“John, if you dare to protect him, I’ll go back to my parents’ place!”

Rory pointed at me and spoke through gritted teeth.

“Peter has been the project manager for a few years; I bet he has embezzled at least seven to eight hundred thousand dollars! If he doesn’t pay us back, no one is leaving here today!”

Walter stood aside and watched coldly. He was no longer angry. He just wanted to see how this would end.

John was forced into a corner by Rory. He glanced at Walter and the workers upstairs. Then, his eyes turned vicious as he clenched his teeth.

Since Rory wanted to blow this up, then he had no choice but to make sure I would be the one in the wrong.

He cleared his throat and put on a helpless look.

“Peter, since Rory insists, I won’t hide the truth from everyone.”

John turned around to face the workers as he said loudly, “Everyone might not know that Peter has indeed paid some material fees on behalf of the company.” John suddenly raised his voice. “But I gave him an allowance of a million dollars in private!”

Everyone was shocked.

One million dollars.

That was a lot of money to the workers.

John looked at the workers’ shocked expressions and continued his lie.

“Since he’s family and since he works hard, I decided to fork up my own money and pay him in cash instead of going through the company’s account. I didn’t expect him to be so greedy and feel unsatisfied with one million dollars. He’s even trying to embezzle a hundred thousand dollars from Mr. Black!”

John turned around to look at me and put up a generous front.

“You’re still my cousin, Peter, so I’ll play nice. As long as you pay us back eight hundred thousand dollars, I’ll forget about today and not take any legal actions against you.”

Rory immediately agreed.

“That’s right! Refund! Immediately refund us eight hundred thousand dollars!”

The workers believed John’s words. Suddenly, the situation favored John again.

A few seasoned workers came down from the second floor and advised me.

“Mr. Smith, Mr. Anderson is very kind to you. He even gave you a million dollars in private.”

“You have to be grateful. Don’t be too greedy.”

“That’s right, quick, return his money to him. It’s not good to get the cops involved.”

“Mr. Anderson is giving you a discount and only asks eight hundred thousand dollars from you. You’re still earning two hundred thousand dollars.”

I felt cold when I heard the workers’ words.

I felt extremely disgusted and wronged.

John was lying about the one million dollars in the first place. What discount was there to take from that? He was using all possible tactics he could use.

At that very moment, my phone buzzed. It was a text message from John.

I clicked on the message.

[Peter, I’m begging you, please just take the blame first to calm Rory and Mr. Black down. I’m simply talking about the eight hundred thousand dollars, I won’t ask you to actually transfer it to me. Once Mr. Black leaves, I’ll give you twenty thousand dollars to compensate you.]

I read the text messages and was immediately furious. He still wanted me to be his scapegoat? He was going as far as trying to buy me off with twenty thousand dollars!

I glared at John, who was trying to plead with his eyes.

I sneered and put my phone back in my pocket.

“John, did you transfer me the million dollars in your dream?”