Chapter 20: Surrounded And Threatened.

"What about the issue of unpaid wages?"

After waiting for the security team leader to finish explaining, Isabella once again raised her voice to inquire. At this point, the team leader didn't open his mouth to speak but looked towards Carwyn, along with the female secretary sitting next to him.

"Mr. Director, the truth is that we've already reported this issue to the head office before. For several months, the construction site has been unable to pay the workers due to delayed disbursement. Moreover, the investors have also encountered some problems. That's why the workers' salaries have been delayed for a few months. However, the management has resolved the issue and supported the workers."

The female secretary then stood up to report. At this point, Carwyn finally smiled and looked at Isabella with a grin.

"Isabella, as you can see, it's not that I haven't tried my best for you, but rather the workers out there are too greedy. In addition, they need to be more active and careful in their work. If it weren't for having respected them for following me for so many years, I would have kicked them all out by now."

He rubbed his hands together as he spoke, casting a sidelong glance at those sitting below him. Immediately, the remaining management team members couldn't help but chime in, constantly following suit. However, at that very moment, a sharp sound suddenly rang out.

"Oh, but I heard quite the opposite. I heard someone say that the construction materials were being skimmed off. Furthermore, protective equipment for the workers has yet to be provided in full. That's why accidents have occurred. And for half a year now, you haven't given the workers a single penny in salary. Am I right?"

The person speaking up at this moment was Benjamin. After escorting Isabella into the meeting room, he had secretly circled back and met with some workers outside. Although he had acted harshly earlier, the worker wasn't severely injured. On the contrary, when they realized that Benjamin wanted to investigate the labor accidents and withheld wages, they were highly cooperative, continuously informing him of everything related to the construction site's management.

At this point, sitting inside the meeting room and seeing Benjamin suddenly appear and say such things, Carwyn became furious, slamming the table as he stood up and shouted.

"Who is this man? Who allowed him to enter the meeting room? Get him out of here right now!"

Upon hearing Carwyn's command, the security team standing outside immediately rushed in, intending to pull Benjamin out.

However, Isabella's gaze lightly swept around before she looked straight at Carwyn and coldly spoke.

"Uncle Carwyn, this is my bodyguard. Surely, you're not so forgetful as to not remember him, right?"

Though Isabella's words sounded gentle, Carwyn's face couldn't help but change slightly. However, without his order, the security staff surrounded them, enclosing Benjamin and Isabella.

"Isabella, you know very well that I have worked hard for many years to achieve my current position. Moreover, this job was given to me as a way for your father to repay his debt to me. Over the years, I have always treated you like my own daughter. There are some things that you may witness but cannot interfere with. The issue of the workers causing trouble and wanting to harm the company is my responsibility, and I can handle it myself. The reason why I have to report to you is just a mere administrative procedure. You can just ignore it. Furthermore, I don't want our relationship damaged because of this small issue. You understand my intentions, right?"

Carwyn's gaze revealed a severe expression as he spoke, showing his determination and unwillingness to give in to Isabella even a little.

"Are you saying you want to swallow the workers' wages and not return them to the company?"

Although Isabella's expression was extremely calm at this moment, deep down, she felt slightly alarmed. She knew very well that Carwyn was a risk-taker. In the past, he had followed her father in smuggling cigarettes and contraband across the border.

Back then, her father had been chased by border security forces multiple times and forced to hide in the jungle's depths. At that time, Carwyn had risked his life to rescue her father, only to be caught and imprisoned for several years.

Later, when he returned to New Harbor to work, her father used the money from smuggling to start a real estate business, gradually developing it into a company. At that time, her father had told her that their family wouldn't have what they have today without Carwyn.

That's why, after Carwyn was released from prison, he was brought into the On The Peak Corporation by her father. Eventually, with her father's support, he secured a crucial position in the company, becoming the manager of the New Harbor construction site manager's manager's manager.

