CHAPTER 99: CHAPTER 99: THE PERSON WHO SAVED ME BACK THEN WAS ANDY LOCKWOOD?

Nearly 11 p.m., Stella Grant walked out of the gates of the Lockwood Family villa.

A silhouette stood in the shadow of the streetlamp, with three or four cigarette butts scattered at his feet.

It was Aiden Fordham.

Even he couldn’t say why he followed over; it was just an evil impulse rising within him, the thought that she might be with Andy Lockwood...

Not until this moment, seeing her walk out safely, did the heart that had been racing in his chest barely return to its place.

He extinguished the cigarette in his fingers, his voice a bit hoarse: "I’ll take you home."

Stella Grant paused her steps and said indifferently: "No need, it’s not a bother."

As soon as she finished speaking, a black Maybach silently glided over from not far away, coming to a steady stop before her.

The car door opened, and Stella Grant bent down and got in, the vehicle soon merging into the night.

By the window on the second floor of the villa, Andy Lockwood held a glass of red wine, the liquid gently swirling in the glass.

He looked at Aiden Fordham’s lonely figure downstairs, and the swiftly disappearing Maybach, his deep eyes filled with a terrifying rage.

"Aiden Fordham." His thin lips curled into a cold smile. Enjoy your last good days.

"You are only three days away from hell!"

...

On the other side, Quentin Lockwood had been guarding an abandoned house for a day and a night but still hadn’t waited for the big fish to arrive, so he silently called off the operation and aimed the investigation at Corinne Kensington.

His intuition told him her appearance was too bizarre, definitely not a coincidence!

In these two days, Aiden Fordham had been in the company, holding various meetings large and small, focusing on the global launch of D.

Counting down five days to the global launch of D. The global strategic layout has been set, and all promotional activities are quite lively, he wants this product to become a sensation, thus entering countless households, hence benefiting countless households.

This is his dream, and it was the original reason he chose medicine!

Two days later

The Lockwood Group’s press conference finally unfolded under much attention.

It’s been exactly a week since the rumor almost brought down the Lockwood Group.

Within a week, the Lockwood Group’s stock price shrank over 120 billion globally, a number astronomical enough to severely hurt any giant corporation.

Andy Lockwood, however, had managed to hold on this long and chose today to clarify.

No one knows what kind of stunt he’s pulling.

The press conference was held in the group’s main auditorium, with only a little over fifty media outlets invited, leaving the back rows largely empty.

But that’s not important.

The Lockwood Group’s global media channels were enough to convey every word, every image from here to any corner of the world accurately.

Under the spotlight, Andy Lockwood in a well-fitted black suit, making his figure appear even taller and more slender.

His expression was calm, without showing joy or anger, only those deep eyes like a bottomless well, making one unable to see through.

His thin lips parted slightly, his voice through the microphone clearly spreading across the venue, and reaching every screen.

"First, I’d like to thank all the media friends for taking the time to come here despite your busy schedules."

After the pleasantries, he went straight to the point.

"Regarding the recent malicious rumors targeting me personally and the Lockwood Group, causing significant losses to the group, and the shaken confidence of shareholders and the market as a result, I express my sincere regret."

He nodded slightly, the gesture carrying an undeniable strength.

Then he gave a signal, and an HD scan of a document appeared on the large screen behind him.

Official document from Nation A, stamped with a bright red, authoritative seal.

"As you all can see," Andy Lockwood’s voice was steady and strong, "I indeed had interactions with the so-called ’Mafia.’ But it wasn’t as the rumors suggested, it was a special mission."

"The mission’s purpose was to rescue a very important person. Once the mission was completed, I returned to F-Country, devoted to the revitalization and development of the Lockwood Group."

"As for the identity of that important person, and the mission’s specifics, I regret that I cannot disclose them at the moment. If anyone doubts the authenticity of this document, you are welcome to verify it with the relevant departments of Nation A."

His tone was forthright, with no slightest evasion.

