As Hadi was being hauled away, he desperately turned toward Hiro for help.
"Hiro! Say something! Help me!"
Hiro pretended not to hear him.
Only after a long moment did he cast a reluctant glance in Hadi's direction, his expression conveying helplessness, as though his hands were tied and there was nothing he could do.
In reality, he simply had no intention of saving him.
Watching Hadi disappear through the doorway while cursing and struggling, Serenity lowered her eyes to hide the satisfaction within them.
Not long after, the discussion shifted back to Shin.
However, no matter how much they pressured him to invalidate both contracts, Shin remained firm in his refusal. His proposed solution remained the same: he would resign, and they could disown him from the clan as well.
The elders were left furious and exhausted.
Even Hiro began acting like Hadi, openly suggesting that they follow through with Shin's proposal in order to teach him a lesson.
However, Tristan would immediately chimed in from the side, refusing to become CEO as well.
In truth, it wasn't as though they were unaware of Shin's successful management of the company over the years. They simply refused to acknowledge it aloud because of their pride and ego.
"Then let's vote on who is in favor of removing Shin as CEO," one elder suggested.
"No. Shin will retain his position."
This time, the Head Elder spoke firmly, his scrutinizing gaze fixed on Shin.
Just as another argument was about to erupt, an assistant hurried into the room and anxiously whispered something into the Head Elder's ear.
The Head Elder's eyes narrowed as he slammed his hand onto the table with a loud bang.
"Shin, you... have you known all along that the clan would be dragged into Bryce's matter?"
"What's going on? Is the company in trouble?" another elder asked worriedly.
The Head Elder's gaze remained locked on Shin as he gritted his teeth.
"Not the company. The clan itself. We received a tip from an insider within the Federal Council that they will soon begin investigating the clan's personal assets. Most likely, they'll be auditing the source of our wealth due to our alleged involvement in Bryce Gate."
"What? What does that criminal have to do with us?"
"Bryce may have once been a Keir, but he hasn't had anything to do with us for years. Perhaps they're simply conducting a background investigation into his childhood."
The room quickly descended into chaos as the elders began arguing amongst themselves, their expressions growing increasingly complicated and uneasy.
Amid the commotion, the Head Elder's suspicious voice rang out.
"Shin, is the real reason you transferred your assets to your fiancée because you already knew the federal authorities would turn their attention toward us?"
Shin raised an eyebrow and exchanged a glance with Tristan.
Obviously, that wasn't the case.
How could he drag Yeri into such a messy affair? The timing was nothing more than pure coincidence.
Besides, he hadn't anticipated this development either. The only explanation he could think of was that Bryce Gate was trying to drag the Keir clan down with him.
Bryce must have already realized that escaping was no longer an option. With countless crimes and cases hanging over his head, there was no way the authorities would grant him bail.
However, before Shin could respond, the elders had already begun accusing him, convinced that he had known everything in advance.
"Shin, how could you be so selfish and only think about yourself? You're the current head of the clan. You're supposed to handle this matter!"
"Exactly. He must have already submitted his asset declarations and passed every audit, proving that his accumulated wealth is legitimate."
"Shin, you have to deal with this properly!"
"Enough." Shin's oppressive voice silenced the room instantly.
An icy pressure swept across the room as his impatient gaze slowly moved over each elder present.
He knew exactly what these old relics were panicking about.
Once the Federal Council enforced a mandatory asset disclosure for every member of the clan, each of them would be required to reveal their entire financial portfolio, including bank accounts, real estate holdings, vehicles, and investments, both domestic and overseas.
Although Bryce Gate had long since left the clan, aside from the regular "allowance" they sent him, Shin suspected that some of the elders present, apart from Hadi and Eleanor, Bryce's mother, had secretly invested in Bryce's overseas businesses. Blinded by greed and the promise of greater wealth, they had never bothered to investigate the true nature of his fortune.
Now, Bryce had sprung his trap and caught them completely off guard.
There wouldn't be enough time for these old relics to conceal their ill-gotten wealth before the audits began.
"Declaring how you accumulated your assets is a standard procedure," Shin said calmly. "Considering your status, it should be something you're all quite familiar with. Or is there perhaps something that cannot withstand public scrutiny?"
The room instantly fell silent.
"Rest assured, KGG has a clean track record," Shin continued. "As for your personal affairs, deal with them yourselves."
Whether they believed him or not, he couldn't care less.
He was far too lazy to waste his time explaining that he had been completely unaware of the sudden asset audit triggered by Bryce's case.
Somehow, his indifference only produced the opposite effect. Several elders began admiring him even more while simultaneously fearing him.
