whether she agreed.
A cold glint flashed in Zuri's eyes.
No one knew Aaron better than Dalia. She understood the meaning behind his words and cautioned, "Dear, Saira is still engaged to Arthur. If you take her out and the Huang family uses this as a reason to break off the engagement, what will you do?"
Aaron glared at her. "What do you know? You're just a woman."
After breakfast, a group of people entered the villa and began preparing the two girls for the evening.
Dalia entered Saira's room, where her daughter was growing more beautiful by the day. Her eyes filled with tenderness as she approached, taking Saira's hand. "My Saira is becoming more and more beautiful."
"Mom." Saira gave her a playful, shy look.
Dalia waved her hand, signaling everyone else in the room to leave. The stylists, dressers, and makeup artists all exited, leaving just the mother and daughter alone.
"Saira, before we leave, pretend you have a stomachache and feel unwell."
"Why?"
"Don't ask why. Just listen to your mother," Dalia said, her expression serious.
Saira sighed. "Mom, I know what you're worried about. You're just afraid that Father will use us as pawns for his benefit."
"If you understand, then why are you still going?"
A glint of ambition flashed in Saira's eyes. "Mom, you're being too naive. Even if someone there is interested in me and wants to marry me, they'd have to get your approval first. Besides, I have the Huang family backing me up. I've never attended an elite event in the Magic City. If I meet someone better, that's my chance."
The Huang family might be well-known in Oceanic City, but they weren't as prestigious as those in the Magic City. What bothered her even more was the Huang family's disdain for her.
If she could find someone better, she could crush the Huang family underfoot.
Saira had everything clearly mapped out in her mind, her calculations meticulous.
Dalia gave her a stern look. "You're too clever for your own good. Just be careful over there and don't trust your father too much. All he cares about is money."
"I understand, I know what I'm doing," Saira said, pushing her mother out of the room, her heart full of anticipation and ambition.
At three o'clock in the afternoon, the father and daughters set off, the car heading straight towards the harbor.
"Dad, why are we heading to the harbor? Aren't we going to the Magic City?" Zuri asked.
"There's a boat at the harbor. We're taking a cruise over. There are already many Oceanic City elites on board, just like you, heading to that banquet in the Magic City," Aaron explained with a smile.
"Is that so?" Zuri replied.
Why didn't she believe him?