Enchanted By His Charm



Irish maintained her composure in the face of Shirley's verbal abuse. She suppressed her own anger, fully aware that adding fuel to the fire would only exacerbate the situation.

Contrary to Shirley's assumptions, Irish was also deeply saddened by Ruby's untimely death. Despite her personal grievances with Ruby and the heated argument Ruby had with Joseph the night before, Irish never wished ill upon her.

Irish understood the gravity of the situation and the need for empathy in such trying times. Rather than resorting to cursing or further confrontations, she chose to approach the situation with restraint and grace.

Irish silently wished that the current situation was nothing but a terrible dream. She understood that Daisy, being an outsider, was not in the best position to speak on her behalf during such a delicate moment. It was clear to Irish that Shirley's heart was shattered by the loss of her daughter, and persuading her to calm down would be an uphill battle for anyone, including Daisy.

"Let's attend to your wound first," Daisy suggested quietly.

Irish gave a slight shake of her head, unable to divert her attention to the wound. However, a sudden realization jolted her as she recalled the wound on Joseph's finger, causing her to be taken aback.

Finally, Shirley halted her shouting, but now the shareholders began to voice their concerns forcefully towards Irish.

"The blueprint of our new product was recently stolen by Key Group, and now Joseph has become a suspect in Ruby's death. What on earth was he doing? Does he want to bring further harm to the company?" a shareholder exclaimed in frustration.

"Indeed, Runestone's progress has been hindered due to his involvement. The board of directors holds the authority to remove him from his position," another shareholder added.

The shareholders began to engage in discussions amongst themselves, launching a collective attack on Joseph.

Just as the tension escalated, Kelly and William entered the room. They had arrived to sign a share transfer contract but were immediately greeted with the distressing news. William swiftly stepped forward, attempting to reason with the shareholders and encourage calmness. "The police are simply investigating the background of the case. We should not rush to judgment. Acting impulsively will only benefit our competitors. Let us exercise restraint," William implored.

A shareholder, filled with indignation, asserted, "We must stand strong against external threats, and the first step is to restore harmony within our own ranks."

As Irish observed Roy, she noticed his downcast demeanor. It was clear that he was ill-equipped to handle the shareholders' demands. Additionally, Roy was known for his calm nature and avoidance of confrontations.

This realization caused Irish to clench her teeth in frustration. She made her way to the round table, surveying the individuals present with a determined gaze.

"Well, I am curious to hear what specific measures you propose to restore harmony within our company," Irish questioned, her tone firm.

The shareholders eagerly awaited Irish's next words, their attention focused on her.

"I understand your concerns. It's only natural that you want Joseph to be held accountable. However, we must await the final judgment. If the police conclude that Joseph is responsible for Ruby's death, and if the District Attorney informs you that my husband has sold or profited from business intelligence, I am willing to compensate for any losses with my own shares in the Runestone Group. But for now, I pose a question to all of you: Who among you can provide evidence that implicates Joseph in these allegations?" Irish inquired confidently.

Her gaze swept across the shareholders before landing on a middle-aged man named Mr. Xu. "Mr. Xu, did you personally witness Joseph selling business secrets or accepting bribes?" she asked directly.

The room fell silent as the shareholders realized the weight of Irish's words. Though she rarely attended directors' meetings, her eloquence left them momentarily speechless.

The shareholders maintained a respectful demeanor towards Irish, considering her status as Joseph's wife and her association with the prominent Lake family. They understood that engaging in conflicts with Irish would not be beneficial for their own financial interests.

As Irish turned her attention to Mr. Xu, expecting a response, she chose to remain silent, offering no further input.

Undeterred, Irish shifted her focus to another shareholder and directly questioned, "Did you witness Joseph committing the act of killing Ruby?"

The man hesitated, his mouth opening, but no words came forth.

"Please, everyone, I implore you to listen to me. I understand that, as Joseph's wife, my words may not easily convince you, as you may believe I am merely speaking in his defense. However, it is crucial to recognize that we are not judges, and we lack the qualifications to determine whether Joseph is guilty or innocent. I comprehend your actions and remarks, but we must acknowledge that dismissing Joseph now will not change the situation. Can we retrieve our design blueprint from Key Group? Can we restore everything to how it was before? The problem has already occurred, so why can't we seek peaceful negotiations to address this issue? I am a psychologist, and I am not well-versed in business affairs. Some of you helped my father establish this company, but now my father is no longer with us, and Runestone Group is facing profound challenges. Can we unite our efforts to guide Runestone Group out of this troubled situation? Can we halt the condemnation and work towards a resolution?" 

Irish spoke, striving to maintain a peaceful tone, emulating Joseph's usual composed demeanor. However, her clenched hands betrayed her inner turmoil as they trembled slightly.

At this moment, Irish's resentment towards Roy suddenly became more understandable. She realized that it was nearly impossible to remain indifferent in the face of such widespread condemnation.

"Irish, as a shareholder of the Runestone Group, you should also consider the company's profitability," one shareholder pointed out.

Irish, feeling uneasy, retorted, "Well, then please tell me what I should do?"

The man found himself speechless in response to Irish's question. Irish continued, her tone filled with irritation, "Even though I may not be well-versed in business matters, even an outsider can understand that a company cannot withstand such a blow. As the stock price of Runestone Group begins to plummet, do you still wish to endure further losses?"

Irish's words struck a chord, causing the shareholders to calm down slightly.

Irish's words hit the mark with a single comment, and the shareholders calmed down a little.

Roy made an effort to console his mother and then spoke up, "Irish is absolutely correct. Instead of searching for a scapegoat, we need to focus on stabilizing the situation and uncovering the truth behind Ruby's murder. Runestone Group is currently facing a critical challenge, and if we don't act wisely, we may end up being eliminated from the market. We risk losing our source of profit."

A shareholder inquired, "What should we do then?" Since Roy couldn't provide a definitive answer, he turned to Irish for guidance.

Irish herself was uncertain, but after a brief pause, she suddenly recalled something that Joseph had mentioned before.