"No, no, Isabella, you are a good child. I have watched you grow up from a young age. I couldn't possibly commit such a brutal act, embezzling the workers' wages. This situation is entirely the fault of the investors. They still need to allocate the funds to pay the workers' salaries. Even the current management team and I have been waiting to receive wages for half a year. If you want to resolve this issue urgently, why not use the corporation's finances to support us? What do you think?"

"No!"

Upon hearing Carwyn's suggestion, Isabella immediately stood up, her attitude firm.

"In that case, I'm out of options!"

Seeing her reaction, Carwyn didn't show much surprise but merely shrugged, appearing helpless. At this point, Benjamin also looked at Isabella with surprise, but he does not say anything. Isabella said again:

"Is there no other way to negotiate this matter?"

"No!"

Hearing Carwyn's decisive answer, Isabella's expression became even more challenging to read.

"Isabella, what one is going on? Why doesn't the company want to support paying the workers?"

Seeing Isabella's worry face as she sat back in her seat, Benjamin slowly approached and whispered in her ear. At first, Isabella didn't want to share, but seeing Benjamin's pleading eyes, she couldn't help but explain.

"The corporation is currently facing a massive financial crisis. It wouldn't be a critical situation if we had to add a few million USD to cover workers' salaries. But if we continue like this, the crisis will grow daily. Furthermore, investment in the construction site has already consumed more than a quarter of the corporation's budget. If we can't complete the project's stages as soon as possible, the corporation will suffer a significant loss."

"How big... how much?"

"Potentially up to hundreds of millions!"

"What?!"

Hearing Isabella's answer, Benjamin couldn't help but be taken aback. He hadn't expected Isabella's situation to be so complicated. However, even with this knowledge, he had no way of helping her. For a moment, his heart felt heavy.

"You don't need to worry about this. I'm just concerned about how I will respond to the workers outside later."

Seeing Isabella's worried expression, Benjamin felt a pang of unease. He stepped closer, patting her shoulder reassuringly: "Isabella, I'm here with you; no one can harm you."

"Yeah..."

Isabella only responded softly. The atmosphere in the conference room then became eerily tense.

"Isabella, if you don't agree with my proposal, how do you plan to handle the rioting workers outside?"

Suddenly, Carwyn spoke up, helping Isabella quickly regain her composure. But her expression remained highly uneasy. Truthfully, even she didn't know how to handle the situation.

Just as everyone turned their attention to her, Benjamin unexpectedly stepped forward from behind, walking towards Carwyn with a severe expression.

"Carwyn, I heard you used to be in the military and fought on the border. Do you still remember your fallen comrades?"

Hearing Benjamin's question, Carwyn's face revealed a puzzled expression. But he soon saw Benjamin smirking, grabbing and lifting him by the collar.

"If you don't remember, I'll take you to meet them right now. I think your comrades would miss you."

"What...what are you trying to do?"

Lifted by Benjamin, Carwyn's face turned pale with fear. If this had happened decades ago, he wouldn't have reacted this way. However, time had worn away many things, including the spirit of the soldier he once revered.

"What I'm going to do… is hit you!"

With that, Benjamin didn't care about the astonished faces of everyone in the room. He threw a punch directly at Carwyn's plump face.

Thud! Thud!

Smack! Smack!

"Ah, you scoundrel, let me go!"

In pain from being hit, the man finally reacted, hastily yelling. Immediately after, a tall figure jumped out from behind him. It was the leader of the security team. After witnessing Benjamin punching Carwyn's face until it swelled, the leader became furious and roared.

"You bastard, let go of my father right now!"

As he shouted, he threw a punch straight at Benjamin's chest. Although the force of the energy was intense, making Benjamin retreat a few steps before stabilizing, his face showed no panic. On the contrary, there was a hint of excitement in Benjamin's eyes as he said:

"Well, well, your skills are quite good. But you and your father don't seem to resemble each other much, do you?"

"Damn it, what are you talking about? I'm his adopted son. Of course, we don't look alike!"