A few days had passed, yet there was still no news from Southern Union Bank.

The media's attention on Fontine Gardens's collapse incident was gradually decreasing, but the consequences of the incident were still present-Lambert Group' stocks had hit an all-time low.

The media had speculated non-stop that if that were to go on, the stakeholders who were temporarily convinced by Brian would still end up selling their stocks.

Other than being busier than before, Brian was no different from before. Joanne would ask for updates on the loan situation occasionally, and was no longer worried.

Brian had a solution to fall back on anyway. She might not understand even if he had explained to her in too much detail.

She might as well be focusing on how to solve the problem of looking for Tory instead.

She had to look for someone whose name was unknown, and could only be investigated inconspiciously. Not yet considering the level of difficulty, how to start was already a big problem.

Shawn encouraged a downcast Joanne, "Think about it, if Rowdy thought the same as us, since we could not find Tory, then it would be even more impossible for Rowdy. We still have hope."

Joanne nodded. She could only think that way.

But a strange uneasiness inside her could just not go away.

She was sure that she was not worrying about the company. She did not have to worry, with Brian being around.

That sense of uneasiness... was from Rosalyn's threat the other day.

Her gut feeling told her that something was not right.

That feeling of uneasiness had inflated to the point that Joanne could no longer calm down. After she got home, she tried calling Freya, and unexpectedly, the call got through.

Freya spoke right away, "I was about to call you. Don't you think we have a telepathic connection?"

"..." Joanne smiled forcefully, thinking about how she could convey the uneasiness in her heart.

"What's the matter?" Freya sensed something odd from Joanne's silence. "Is Lambert Group' situation as bad as what is being claimed online? I've always thought that the media was exaggerating. I'm sure Brian can handle it, right?"

"It's not that." Joanne told Freya about everything Rosalyn had threatened her with during the cocktail party.

"Pft..." Freya burst out into laughter after listening. "Has Rosalyn's brain gone haywire? Is she underestimating Brian or is she underestimating Brian's feelings for you? If Brian would agree to divorce you just for a loan, then blame me for making a wrong judgement about him. I would dig my eyeballs out and stick them at the back of my head for her to see!"

Joanne. "..."

Even though Joanne was left speechless, it seemed like the Freya of the past had returned. That was the only good thing which had happened lately.

"But, Joanne-" Freya said again, "You're not worrying about this, right? Are you worrying that Rosalyn might be up to something more?"

"Yes, but I'm not too sure," Joanne said, "Rosalyn is not a brainless woman. If she did not have absolute certainty, she wouldn't say such things easily."

"You think that if Rosalyn had dared to say it, then she is very sure that she can make you divorce Brian?"

Joanne nodded. "Yes." That was also why she had been feeling uneasy.

"But, the only thing she could threaten you with, is just Oscar's grant for the loan, isn't it? Other than that, she has no advantage." Freya paused, then said in a serious way, "Listen to me, you just need to do three things, "Reject Rosalyn! Make a fool of Rosalyn! Make a fool of Rosalyn!"

Joanne could not help but break into laughter; she felt like her mood had been lifted significantly. She leaned on the sofa, "When exactly are you coming back?"

Freya started to skirt around, "I'll be going back in a while."

Nobody knew how long her "a while" would take.

After ending the call, Joanne surfed the net while waiting for Brian to return, and saw a news report by chance.

-Southern Union Bank has decided not to grant the loan to Lambert Group. Would the business empire of the past be facing its end?

Joanne stared at the headlines of the news, and was spacing out on the sofa. The news had hit her too suddenly, to the point that her mind had gone blank, as if someone had withdrawn her soul.

The handphone sitting on the coffee table rang. It was displaying... Rosalyn's number.

Joanne picked up the call; a sense of arrogance permeated Rosalyn's voice as she spoke, "Saw the news? Joanne, do you still think this is an empty threat?"

Joanne collected her disarray of thoughts quickly, "Southern Union Bank did not grant the loan. Brian still has other ways."

"He told you that?" Rosalyn sneered extremely sarcastically. "Heh-"

Joanne was alerted instinctively-Rosalyn's laugh was not so simple. She knew what Brian's last resort was, and it was not a foolproof method.

"Rosalyn..."

Joanne was going to clarify further, but Rosalyn had interrupted,

"Joanne, if you really love Brian, then you will regret it."

The call was hung up by Rosalyn.

Joanne was in an utter state of confusion. The apprehension in her had grown so heavy on her chest that it felt like it was suffocating her.

She could not ask Brian. He never thought of telling her from the start. Otherwise, he would not have been so mysterious that day.

Ask Gavin? That would not work either. Brian must have given his orders. Gavin would not tell her.

Just when she was at a complete loss, Brian returned.

Brian realized something was off about Joanne, right at the moment when he entered the house. He approached while asking, "What's the matter?"

"I..."

Joanne stuttered; she rapidly searched for an excuse in her mind. Brian had already seen the webpage displayed on her tablet, and smiled, closing the browser. He said, "Didn't I tell you? Even if Huinan wouldn't grant us the loan, I still have other ways."

'Other ways-what is the way?'-Joanne was about to say it.

But luckily, she swallowed that at the crucial moment.

She must first clarify what was his so-called "way", then decide what to do next.

