This person is a master in the hacker world, rumored to have a cold personality and always acting according to his own preferences. But choosing to collaborate with dangerous figures like Lance Fenton was quite puzzling.

If it was true that he helped Austin Group, then the cooperation between Austin Group and Cloudstone Corporation needs to be reconsidered.

Bradley has always detested threats and exploitation the most. If Poppy wants to manipulate and cooperate, Bradley probably won't comply with Poppy's wishes!

Bradley went downstairs. He still needed to return to the company for a while. There were some accounts that needed to be settled with Arthur!

Frederick walked over, asking with concern, "Mr. Bradley, is your health alright?

"Do you need Dr. Jackson to come?"

Bradley waved his hand, "No need, I'm fine now."

"Then how will Mr. Ethan deal with this?"

Bradley smirked, the smile not reaching his eyes, chilling and fierce.

He had given Ethan countless chances. Since he didn't know what's good for him, then he shouldn't blame Bradley for taking a tough stance!

"Take this matter to Mr. Austin. There's no need to keep Ethan around anymore."

"Understood, Mr. Bradley."

…

Freya stayed at Royal Garden Mansion for the morning. In the afternoon, Ella called to inform her that all the "trash" from Barnes Group had been cleaned up.

Because of Freya's decisive and ruthless methods, Lawson Group changed its name to Barnes Group in a high-profile manner, attracting attention from the entire city.

Coupled with the sudden enlightenment of the Lawson family's second daughter, who had been thought of as foolish, revealing the truth for her birth mother at the Austin Group press conference, Freya became a celebrity in the capital overnight.

Various news media clamored to interview her, but Freya refused them all.

"Sorry, I don't accept any interviews!"

Freya ended the call, puzzled about how the reporters got hold of her contact information and were bombarding her with calls.

Unable to sleep, she decided to take a walk, and just then, she received a special text message.

After reading it, she retrieved a mini notebook from a bride doll and turned it on.

After logging into the chat interface, she found Michael Hayes' message waiting.

Michael Hayes: Poppy, did you hack into Austin Group's financial system?

Surprised by how quickly Michael had found out, Freya replied cautiously.

Poppy: Yes, what's up?

Michael Hayes: Why did you do it?

Freya lightly tapped her nose. Naturally, her intention was to assist Bradley in rescuing the company.

However, expressing this wasn't an option.

She composed a message on the keyboard and sent it: "I see it as laying bait to reel in a big catch. If Austin Group were to encounter financial troubles, it wouldn't bode well for our contract with Cloudstone. Moreover, aiding him would earn us a favor from Austin Group, smoothing our cooperation."

The other end didn't reply for a while.

Freya felt perplexed, speculating that the other party might have disconnected, she contemplated adding more.

But, Michael initiated a voice chat, sparking anxiety in Freya.

She had always maintained an air of mystery, avoiding conversations or meetings, and Michael respected her stance. Yet now, he sent a voice message, leaving her uncertain how to respond.

Perhaps her delay prompted another message from the other party.

"Poppy, this issue is complex. Let's discuss it over voice chat."

Reluctant to engage in a voice chat due to the potential exposure of her identity and voice recording, Freya hesitated.

Despite Michael being her partner, years of caution made her wary of risks.

"Poppy, the Austin Group's CEO just reached out to me. If this isn't resolved, they'll withdraw from the Cloudstone cooperation."

Freya glanced at the screen, hesitating to reply.

Ultimately, Michael relented and sent a lengthy message.

"Bradley insists you attend the celebration, where he'll personally meet you. Think carefully about how to explain. Mishandling this could jeopardize our contract.

"Also, remember, Bradley detests betrayal and threats. Your actions might already have antagonized him. Expect tests from him, but don't worry; I'll ensure your safety."

Freya pursed her lips, feeling unappreciated despite her good intentions.

Had she known, she wouldn't have intervened, leaving him to resolve the situation himself.

Freya hummed and replied: "Don't worry, I will handle it appropriately."

Afterwards, the two discussed the celebration a bit more, and then Freya went offline.

…

Below the Austin Group.

A silver Maybach was parked at the door. The man in the back seat held a laptop on his lap, his slender fingers just typing out a sentence.

It wasn't until the other person went offline that he turned his head to look out the window, his gaze becoming colder.

The man was wearing a dark gray shirt, paired with a black vest on the outside, and black trousers underneath. His simple and elegant attire outlined his tall and slender figure, exuding a refined and gentle aura.

However, his eyes were anything but gentle, cold and sinister like a deep abyss, sending shivers down one's spine.

The driver in front turned around cautiously and asked, "Mr. Fenton, we've arrived at Austin Group. Are you going up?"

Lance withdrew his gaze, took out a handkerchief from his suit pocket, and carefully wiped his fingers without saying a word.

He had a serious case of cleanliness, always needing to wipe his hands immediately after touching anything, so he always carried a handkerchief with him.

After a while, he sighed softly, "No need to go up. Go back to Cloudstone."

With that, he extended his slender fingers and adjusted his tie. Although everything seemed calm on the surface, the icy chill in his eyes was hard to conceal.

Just now, Austin Group called, saying they wanted to reconsider their cooperation with Cloudstone and demanded a show of strength.

The reason for this was because Poppy hacked into Austin Group's financial system, causing Bradley to suspect the motives behind Cloudstone's cooperation.

Bradley was extremely suspicious and disliked being manipulated. Poppy's actions had clearly gotten under his skin.

What puzzled Lance, however, was the reason behind Poppy's actions.

Was it really for the sake of cooperation, as Poppy claimed?

Lance didn't fully understand this partner. He had met Poppy online three years ago when he urgently needed an excellent partner. Poppy's hacking skills were top-notch and met the requirements for a partner.

Over the years, Poppy had indeed demonstrated remarkable abilities and made significant contributions to Cloudstone. Whenever he intervened, Cloudstone's software sold for high prices.

However, this didn't mean Feng Lang completely trusted Poppy. After all, he didn't even know if Poppy was male or female, let alone his or her background.

"Alright, Mr. Fenton."

The driver respectfully acknowledged and started the car, leaving Austin Group's entrance.

Meanwhile, his assistant, Ivan Austin, sitting in the passenger seat, asked with some confusion, "Mr. Fenton, what about the cooperation?"