His Regret Arrived Three Days Late novel Chapter 73

After a long pause, Annika finally said, "I wish you a safe journey."

"Thank you." Hank's gaze drifted to her stomach, a complicated expression in his eyes. He took a couple of steps away, then turned back.

"Annika." His use of her first name was new. He held out a business card. "He's a very close friend of mine, like a brother. If you ever run into trouble, go to him."

Annika was about to refuse, but Hank had already pressed the card into her hand. By the time she looked up, he was already walking briskly away.

Her eyes fell to the card. It belonged to a man named Harrison, the president of Aspen Bank. She was going to throw it away, but the words 'Aspen Bank' made her hesitate. She slipped it into her purse instead.

***

Someone had leaked the news of Annika’s alleged abortion. Not only did the Beryl Group's PR team fail to deny it, they officially announced Conrad's relationship with Serena.

Simultaneously, Serena posted the photo of Conrad sleeping on her Twitter account, accompanied by the caption: [Patience is rewarded. My love, for all eternity.]

It was a public declaration. Without Conrad’s say-so, no one would have dared.

If anyone still harbored doubts about Conrad and Annika's ties, his own Twitter post that afternoon cleared them up: [The Sargent Group is a gift to my ex-wife, Annika. I wish you a bright future!]

It was a clean break. He made it look magnanimous—almost carefree, even offering his blessings.

Reading the statement, Annika smiled wryly. She knew the road ahead would be difficult.

Sure enough, contracts from partners began to be terminated one after another. Despite her and Harvey's best efforts, they couldn't land a single new order for the Sargent Group. No one in Seafall City dared to cross the powerful Conrad Beryl. Without the protection of the Beryl Group, the Sargent Group's downfall was inevitable.

Then, news broke that Serena was pregnant, and the internet exploded with congratulations. Though it wasn't explicitly stated, everyone knew the child was Conrad's.

When Annika saw the news, the pain was so intense she could barely breathe. But then another thought came to her: this was for the best. Once she had stabilized the Sargent Group, she could leave Seafall City and find a quiet place to have her baby.

But just as Serena was basking in her joy, reporters snapped photos of Conrad spending the night at the Celestial Club, causing an uproar online.

The Beryl Group's PR team immediately issued a denial, claiming it was just a man who resembled Conrad and that he had been working overtime all night.

After that first scandal, Conrad's name began appearing online more frequently, always linked to various nightclubs. Soon, rumors spread that he had VIP rooms on permanent reserve at every high-end establishment in the city.

Each time, the PR team would issue a denial, but their efforts only seemed to confirm the rumors.