In front of the screen, Stella Grant hand trembled, spilling some of the water in her cup, though she didn’t even notice.

Her pupils suddenly constricted.

Nation A... That nightmare-like place...

The Chris Family had once colluded with Nation A’s Mafia, all for stealing her formula...

That year, she was trapped in a foreign land, isolated and helpless, almost thinking she would die there.

Was it him... who secretly rescued her from that mire?

Andy Lockwood?

How is that possible!

Her mind went blank, yet her heart was pounding like a drum.

The conference site had already erupted.

"My God! It was an undercover mission?"

"I said how could President Lockwood be involved with the Mafia!"

"Nation A’s official document! Can this be faked?"

"This is too exciting! This twist, not even TV dramas dare write like this!"

Reporters whispered to each other, the flashlights nearly blinding.

The Fordham Group, President’s Office.

Aiden Fordham’s long fingers tightly gripped the highball glass, his knuckles turning white, while the sight of Andy Lockwood’s composed face on the screen was unbearably dazzling.

Rescuing someone?

Undercover in Nation A?

He couldn’t believe it!

Someone like Andy Lockwood, willing to do anything for profit, would do something so strenuous and unrewarding?

Unless that "important person" could bring him even greater benefits!

As everyone was still processing this shocking twist, Andy Lockwood spoke again, his voice now with even more power.

"Today, take this opportunity, and with so many media friends as witnesses, our Lockwood Group will formally launch a groundbreaking product globally."

He turned and gestured behind him.

"Please welcome, our family-style intelligent medical device—Disease Conqueror, abbreviated as C! Grand debut!"

As soon as he finished, Carlos Fenton in a professional suit, cautiously holding an intelligent device resembling a small bear, walked onto the stage.

The little bear was snow-white all over, decorated with light blue patterns, big eyes flickering cutely.

Meanwhile, the large screen behind Andy Lockwood suddenly illuminated.

A meticulously crafted, technologically advanced high-quality promotional video began to play.

In the stimulating background music, the narration clearly introduced:

"C, equipped with a database of over 12,000 known disease symptoms, possesses more than 300 million independently computing intelligent modules, capable of accurately diagnosing and assisting in the treatment of virtually all known common human diseases and over 500 rare diseases."

"It is not merely a medical device."

"It will be your most intimate health guardian, the future protector of every family, the ultimate partner for humanity in combating disease!"

The video was breathtaking, every word resonating strongly.

"Boom——!"

The entire auditorium, no, the entire world watching the live broadcast online, seemed to have been hit by a bombshell.

"What? Treat all common and rare diseases?"

"Detect over 12,000 symptoms? 300 million intelligent modules? What’s this concept?"

"Family-style intelligent healthcare? Is this going to revolutionize hospitals?"

After a brief moment of silence, the reporters seemed injected with adrenaline, insanely rushing to the front of the stage, wishing the long and short guns in their hands could poke right into Andy Lockwood’s face.

"President Lockwood! President Lockwood! What’s the difference between this C and the D soon to be launched by the Fordham Group?"

"President Lockwood, there’s been no hint of this new product from the Lockwood Group before! Is today’s sudden emergence implying a head-on confrontation with the Fordham Group?"

"President Lockwood, could you please outline the pricing strategy for C? When will it officially be on sale?"

"President Lockwood..."

A flood of questions came, the situation nearly spiraling out of control.

Andy Lockwood threw all the questions to the vice president walking onto the stage, then left in a wave under expectant gazes.

The Fordham Group, President’s Office.

"Bang!"

The highball glass in Aiden Fordham’s hand shattered with a sound, the crimson liquid mixed with shards of glass splattering all over his hand.

Yet he seemed unfeeling to the pain, fixing his gaze on the screen where that adorable little bear and Andy Lockwood’s composed face were displayed.

"Fuck!"

He cursed lowly, his chest heaving violently.

All along, he believed Andy Lockwood was up to something bad, not expecting that the revenge awaited here!

Andy Lockwood launched a product identical to D first?