Chapter 123: Chapter 123

Sometimes, things take a turn for the worse when you least expect it.

This was what Camille thought she should’ve taken in mind.

These days, the collaboration project was progressing well. Almost everything was in place. They only had to go over a few crucial details, hold a few important meetings, and work late nights for two weeks at the most.

Camille had managed to completely distract herself with her work, which made her feel a little better. After her impromptu meeting with Michael that night, she felt relieved to know that she had another person by her side, someone who considered her a true friend and was always there when she needed him.

But she should have known that good things rarely last forever.

It all started one day, very subtly. Everyone was busy with several important projects for the company.

This time, the launch of new products was their breakthrough, their big chance to rise to the top and win more mergers, deals, and acquisitions. Since Christian had plans to expand the company and open more offices around the world, they needed this opportunity to shine even more.

Even though he already had most of the city in his hands, he still wanted more. Perhaps that’s the nature of ambitious businessmen and CEOs. Even when they’re set for life, including several of their future generations, they still want more.

‘Why do the rich get richer and the poor get poorer?’ Camille thought as she finished organizing the important documents for the day.

Checking her schedule, she saw that she had a meeting with Grady later in the afternoon about the collaboration project. However, they hadn’t set a time because Grady had mentioned that he needed to check with Michael about the schedule since some unexpected events had forced him to rearrange his previous commitments.

Camille messaged Grady to confirm the time and place, but it took him an hour to reply, which was unusual since he was usually prompt.

‘My apologies, Miss Parker. I have some personal business to attend to today and tomorrow. Is it possible to reschedule our meeting?’ Grady replied.

Camille thought about it for a moment. They could postpone the meeting, but that would cause a slight delay in the project.

However, Grady was usually very responsible, so she assumed his personal reasons were important. He wasn’t the kind who would skip out on something like this just for the kicks. That would be quite out of character for someone like him.

Perhaps she could do half the work this afternoon and continue late into the night to avoid any negative impact on the project. She didn’t have a problem doing that.

More work, more distractions for her.

‘All right. We can reschedule for Thursday instead. Is that all right with you?’ she asked him.

‘That would be satisfactory. Thank you for your understanding.’

Camille didn’t think much of it and continued to work, distracting herself from her worries. Her brothers were still preparing their ailing father for travel, but it was estimated that he would finally be able to fly abroad tomorrow, which eased her anxiety.

‘I hope everything goes well,’ she hoped to herself.

***

And then, like a jinx, disaster struck the next day.

It was almost funny. One moment, it seemed like everything was going well, that luck might finally be going her way.

But then life, of course, would always find ways to screw her over no matter what.

As part of her daily morning routine, Camille scrolled through her phone while eating breakfast, checking the news and her schedule for the day to save time. It was practically routine at this point.

Recently, the news had been all about celebrities and the successes of other top companies in the business, nothing shocking or noteworthy, so she didn’t expect much at first.

But when she saw the latest headlines, all with the name ‘McGregor’ in them, her heart stopped.

‘What the hell?’ she thought, feeling a chill instantly run down her spine.

It was never a good sign when one’s prominent family name was present in every article. Especially when she could also see it in the gossip columns.

She immediately clicked on one of the articles.

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[Joanna McGregor Critically Injured in Car Wreck]

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‘What in the world happened?’ she thought as she frantically read through the article.

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[In an unexpected turn of events, Joanna McGregor, heiress to the McGregor empire, was involved in a car accident late last night and sustained injuries that are believed to be critical.

The incident has raised concerns within the business community and led to questions about the circumstances surrounding the crash.

According to the police report, Joanna McGregor was driving her luxury sedan along a quiet road when her vehicle veered off course and collided with a tree. Emergency responders arrived quickly and rushed Joanna to the nearest hospital, where she remains in critical condition.

The McGregor family, one of the wealthiest and most influential in the country, has not yet released an official statement regarding the incident. However, sources close to the family suggest that there have been underlying tensions in the McGregor household for several months.

Michael McGregor, Joanna’s brother and the current CEO of Haynes-McGregor Industries, reportedly has a strained relationship with his sister.

While the police are treating the crash as an accident, some are questioning whether there might be more to the story. Anonymous sources have hinted at deeper conflicts within the McGregor family, with speculation that Joanna’s accident may not have been entirely accidental.

One source, who asked to remain anonymous, claimed that Joanna had been vocal about certain decisions made by her brother Michael.

“Joanna was never one to back down from anything,” the source claimed. “She had strong opinions about the company’s direction and wasn’t afraid to voice them.”

The entire incident remains a mystery as to whether it was foul play or a mere coincidence.

Was there a mechanical failure? Had the car been tampered with previously?

Or was Joanna McGregor distracted just before the crash?

The investigation is currently ongoing, and authorities have not ruled out any possibilities as of now.]