Teagan chuckled nervously. "I've heard some rumors, but tell me—did our company really hit a snag with the drug development?" Lance shot Teagan a brief look, his lips tightening into a firm line, yet he didn't answer. Unable to hold his temper, Raymond raised his voice. "You can try to hide it, but I already know. How do you plan to explain this to your grandpa?" Teagan, realizing she couldn't stop Raymond, sighed and stepped back. She had a feeling something was off with the two of them, but she hadn't expected them to drop the act so quickly. Lance let out a derisive laugh, a cold smile forming on his face. "Well, since you've already done your homework, I guess there's nothing more to hide." The failure of the drug development was indeed his fault, but he was more than capable of fixing it. He was already planning to throw a large sum of money at Sean, hoping the man would lead the pharmaceutical division at Johnston Enterprise. Once Sean agreed, the failed project would be back on track, and the company would launch the new drug without any issues. It was just a matter of time. Lance didn't know exactly why they were probing into the matter, but if they thought they could use it as leverage to push him out, they were mistaken. Raymond grinned and nodded. "At least you're admitting it." Addison, hidden behind a pillar, listened intently, her face a mix of emotions. Lance, ignoring Raymond, scanned the room again, his brow furrowing. He didn't buy that Addison had left on her own. Not without even seeing him. Even after looking around the hall, there was no sign of Addison. Is she really gone? Raymond spoke again. "So, now that you've come clean, what are you going to say to your grandpa?" Lance's expression darkened, his patience running thin. "What's there to explain? Who can guarantee that drug development won't face setbacks?" Raymond, clearly frustrated with Lance's attitude, shot back, "You've been in charge of Johnston Enterprise for years and still can't come up with a solid new drug? Aren't you ashamed?" Teagan jumped, startled by Raymond's sudden outburst. Quickly, she grabbed his arm, pulling him behind her. "Lance, Raymond's just worried about the company. He got a bit too heated. Don't take it personally."Lance scowled. "Just be straight with me. What do you really want to say?" From the moment Raymond spoke, Lance could already tell what they were after. The thinly veiled accusations were far too obvious—they were trying to push him out of his CEO role. His voice dropped to a low, firm tone. "If you think you can use the failed drug development to blackmail me into stepping down, you can leave now." Teagan laughed nervously. "Well, since you've figured it out, let's be honest. Johnston Enterprise has made progress under your leadership, but we're still lacking the research talent to develop new drugs. A company that can't produce new drugs won't last long in the future. "We're only thinking about what's best for the company. You're just not the right person for this position ... and I think Raymond would be a better fit." She didn't mention the issue of the authorization just yet—she was testing Lance's response first. Lance sneered. "The progress Johnston Enterprise has made in the past three years is obvious to anyone. "Am I really that incompetent? Should I just hand over the company to you?" A scornful look crossed his face. With Addison having already left, there was no point in staying any longer. "If you think Grandpa will be upset, go ahead and tell him." With that, Lance turned, preparing to walk away. Raymond's face darkened with rage. "You won't step down? "Can you solve the issue with the expired authorization? Can you develop a new drug in such a short amount of time?" Lance froze at the mention of this. It seemed they knew far more about the company's inner workings than he'd realized. It was time to clean up the mess within Johnston Enterprise. "If we can't come up with a new drug before the authorization expires, we'll have to halt production in most departments. Are you ready to take responsibility for those losses?" Lance's face was unreadable. Addison, still hidden, listened quietly. In her mind, she had already chosen to protect the Johnston legacy. If Lance was really planning to sign anything, she would make sure to intervene. There was no way she would let someone like him take control of Johnston Enterprise."I've already started working on a solution. You two don't need to worry about it." Raymond grinned, a look of smug satisfaction spreading across his face. "How are you going to fix this? Can you get the authorization? Without it, you can't do anything. Unless you've suddenly found a genius who can develop a drug in no time." Teagan stepped forward, eyeing Lance. "Raymond's right. You can't fix this on your own. It's pointless to be stubborn. Let Raymond handle it. It'll be better for Johnston Enterprise's future." Lance laughed at her words. "You think you can solve it?" Mike hadn't even returned his calls, so Lance knew the problem couldn't be solved immediately. But handing it over to Raymond? No way. Raymond snorted and stepped past Teagan, pulling the authorization letter from his bag. He waved it in front of Lance, making sure the Raven Company's seal was clearly visible. Lance narrowed his eyes, focusing on the document in Raymond's hand. The seal was unmistakable. His brow furrowed. "Is that the authorization?" Raymond nodded smugly. "Of course. So now, what do you think? Do I have the ability to save Johnston Enterprise from this crisis?" Lance's mind raced. If Raymond really had the authorization, he might be able to fix things quickly, and Johnston Enterprise's crisis would be resolved. But what if the authorization wasn't real? What if Raymond had fabricated it to use as leverage? Knowing Raymond's character, that seemed very likely. Teagan studied Lance's face closely, noticing the doubt that flickered in his eyes. "Lance, do you not trust Raymond's authorization?" Before Lance could answer, Raymond sneered. "Don't believe it? I don't mind if you check it right here." Raymond hadn't told Teagan everything about the authorization. The seal was from Raven Company, and even the letter's format was copied from previous ones he'd obtained through spies within the company. Addison's brow furrowed as she listened. If Raymond's authorization is flawless, the only way to expose it would be to challenge the signature of the person who issued it—but doing so would force me to reveal my true identity.