Chapter 1032:
“What are you trying to be now, all-knowing? What exactly do you want out of spinning these stories? Do you honestly think waving around a few broken shards proves there’s some ancient relic that can’t be excavated? Old porcelain in an old porcelain factory—what a shock! You’ve stirred up all this drama just to tear down the very legacy your parents left behind? If they knew what you were doing, I doubt they’d rest in peace.”
Several shareholders and executives of Detour Inc. burst into noisy protest, talking over one another.
“Mr. Owen is right! Miss Owen, attacking him like this—you’re shaming your own parents! Stop spouting baseless claims!”
“Exactly! Every step of our exploration and approval process is perfectly legal. Just because you say there’s an ancient tomb doesn’t make it true!”
“I think she’s just jealous of Detour Inc.’s success and wants to stir up trouble! Where’s security? Get her out of here now!”
“Yeah! She’s obsessed with taking over Detour Inc.—it’s completely unreasonable!”
The shareholders called urgently for security to move in around Rylie. Terrance, wearing a mask of wounded pride, raised his voice with exaggerated sorrow. “I had hoped we could smooth things over, which is why I invited you to witness this milestone for Detour Inc. Rylie… I never imagined you could disappoint me so profoundly.”
Laurel gave an exaggerated sigh, hands lifting dramatically. “Forget it. Have security escort her out. From this moment forward, we sever all ties with Rylie. Detour Inc. has nothing to do with her.”
𝘙еаd 𝖿𝗿𝗲𝖾 𝘯𝗈𝘷𝘦lѕ 𝘰n 𝗀а𝗹ո𝗈𝘃𝘦𝘭s.𝖼𝗈𝘮
Other shareholders chimed in, nodding vigorously. “Detour Inc. belongs to Mr. Owen. There’s no room for a shameless girl like Rylie to interfere. We absolutely will never tolerate someone who spreads lies and jeopardizes the company’s future.”
The commotion caught the eyes of the Reids, who had arrived a little later.
Johnny, helping Hulda along, carried himself with a calm, measured air. The moment his eyes fell on Rylie at the center of the chaos, they narrowed slightly.
Hulda exhaled softly. “Attention seems to follow Rylie wherever she goes.”
Johnny’s gaze flickered downward. “Her ties to Detour Inc. run deep. Frankly, I’m not surprised.”
“We’re just here to celebrate,” Hulda murmured. “Let’s watch quietly. I doubt she’d let herself be trampled.” Johnny nodded, guiding her to a nearby seat.
In the center of the hall, Rylie stood still as security approached. Not a flicker of panic. She lifted the gray-green porcelain shard, the faint sheen of its glaze catching the overhead lights.
Her eyes swept over the crowd, cool and measured. “From what I know, the Whitmore & Sons Porcelain Works was founded after the nation itself, mainly producing everyday porcelain and imitation antiques, each piece reflecting the era in which it was made.”
Her fingertip traced the shard lightly. “But this grayish-blue glaze is a variant of the ‘powder blue’ glaze. It shows the porcelain dates back centuries. The glaze is thick, with natural crackle patterns—almost identical to the king’s commissioned porcelain described in historical records.”
She wasn’t a professional by trade, but there was a quiet certainty in her tone that made several government officials straighten in their seats. Even in the noise, her composure commanded attention.
Some of the guests who dabbled casually in antiques nodded along, agreeing with Rylie without hesitation.
“Honestly, it does add up. I have a few antiques myself, and what Miss Owen said sounds pretty plausible.”
.
.
.