As Liu Qiyue stepped out of Lin Tiannan's room, she bumped into someone she despised—Lin Tiannan's younger brother, Lin Tianlei.
Unlike his older brother, Lin Tianlei was a complete wastrel. Despite being in his thirties, he spent his days indulging in pleasure, drinking, and avoiding any responsibilities, especially when it came to the Lin Group.
For Liu Qiyue, however, this was a blessing in disguise. The less involved Lin Tianlei was in the company, the easier it would be for her to seize control. Aside from him, none of the other collateral relatives were qualified to become chairman of the Lin Group. The board of directors held no real authority over the family business—most members were merely waiting for their yearly dividends. Only a few highly respected elders had any real influence.
Seeing Lin Tianlei staggering toward her, clearly intoxicated, Liu Qiyue frowned. "Why are you here?" she asked coldly.
She didn't need to think twice to know he had spent the night drinking and carousing.
"Hey, sister-in-law..." Lin Tianlei hiccupped, his words slurring. "Where's my big brother?"
"He's resting. Don't go in and disturb him," Liu Qiyue snapped, barely concealing her irritation.
Once she gained full control of the Lin family, the first thing she would do was kick this useless drunkard out for good.
"No, I need to talk to him. It's really important," Lin Tianlei muttered, ignoring her warning and pushing forward.
He barely managed two steps before his legs gave out beneath him. He collapsed face-first onto the ground with a heavy thud.
Liu Qiyue scoffed in disdain before turning toward the door. "Come in!"
Moments later, several uniformed bodyguards entered the hallway.
"Madam, what are your orders?" The lead guard bowed slightly, his tone respectful.
"Lin Tianlei is drunk. Take him back to his room." She gestured toward the groaning man on the floor.
"Yes, ma'am."
Without hesitation, the bodyguards lifted Lin Tianlei and carried him away.
Satisfied, Liu Qiyue turned on her heels and drove straight to the Lin Group headquarters.
Lin Group Headquarters – CEO's Office
Inside the spacious, high-rise office, Liu Qiyue picked up her phone and dialed the HR department.
Moments later, Xiao Lin, the HR manager, entered.
"How's everything going? Did it go smoothly?" Liu Qiyue asked, her voice tinged with nervousness. This was a crucial moment—any mistake could ruin her plans.
"Everything is proceeding as expected. We've already dismissed half the people on the list," Xiao Lin reported.
Only then did Liu Qiyue relax, her expression softening. "Did they cause any trouble?"
"Some of them tried to protest at first," Xiao Lin admitted, "but I called the police to handle it. After that, no one dared to make a fuss."
He hesitated before continuing, "However, since we had existing contracts with those employees, we had to pay a significant amount in severance."
He braced himself, fearing she would be displeased.
But to his relief, Liu Qiyue merely waved a hand dismissively. "That's a minor issue. The Lin Group has billions in liquidity—such expenses are insignificant."
Xiao Lin let out a silent sigh of relief. "Thank you for your understanding, Madam Liu."
"Alright, get back to work. I don't want to be disturbed," she instructed.
As Xiao Lin left, Liu Qiyue rose from her chair and walked toward the floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing down at the bustling streets of Jiangbei City.
The Lin Group's headquarters towered thirty-six stories high, and her office sat at the very top.
From this vantage point, the people below seemed like mere ants—insignificant, powerless.
A bitter smile played on her lips.
"Dad, Mom..." she whispered, her voice trembling.
"Your daughter will avenge you soon."
"Rest in peace. In just a few days, that bastard Lin Tiannan will join you in the afterlife."
Tears welled in her eyes, though she quickly blinked them away.
Just then, the phone on her desk rang, snapping her out of her thoughts.
Frowning, she walked over and picked it up. The number on the screen was unfamiliar.
After a brief hesitation, she answered. "Hello?"
A young man's voice came from the other end. "Madam Lin, I presume?"
"Who is this? What do you want?" she asked coldly.
"My identity doesn't matter," the man replied casually. "But I have something you'll find very interesting."
A moment later, a recording began playing through the receiver.
[Lin Tiannan's illness… it's all because of me.]
[Back then, after what happened with Lin Fan, Lin Tiannan was depressed, barely eating or drinking. His health deteriorated quickly.]
[So, I got a so-called 'folk remedy' to help him recover. But I laced it with a colorless, odorless, slow-acting poison.]
Liu Qiyue's breath hitched.
Her grip on the phone tightened, and her pupils shrank in shock.
Who was this person? And more importantly—how did they know her secret?