He grinned smugly. "Now I own exactly the same number of shares as you.

"As long as more than half the shareholders support me today, I'll become the new CEO of Setford Group.

"Oh, I've already decided the first thing I'll do after taking office. I hate the name Setford. How about changing it to Nolan Group instead?"

Seeing his arrogant face, I was once again shocked by Julie's ruthlessness.

On her 18th birthday, I had given her half of my shares.

It was my gift to her. It carried all my love for her and all the hopes I had for her future.

Yet today, all of that had become the weapon she used against me.

When Julie met my shocked and furious gaze, guilt flashed across her face.

For a brief moment, she looked like she wanted to say something. But when she looked at Timothy sitting beside her, the guilt disappeared instantly.

She opened her purse and took out a check.

"Uncle Liam, I'll buy your shares for twice the market price. Don't be greedy.

"This money is more than enough for you to live comfortably for the rest of your life."

I was so angry that I laughed.

She had handed the company I spent my whole life building to the man who destroyed her mother's life, and now she was telling me to be grateful.

How ridiculous.

"A former bar escort who never even finished elementary school wants to be CEO of Setford Group? Does he honestly think he's qualified?"

Timothy's face instantly turned red. A vicious look flashed through his eyes.

He turned toward the security guards. "Can't you tell he's here to cause trouble? Throw him out! Or do none of you want your jobs anymore?"

The guards exchanged helpless looks. Finally, one of them stepped forward.

"Mr. Setford, please leave on your own. We really don't want to force you."

Another guard sighed. "Yeah, Mr. Setford. This is a conflict between upper management. Please don't drag us into it. We rely on this paycheck to feed our families."

Hearing their pleas, I clenched my fists so hard my knuckles turned white. I was furious.

But Timothy only became more arrogant.

"Mr. Setford, if you refuse to leave, these guards will be fired for neglecting their duties. And I guarantee they won't find another job anywhere in Jesselton."

That was the last straw. I lunged forward and grabbed Timothy by the collar.

But before I could do anything else, the two huge bodyguards behind him rushed over. One kick sent me flying backward. I crashed onto the ground.

Timothy shouted angrily. "Beat him! If we don't teach him a lesson today, he'll still think I'm the same Timothy from 15 years ago. The same man he could bully whenever he wanted!"

The two bodyguards immediately surrounded me. Their fists and kicks rained down on me without mercy.

I was beaten until I collapsed on the ground in front of all the employees in the company.

I couldn't even crawl back to my feet.

Meanwhile, Julie stood behind Timothy the entire time, watching everything unfold with indifferent eyes.

Julie brought me back to the CEO's office.

She took out the first-aid kit and gently dabbed medicine onto the cuts on my face.

At the same time, she said softly, "You're not young anymore, so why are you still this stubborn? Wouldn't it be better to take the money and retire peacefully?

"Uncle Liam, don't you understand yet? The one who isn't loved is the extra person. So what if you and Mom were legally married? She never loved you."

"If you hadn't tried so hard to separate my mom and dad back then, Mom wouldn't have died. And I could've grown up with my parents.

"Not only are we not asking you to pay for your sins, but we're even giving you a fortune so you can live comfortably for the rest of your life. So why are you still not satisfied?"

I slapped her hand away before the alcohol-soaked cotton ball could touch my face.

"Julie, you're so stupid. You proudly accepted a monster as your father and still think you've won."

Julie froze. Then she frowned.

"What do you mean?"

I replied coldly, "Back then, Timothy did want to take your mother away. But after your grandparents offered him a huge amount of money, he agreed to leave her. He promised to make her give up on him and disappear forever.

"So on the way to the airport, Timothy suddenly broke up with her. Your mother was furious. They started fighting. And that's why the car crashed."

Julie stared at me for a long time.

Then she suddenly laughed.

"Liam, if Dad hadn't already told me the whole truth, I might've actually believed your lies."

After saying that, she took out her phone and played an audio recording.

The next second, my voice came from the speaker.

"Sophie, that bitch, actually dared to betray me! She humiliated me! So she wants to run away with another man? Fine! I'll make sure they never come back!

"I'm going to tell Sophie's parents first and see how they handle it. And if they can't handle it... I'll do it myself."

