Broken Bond: Between Vices and Virtues (BL)
Chapter 107: Attempt to blackmail the Horaces [2]

Chapter 107: Attempt to blackmail the Horaces [2]

Athan felt guilty. If Knox found out about Shawn’s predicament, his brother wouldn’t hesitate to abandon this case for his sake. Athan was compelled to do so, but then the guilt toward his brother would weigh on his mind certainly.

He was torn between the two.

Attorney Gideon spoke again, breaking the cold silence in the room.

"It is what Ms. Althea stated. Rage Del Valle wanted to reach an agreement with you, Chairman. They won’t file the case if you don’t push forward with involving his name in the kidnapping case. As for that matter, they said they will help in locating his missing person, the one who instigated Mr. Knox’s abduction and serve him to the court."

The chairman gave the lawyer a sarcastic look, "So, he’s implying that he’s actually doing me a favor, for not pushing this case against my future son-in-law, trying to help me catch that kidnapper, even though he’s innocent?"

"Seems exactly like that, chairman," the lawyer answered cautiously.

Athan and Althea scoffed in disbelief.

Chairman Nathaniel’s face darkened. A runt who was a decade younger than him was arrogantly flaunting his ill-earned wealth and power in his face? How insolent!

"Did his lawyer send the evidence they’re claiming as proof of Shawn’s transgression?" The chairman asked again.

Attorney Gideon nodded, "They did."

He took a folder from his briefcase and showed it to his employer. The chairman briefly looked at it, before handing it to Shawn who flinched after getting notice by the master of the house. With a bowed head, he carefully took the folder with slightly shaking hands.

"Check if the evidence is real."

Shawn nodded. He flipped the folder hastily and scanned the printed report and the breakdown of the running application he installed on Chairman Rage’s device.

The app he developed had something like a ’dead man’s switch’ that would automatically halt and erase the traces of the operation after the given time was reached. It will freeze the system for the duration of the application running, so it won’t corrupt or corrode any files, and would just give the user a short time to explore the device’s memory and its contents.

Soon, Shawn’s expression became gloomier. Steve, who was sitting beside him, asked worriedly, "Is it fabricated?"

Shawn nodded. He laid the documents on the table and explained, "It’s easier to spot the fabrication. I did not open any icons that time, and just headed straight to the messages and call history. But this showed that I opened even the zip files, the encrypted documents, and other personal data."

Steve inquired, "Is it possible for someone to do that?"

Shawn glanced at his uncle and slightly nodded, he then explained to everyone again, "It’s possible, especially when I worked alongside that person. During the operation, Ms. Kayla had me use her company’s control room to work with her employees. The hacking app I installed can momentarily make the device’s system vulnerable to viruses or other hackers, so her team supported me, building walls and troubleshooting while the app was running to protect the files."

He fumbled with his hands, hesitant to continue for fear that the others would finally blame him for what he did. He gulped, "I-I have to allow them in so they won’t try to push out my app. But!... I would be notified of an unknown user trying to interrupt the operation if in case, so it’s risky doing that while I’m watching."

He was certain that nothing happened during that time, but what if the error wasn’t in the accessing, but in his app directly? He didn’t have the time to run a system check on it after the last time he used it. So, he was skeptical.

Althea stole the omega’s attention with her query, "Then, it’s possible but it didn’t happen during the operation?"

Shawn bit his lower lip as he slowly nodded, "Y-Yes, Ms. Althea. This evidence...is fabricated."

Exasperated sighs were heard in the room.

Athan clenched his jaw and said through gritted teeth, "Then, we must show proof that it’s not the—oh...f*ck!"

He earned a displeased look from his father, but Athan just averted his gaze and frustratedly swept his hair back.

Althea leaned on her seat and folded her arms without her gaze leaving the papers on the table. The gears on her head were working twice as it should to help her younger brother’s fiancé.

Steve was silent as ever, while the lawyer felt like he was sitting in a heated spot. His forehead was sweating as he waited for the chairman’s decision.

Althea spoke again, "We can only prove that this piece of shit isn’t real if we showed them that hacking app’s activity history. But even if the fabrication was proven, Shawn would still end up in jail. What should we do?"

Athan gazed at his father, "Should we ask...Azrael Del Valle to cooperate?"

Will the son sell his father and bring down the value of their company for the sake of someone? Nathaniel did not believe it. That young alpha who acted madly in love with his youngest son won’t let his family name be tarnished or let his businesses crumble, he was certain of it.

He glared at Athan. "This happened because you seek help from his relatives. How could you still trust that man to cooperate? You’re thinking he’d do anything for your brother? That’s ridiculous and impossible. All he had was that company and his name. If it’s taken or destroyed, what else would remain?"

Athan was rendered speechless.

"No man will give up everything just to claim an uncertain future with someone," the chairman added, his gaze lingered on his divorced daughter.

Althea just lowered her head.

The atmosphere became awkward and colder. A few minutes later, Chairman Nathaniel looked at his secretary.

His calm eyes didn’t show it, but Steve could tell his master was torn between seeking justice from the man who truly harmed his son and saving his nephew from that predicament.

Soon, the chairman spoke, "Get out. I have to think about this."

Everyone rose from their seat and slightly bowed at the chairman. Nathaniel sighed and massaged his temple after hearing the door click twice. However, he still felt a presence, so he looked up and saw his secretary by the entrance.

Weary and sounding so effete, Nathaniel asked, "What is it?"

Steve bowed his head much lower than usual. His loyalty, as well as the Williams, lies in the Horaces. They’ve been serving the noble family for three generations, doing everything they want.

However, Steve couldn’t let his nephew’s life be wasted behind bars, so he pleaded even though it meant disagreeing with his master’s choice. "Please, chairman. Shawn is still twenty-three years old. Please, help us."

The secretary was long gone before Nathaniel took the complaint on the table and ripped it in half.