Alaric's face stiffened. He desperately tried to maintain his gentle demeanor, but the dark hostility in his eyes was becoming impossible to hide. "Miss Lancaster, I was only speaking from a philanthropic perspective..."
"Philanthropy." Serena cut him off with a light chuckle. "You really love that word, don't you, Chairman Sinclair?"
"Using the name of philanthropy to demand the core treatment data of the Severia victims."
"Using the name of a charity foundation to demand I publish my rescue protocols."
"Using the excuse of international public opinion to take the exact same smear tactics the Black Sun syndicate's remnants used against Elyndor and dump them right into my Debutante Gala."
Her tone was light, but every single word slashed like a razor. "You're quite skilled at this 'philanthropy,' Chairman Sinclair."
The Black Sun syndicate's remnants.
The moment those words dropped, Alaric's pupils contracted violently.
But he quickly masked it with a laugh. "Miss Lancaster, that is a very serious accusation. The Sinclair foundation has funded countless medical projects over the years. How did it suddenly become 'ulterior motives' the second it reached your lips?"
"I simply wished for the medical rescue efforts to be more open and transparent."
Serena let out an "Oh~" and nodded, smiling. "Well then, how about we start by making the Sinclair foundation's overseas funding list for the past three years totally open and transparent?"
Alaric's expression shifted.
Serena kept smiling. "Especially those few institutions registered in Westover Free Port, and the Northreach Region..."
With every location she named.
Alaric's face grew paler, his lips trembling as he found himself completely stripped of words.
Serena arched an eyebrow. "Doesn't Chairman Sinclair love transparency the most? Why not lead by example?"
The atmosphere in the banquet hall instantly turned bizarre.
The gazes locking onto Alaric grew heavy with scrutiny.
The locations Serena had just rattled off were familiar to many of the elites present.
On the surface, those places were free-trade zones and research transit hubs.
But anyone with real connections
knew those regions were a lawless
mess, a hotbed for underground
experiments
illicit black market
rading and illegal biological
research.
FindNovel.net
If the Sinclair foundation truly had financial ties to institutions in those areas...
Then their so-called philanthropy was extremely suspicious.
Alaric's smile was failing him entirely. So, he resorted to the classic defensive
maneuver.
When guilty, deflect and play the victim. "What exactly are you implying, Miss Lancaster?"
"I came here today to sincerely
congratulate the Lancaster family on your return. My suggestion to publish the rescue protocols was only out of a desire to clear up t the public misunderstandings
surrounding you."
"To attack me so aggressively... it is truly hurtful."
Serena laughed softly. The smile didn't reach her eyes; instead, it held a chilling edge. "But, Chairman Sinclair, weren't you the one preaching about philanthropy and transparency?"
"Why were you so self-righteous when demanding transparency from me?"
"And yet, when I suggest the Sinclair foundation lead the way with transparency..... you're suddenly so reluctant?"
Alaric opened his mouth, but couldn't string together a single rebuttal.
It was only at this moment that he realized: from the second he had opened his mouth tonight, Serena Lancaster had been waiting for this exact exchange.
She hadn't been cornered by him.
He had walked, step by step, straight into the grave she had dug for him.