C23 The Board of Directors Forced Her to Abdicate!

Recalling the horrific scene earlier, Zhang Changsheng felt a shiver run through him, his eyes briefly flashing with malice. He had never imagined that Chairman Lee, that old bastard, would have it in for him too! If that bastard could be so ruthless, he couldn't be blamed for his lack of loyalty.

"Lin... Chen, do you remember that old man who's always with Chairman Lee?" he asked. "His senior brother is the one behind this formation!"

"I tried to warn Chairman Lee once, told him not to commit such inhumane acts. But my words carried little weight; they never took me seriously..." Zhang Changsheng, despite the intense pain wracking his body, didn't hesitate to shift all the blame onto Chairman Lee.

"Chairman Lee?" Lin Chen's voice was icy. "Very well. He'll deeply regret ever plotting against my wife and child. I'll see to that."

Lin Chen was aware that Zhang Changsheng was likely involved in the ordeal. But having already disabled the man's limbs, he considered that justice had been served.

Taking a deep breath to quell his rising fury, Lin Chen scanned the faces in the crowd before instructing Qian Duoduo, "Qian, make a note of them all. If anyone else tries to stir up trouble, no matter where they hide, I'll make it my personal mission to pay them a visit."

His words sent a wave of cold dread through everyone in the warehouse. They had all seen what Lin Chen was capable of and had no desire to cross someone who could so easily cripple them.

"Mr. Lin, rest assured, we won't breathe a word of today's events," a reporter bravely assured him. "You're our lifesaver, after all."

"Yes, Mr. Lin, you've saved our lives. We would never do anything to harm you or Director Ann," another chimed in. "Besides, it's clear that the whole disfigurement debacle was a scheme cooked up by that scumbag, Zhang Changsheng."

The crowd quickly echoed these sentiments, offering their support.

"Hu... Lanlan, we don't have to worry about him facing jail time anymore," Sun Lili said, relieved to see everyone backing Lin Chen.

"Lili, they're only saying this because they're scared of Lin Chen," she cautioned. "Who knows what they might say once we're out of here, especially if someone decides to leak the story of Lin Chen's violent actions!"

"When the time comes..."

Ann Lan bit her red lips, worry still flickering in her beautiful eyes.

As the CEO of Ann's Group, she was acutely aware that verbal promises were the least reliable.

Her concern caught Sun Lili off guard for a moment.

Then, with a mix of amusement and exasperation, she said, "Lanlan, I've noticed something."

"It's like Lin Chen says, you're all beauty and no brains, or maybe pregnancy has made you a bit silly."

As Ann Lan looked ready to blow a fuse, Sun Lili recoiled slightly.

She quickly tried to clarify, "Lanlan, just think about it."

"Lin Chen only targeted Zhang Changsheng and those reporters who harassed you. Everyone else was unharmed."

"Plus, with that crazy formation, Lin Chen ended up saving their necks."

"If they have any sense, they'll realize that going public with this will only aid the enemy who wanted them dead and also alienate Lin Chen, who's quite the wildcard."

After Sun Lili's explanation, Ann Lan seemed lost in thought.

It took her a moment before she asked, bewildered, "Lili, are you saying... I might really be pregnancy-brained?"

"Why else can't I grasp what you so clearly see?"

Noticing the flicker of anxiety and worry in Ann Lan's eyes, Sun Lili, her longtime best friend, could easily read her thoughts.

She was clearly fretting over her own perceived inadequacy to lead Ann's Group.

"Ahem... You know, Lanlan, I think you're just occasionally scatterbrained."

"That's absurd, I've always been well-endowed, so why this sudden change?"

"Well... I..."

Sun Lili was at a loss for words, unable to counter Ann Lan's argument.

Indeed, Ann Lan had always been well-endowed.

Using that as an excuse clearly didn't hold water.

While Sun Lili was desperately searching for a better explanation, her phone buzzed in her pocket.

"Trouble at the company?"

Seeing Sun Lili's troubled look after checking her message, Ann Lan's concerns about her own intelligence were momentarily forgotten.

With a slight furrow of her brow, she asked Sun Lili in a serious tone.

"The board has called an emergency meeting. They need me to tell you to come back to the company right away."