She could not let Brian take the risk.

"Why are you frowning again?" Brian soothed her brows with his finger. "Smile."

Joanne forced a smile. Brian took her into his embrace. "Trust me. It will be ok."

"OK," Joanne said grimly.

Even if something was bound to happen, she would not allow bad things to happen!

The next day, Brian had woken up early. Joanne had grown sensitive in that period, so she would wake up as long as she sensed some movement from Brian. Brian laid a kiss in between her brows. "It's still early. Sleep for a while longer."

Joanne pulled his sleeves and asked, "Are you going to the company?"

"Southern Union Bank did not grant the loan, so I have to think of other ways." Brian said, "I want to get to the company soon today."

Joanne let go, then went on to prepare Brian's clothes while he was washing up. Before he left, she tiptoed and left a kiss on his lips. "All the best, hubby!"

Brian brushed her hair, and went downstairs.

Joanne ran back to the window in her room, and saw Brian appear shortly after.

Before getting in the car, Brian seemed to have sensed something, and suddenly looked back up-Joanne came into his view again.

Joanne was waving to him; he smiled, then got in the car and left.

Joanne watched as Brian's car drove away. She was thinking-Brian noticing her previously at the company could be explained by the short distance. Yet at that moment, it was about a 100 meters from the main entrance to the room, how did Brian notice her?

Or could it be... Brian knew her that well?

She suddenly felt a chill down her spine, and decidedly returned to the warm bed.

In the following days, Brian became increasingly busy. He was out handling business until late nights, and could not even return home on certain days. In order to save time, he stayed in the office or a condominium downtown overnight. Joanne would send him breakfast on the following day.

He became skinnier quickly. Even though he was still as charismatic as before, the lethargy on his face had grown increasingly apparent.

There were people who started speculating whether Brian would give up on his years of hard work and sell the company's stocks in parts, in order to shirk liability.

Only Joanne knew: he would not.

Brian had put in more blood, sweat and tears than anyone could imagine, for Lambert Group to turn from a small company to a business empire. He would definitely never give up-especially in a battle with Rowdy.

Furthermore, he still had to reinstate justice to the Chief Financial Officer and the few finance executives.

A month later, a bit more than 20 days had passed in a flash. Lambert Group' situation did not seem to have improved one bit. Apart from the CEO's office, the rest of the departments in the office were emanating with an air of anxiety.

Brian personally drafted an email, promising that he would not be retrenching or docking salaries, and he would lead everyone through that crisis.

With every employee receiving that email, it had firmly reassured everyone. Lambert Group gradually regained the vitality of its former days.

But very quickly, the last straw that would break Lambert Group would abruptly come out of nowhere.

After a series of police investigations, Lambert Group was declared as the responsible party in the Fontine Gardens collapse incident, and had to take full responsibility including the casualties.

The tainted reputation of an unscrupulous developer had been confirmed. It would be even harder for the apartments to be sold. Lambert Group was once again facing financial difficulties.

Brian had been so busy he had not gone home in three days. Joanne could only go visit him after working hours, and accompany him for a meal. Then he would have to return to dealing with his mountain of problems.

The media journalists had been incited once again. They kept surrounding Lambert Group' office building, intending to interview Brian, forcing him to explain in person.

Brian insisted on his initial promise, that he would be holding a press conference after the police investigations were completed.

Joanne took a half day leave, rushing from the police station to the company. Brian was just done changing, about to attend the press conference. Joanne held his hand and said, "I'll go with you."

Brian nodded. "But..."

"I know," Joanne smiled as she nodded. "I will let you answer all the questions from the media. I will simply be accompanying you."

Brian revealed a faint smile. He brought Joanne to the company's conference hall on the third floor.

The media journalists were already prepared, with their cameras and recording equipment. A few bodyguards and security personnel were already on standby. Once Brian and Joanne appeared together with their hands locked together, the cameras started flashing non-stop.

Brian released Joanne's hand and walked to the podium, where the journalists bombarded him with questions.

"Mr. Lambert, it has been proven that Lambert Group is entirely responsible for the collapse. What do you have to say?"

"Mr. Lambert, there has been a growing number of requests for refund of the apartments. What do you intend to do?"

"Mr. Lambert, you..."

Brian attended to each question one by one in a succinct manner. He promised that Lambert Group would bear all responsibilities, but the investigation on the collapse would not stop.

"Why?" The journalist asked, "Mr. Lambert, are you suspecting that the police has not done their investigation thoroughly enough? Are you implying that the police is incompetent?"

Brian simply said, "The police has yet to find out the true cause of the collapse."

It meant that the collapse could have an unknown side of the truth.

That triggered a wave of commotion; the media had instantly gone wild, all asking for Brian to elaborate further.

"Excuses!" An agitated voice suddenly interrupted the journalist's question. A middle-aged woman stood up rapidly, and looked at Brian on the stage with seething rage. "All excuses! It is clearly because of your shoddy construction standards that people have died!"

Joanne recognized that person immediately. It was the family member of the deceased in the collapse, who had hurt her once.

She was about to remind Brian before she saw that the family member suddenly snatched a recorder from a journalist, and just like how she had hit on Joanne's forehead that day, she charged forcefully towards Brian and was hitting him-