Adrian wasted no time. He instructed Richard to set up an internal investigation, discreetly tracking suspicious activities within the company. Meanwhile, he laid a trap—one that would lead Margret right into his hands.
He leaked false information about a supposed financial crisis in Williams Corporation, knowing she would rush to share it with Charles Hawk.
And just as expected, Margret took the bait.
That evening, Margret met Charles Hawk in the same private lounge.
"You were right, Charles," she whispered, sliding a folder across the table. "Williams Corporation is in deeper trouble than we thought. They're struggling with liquidity issues. Their recent deal in Europe is failing, and Adrian is panicking."
Charles smirked as he opened the folder. "And you're sure this is accurate?"
Margret crossed her legs confidently. "I got this straight from Adrian's office."
Unbeknownst to her, a small recording device hidden in the centerpiece of the table had captured every word. And on the other end, Adrian and his team were listening in real-time.
Adrian's grip tightened around the glass in his hand. "Got you," he muttered.
The next morning, Margret walked into Williams Corporation as if she still owned the place. She had no idea that Adrian was already waiting for her.
As she strutted toward the boardroom, two security guards suddenly stepped in front of her.
"Step aside," she snapped.
But instead, the doors to the boardroom opened, revealing Adrian sitting at the head of the table. His cold, calculating gaze sent a chill down Margret's spine.
"Margret Williams," Adrian began, his voice calm but dangerous. "Would you like to explain why you were caught handing over confidential company information to our competitors last night?"
Margret's breath hitched. "I—I don't know what you're talking about."
Adrian slid a tablet across the table, pressing play.
Margret's own voice filled the room.
"Williams Corporation is in deeper trouble than we thought. Their recent deal in Europe is failing, and Adrian is panicking."
Her blood ran cold.
Adrian leaned forward, his voice sharp as a knife. "How does it feel to be outplayed, Margret?"
The other board members turned to her in shock.
"You're finished," Adrian stated.
Margret tried to recover, tried to fake outrage, but she knew it was useless. Adrian had proof, and she had no way out.
By noon, Margret was being escorted out of the Williams Corporation building in handcuffs. Charles Hawk, realizing he had been played, immediately cut ties with her, refusing to answer her calls.
Adrian stood by the window, watching as she was taken away.
"That's one enemy down," he muttered. "Now, let's deal with the rest."
He knew Benson and Derrick were still out there, scheming in the shadows. But he was ready for them.
The war wasn't over yet.
Benson had always trusted his mother. He had believed in her plans, followed her schemes, and thought she was leading them to power. But as he watched her reckless desperation, he realized something—Margret was losing.
Her obsession with taking down Williams Corporation had blinded her to the fact that Adrian was always two steps ahead. And now, she was the one being led into a trap.
"She's going to fail," Benson muttered, standing by the window with his arms crossed.
Beside him, Derrick—his biological father—nodded. "She already has."
Margret had always dismissed Derrick as weak and useless, but Benson was beginning to see things differently. Derrick wasn't reckless like her. He was patient, calculating. And more importantly, he knew when to retreat.
"If we move now, we go down with her," Derrick said. "Let Adrian take her out first. Then, we strike."
Benson hesitated. "She's still my mother."
Derrick sighed. "And I'm your father. You've seen what she's done. Do you think she'd sacrifice herself for you? No. She'd throw you under the bus if it meant saving herself. We wait, Benson. And when the dust settles, we take what's left."
Benson clenched his fists. He hated admitting it, but Derrick was right.
For now, they would watch from the shadows.
Benson and Derrick moved carefully, making sure to keep their distance from Margret's dealings. They had already predicted that Adrian would set a trap, and they were right. The moment Margret got too confident, Adrian struck.
Benson watched the scene unfold as security escorted Margret out of Williams Corporation in handcuffs.
She turned her head frantically, searching for Benson, for anyone to help her. But Benson remained hidden, watching in silence.
"That could've been me," he muttered under his breath.
Derrick smirked. "But it wasn't. Because we waited."
Margret had played her final card and lost. Now, with her out of the way, they had a clear path to plan their next move.
"Now," Derrick said, placing a hand on Benson's shoulder. "Let's talk about what happens next."
With Margret out of the picture, Benson and Derrick found themselves at a crossroads. They had power, but it wasn't enough to take Adrian down—not yet. They needed to be careful, patient, and above all, smarter than Margret had been.
Sitting in Derrick's office late at night, Benson poured himself a drink. "If we act now, Adrian will expect it. He's watching us."
Derrick nodded. "We need to blend in, make him believe we've given up. We don't attack a fortress from the front, Benson. We find a weak spot and infiltrate from the inside."
Benson smirked. "You sound like you've done this before."
Derrick chuckled. "Let's just say I've learned from experience."
The Plan Begins
Their first move was to plant doubt. Derrick, as a lawyer, had connections within Williams Corporation. He would begin spreading rumors that Adrian was becoming too controlling, too paranoid after Margret's betrayal. If they played their cards right, they could turn some of his closest allies against him.
Meanwhile, Benson would work on the business side. He still had some influence in the industry, and by keeping a low profile, he could secretly support Williams Corporation's competitors, weakening Adrian's hold on the market.
"We need to make Adrian feel safe," Derrick said. "Let him think he's won. Then, when he least expects it, we strike."
Benson exhaled slowly. "And what if he catches on?"
Derrick's eyes darkened. "Then, we make sure he doesn't have the chance to fight back."
Weeks passed, and Benson played his role perfectly. He attended meetings, supported Adrian's leadership, and even helped smooth over minor business issues, all while secretly working with Derrick in the background.
Derrick, on the other hand, had begun planting doubts in key figures within the company. He wasn't aggressive—just subtle enough to make them question Adrian's judgment.
"He's making risky decisions," Derrick would say over dinner meetings with influential board members. "Of course, he's a great leader, but don't you think he's been a little… unstable since everything with Margret?"
Slowly, cracks began to form.
But they weren't ready yet.
They needed to wait just a little longer.