In their eyes, Shin's ability to anticipate events bordered on the frightening. They believed every move he made and every decision he took had been meticulously calculated years in advance.
Even the Head Elder had unknowingly fallen into the same line of thinking.
Soon, the elders erupted into another round of complaints, accusing him of abandoning the clan during a critical moment.
"If there's nothing else, I'm leaving."
Shin ignored their protests and walked straight out of the conference room.
Tristan and Master Keir immediately followed behind him.
Even Hiro could no longer remain seated. He hurried out while dialing someone's number on his phone.
"Head Elder, shouldn't Shin bear responsibility for this matter?" one elder asked unwillingly.
"His responsibility is to ensure the company's continued success. Let him be." The Head Elder waved his hand dismissively before speaking in a grim tone.
"I warned all of you long ago that that Bryce brat was trouble. If any of you were involved with him, then we'll simply have to make arrangements with those federal investigators and ensure the matter doesn't become public."
The real problem was never the possibility of their assets being confiscated. Most of them were wealthy enough to survive the loss.
What truly terrified them was the humiliation.
They had been thoroughly fooled by Bryce, and if word got out, the disgrace would stain their reputations.
--
The next day in KGG, many employees were already anxious.
For years, Shin Keir had cultivated an image of absolute control and unwavering judgment. He was known as a leader who never mixed personal feelings with business affairs.
Now, that carefully built reputation was under attack, and public perception was rapidly turning against him.
As the controversy continued to spread across social media, financial forums, and private business circles, countless eyes turned toward KGG's headquarters, waiting for a response.
Because for the first time in years, people were beginning to ask a question that would have been unthinkable only hours ago.
Could Shin Keir still be trusted to run KGG?
Netizens with far too much free time on their hands even began camping outside the Civil Affairs Bureau, afraid that Yeri might suddenly appear and register her marriage.
Under the banner of "protecting Shin Keir's hard-earned life's work," they treated themselves like self-appointed guardians of his fortune.
Others gathered outside SC University, loudly demanding that Yeri come out and explain herself if she had a clear conscience.
Some even caused a commotion outside Zhi Corporation, calling for Klaus Zhi to stop hiding his "scheming daughter."
Online, the attacks grew even more vicious.
Netizens acted as though they had ownership over Shin's wealth, as if it were their own money being stolen. They continued flooding social media with insults, branding Yeri as greedy, vicious, manipulative, and insatiable.
Meanwhile, at KGG Headquarters, reporters had completely blocked the main entrance.
The moment Shin's car appeared, the crowd surged forward like a tidal wave.
Security guards immediately moved to contain them, but the reporters pushed relentlessly, microphones and cameras thrust toward the vehicle.
As soon as Shin stepped out, countless voices overlapped.
"CEO Keir, is the contract exposed by Calin actually real?!"
Shin paused, his gaze landed on the reporter closest to him. "The first page."
The response instantly ignited the crowd.
The reporters looked like a pack of frenzied hyenas that had just smelled blood.
"So you're really transferring your entire fortune to Yeri Zhi?"
Shin looked at the reporter as if he had just asked the world's most idiotic question.
Clearly, none of them had bothered to understand the details of that first page. They had simply assumed he was handing over everything he owned because he had suddenly grown tired of living.
"Do you think I would wrong her?" Shin asked calmly.
The reporter blinked before quickly responding.
"It's not a matter of whether you'd wrong her. With your net worth, there are thousands of ways someone could falsely accuse you or fabricate evidence against you just to trigger the terms of the contract."
A dangerous glint flashed through Shin's eyes. "Are you saying I'm that easy to fool?"
The reporter choked, answering that question incorrectly could end his career before lunchtime.
Without daring to pursue the topic further, he quickly changed directions.
"Then what about Tristan Felan? What did Calin mean when he implied there was an ambiguous relationship between the two of you?"
"They're friends." Shin answered nonchalantly.
The simple response left the reporters momentarily stunned.
"Wait, Shin Keir! Yeri Zhi may not have such intentions right now, but people's hearts can change. What if she changes her mind in the future?"
"CEO Keir, why did you agree to this contract in the first place?"
"Who proposed the contents of the contract? Was it you or Yeri Zhi?"
"Young Master Keir, you said earlier that it was just the first page? What about the rest of the contract? Were there other clauses stipulated within it? Can you tell us?"
The reporters hurriedly fired one question after another.
However, Shin no longer had any intention of answering.
Ignoring the barrage of voices behind him, he strode into the company building without even turning his head.
The security team quickly closed ranks around him, blocking the reporters from following as the glass doors slid shut behind him.