My eyes widened in shock.

"That's impossible! The recording is fake!"

I instinctively denied it.

Julie's expression instantly turned cold.

"Liam, I didn't want to believe it either. I couldn't believe that the man who had been my father for more than twenty years was the one who destroyed my family. So the moment I got this recording, I took it to a professional lab for authentication. And they confirmed it was real.

"I didn't call the police. I even offered you money for retirement. That's my way of repaying you for raising me."

She pulled a document from her bag and threw it onto the table.

"Now sign the stock transfer agreement. Take the money and leave. From this moment on, we owe each other nothing. And I never want to see you again."

I glanced at the agreement. Then I tore it into pieces without hesitation.

"Julie, give up.

"If you're so sure this recording is real, then call the police.

"It's true that 15 years have passed. But a lot of evidence from back then still exists. With today's technology, if the case is investigated again, maybe they'll uncover some new clues."

As soon as I finished speaking, I took out my phone and dialed 911.

But before I could press the call button, Timothy suddenly rushed over. He snatched the phone from my hand and smashed it onto the floor.

His eyes were bloodshot as he pointed at me and shouted. "Liam! Sophie's been dead for 15 years! And you still won't let her rest in peace? You're heartless! No wonder she never loved you!

"A man like you doesn't deserve love. That's why neither Sophie nor Julie ever chose you. You're destined to be alone forever."

Timothy's words stabbed straight into the deepest wound in my heart.

Sophie and Julie.

They were the two women I loved most in this world besides my parents.

Yet both of them had betrayed me for a scumbag like Timothy.

Julie walked to the desk, took out another agreement, and placed it in front of me again. This time, her voice was calm.

"I suggest you sign it.

"If you won't think about yourself, then think about Grandpa.

"He's still lying in the hospital.

"The medical team treating him was hired by me. Since I can spend money to bring them here, I can also make them leave immediately.

"And with Grandpa's condition, I'm afraid he won't survive long enough for you to find another medical team."

I was furious when I heard that.

"Julie, Grandpa saved your life! If it weren't for him, you wouldn't have lived to grow up!"

But Julie had already been completely brainwashed by Timothy.

Her sense of right and wrong had been twisted beyond repair.

"Liam, don't try to take the moral high ground and lecture me. You raised me yourself. I'm just as ruthless as you are.

"Back then, you built Setford Group with Grandpa and Grandma's help. But didn't you still kill Mom in the end? So you have no right to criticize me!

"The shareholders meeting starts in an hour. Let's stop wasting each other's time.

"What's more important to you? The company's shares or Grandpa's life? You choose."

My eyes turned red with rage. I clenched my teeth so hard that my jaw ached.

But Timothy only looked more pleased. He couldn't resist adding fuel to the fire.

"Julie, I told you a long time ago. He's a ruthless man. To him, money and power are more important than even his own father's life."

I glared at him.

"Timothy, shut up!

"I swear you'll regret this!"

Timothy immediately shrank back and pretended to be scared. "Oh no, that's terrifying! Julie, you have to protect me!"

Julie snorted.

"You're the one being unreasonable."

As she spoke, she took out her phone and prepared to call the hospital.

My expression changed instantly.

"Don't! I'll sign." I picked up the pen with my trembling right hand. Then I quickly signed my name on the agreement.

At the same time, the nails of my left hand dug deeply into my palm.

The moment I finished signing, Timothy snatched the agreement away. His eyes gleamed with greed.

"Thank you, Mr. Setford!"

Julie looked at me. Her expression was complicated.

"Uncle Liam, you've worked hard your whole life. It's finally time for you to rest.

"Don't worry. I remember everything you taught me. I'll make Setford Group bigger and stronger."

"Get out!"

I didn't want to hear another word from either of them.

Julie said nothing. She simply pushed Timothy's wheelchair toward the door.

But just as they reached the doorway, she suddenly stopped.

Without turning around, she said, "I've already filed the paperwork to change my last name. Starting today, my name is Julie Nolan."

The office door slammed shut behind them. The loud bang echoed through the room.

For a moment, everything became silent.

Then the anger on my face disappeared. A mocking smile slowly appeared at the corner of my lips.

"Julie, Timothy, the game has only just begun."