"Lanlan, I'm convinced that Chairman Lee, upon discovering the factory's true state, is using the board to deliberately target you."

"Maybe we should hold off on going back for now."

Sun Lili meticulously broke down the situation for Ann Lan.

"How can I expose Chairman Lee's despicable behavior if I don't return?" Ann Lan's voice was icy.

Seeing Ann Lan's resolve, Sun Lili had no choice but to inform Lin Chen.

"Lin Chen, the board's sudden call for an emergency meeting is undoubtedly a move against Lanlan."

"If Lanlan returns, the stress could harm the baby she's carrying!"

Lin Chen nodded in understanding.

"I'll accompany her back," he said decisively. "It's time to settle the score with Chairman Lee."

Without waiting for Sun Lili to respond, Lin Chen instructed Qian Duoduo and the others to handle the factory situation, then hurried after Ann Lan.

Watching Lin Chen and Ann Lan walk away, Sun Lili stamped her foot in frustration.

She had hoped Lin Chen would convince Ann Lan to stay away, but instead, he was ready to stir up trouble right in front of the board.

Did he really think the boardroom was some kind of playground?

If things escalated, Lanlan might not even be able to save him!

An hour later, in the executive conference room of Ann's Group.

"Director Ann, such grandeur, making all of us directors wait a full half-hour for you," Chairman Lee sneered from his wheelchair as soon as he entered the room.

However, his expression soured when he caught sight of Lin Chen beside Ann Lan, anger flashing in his eyes.

Chairman Lee might have been in the dark about the specifics at the factory, but he was aware that the failure of the Nine Nether Ghost Corpse Array meant his and Zhang Changsheng's plot against Ann Lan and Lin Chen had fallen through.

With that avenue closed, he was ready to pivot, rallying the other directors to strip Ann Lan of her presidency.

Once Ann Lan was ousted and reduced to a mere civilian, she and her partner would be at his mercy.

"Director Ann, the latest reports claim your premarital pregnancy, coupled with the factory debacle, has severely tarnished the company's reputation."

"Therefore, the board has unanimously agreed to dismiss you from your role as president."

"Here's the termination document, Director Ann. Please, have a look."

At that moment, an elderly man clad in a Tang suit slowly rose to his feet and spoke to Ann Lan without a trace of emotion.

Upon seeing the termination document on the table, Ann Lan couldn't help but laugh in fury.

"You accuse me of being pregnant before marriage. Well, take a look at this marriage certificate!"

Ann Lan had anticipated this turn of events on her way back.

So, she held back her rage and produced the marriage certificate.

The directors exchanged glances, their brows knitting together at the sight of the certificate.

"And as for the factory incident, let me reveal the real story to you now!"

"The disfigurement of over a dozen customers was nothing more than a scheme by Zhang Changsheng and Chairman Lee to set me up."

"If you doubt my word, listen to this recording of Zhang Changsheng!"

With the room engulfed in silence, Ann Lan retrieved the marriage certificate and played the recording from her phone.

In it, Zhang Changsheng not only detailed the disfigurement incident but also explicitly stated that Chairman Lee had coerced him into it.

The recording prompted the other directors to instinctively turn their gazes towards Chairman Lee.

Feeling their stares, Chairman Lee let out a cold laugh.

"Director Ann, for all we know, you could have conspired with Zhang Changsheng to frame me."

"Moreover, putting these issues aside, it's an undeniable fact that Ann's Group has suffered reputational damage under your leadership."

"Furthermore, since you've taken the helm at Ann's Group, our company's performance has steadily declined."

"With this in mind, the board's collective decision to relieve you of your presidency is both reasonable and justified."

Chairman Lee's words left Ann Lan seething with anger, her complexion flushed with indignation.

Despite the evidence of the recording and marriage certificate laid out before them, these people were still intent on stripping her of her presidency!

Behind her, Lin Chen watched as Ann Lan's chest heaved with suppressed rage.

He sighed, a note of regret in his voice as he explained to her, "Crazy woman, these old fools have long been in Chairman Lee's pocket."

"No matter what you say, they're not going to let you keep your seat."

After a brief pause, Lin Chen turned to Sun Lili and instructed, "Secretary Sun, please look after the crazy woman and my daughter."

"As for the rest, I'll handle it."