Chapter 186

As soon as Edward Hawthorne finished speaking, the speaker on the stage quickly skipped ahead in the presentation and continued where they left off. But Robert Hawthorne wasn’t about to let this chance slip. He stood up abruptly, saying, “Edward, instead of wasting time here, wouldn’t it be smarter to find that file sooner rather than later? The bid this afternoon can’t wait.” With a look that screamed concerned father, he added meaningfully, “If we mess up something this big, even you, as President Hawthorne, might not be able to dodge the consequences.” Edward narrowed his eyes slightly, scanning Robert’s anxious face and Henry Hawthorne’s unusual silence. “You seem more anxious than I am.” Robert’s expression faltered. “I just don’t want this to blow out of proportion. It’ll be harder for you to clean up the mess later.” Edward gave a faint, ironic smile and gestured for the speaker to continue. But by the end of the meeting, William Brooks still hadn’t returned, and the missing pag