The Flower That Grew from Ashes novel Chapter 88

Annelise immediately forwarded Zachary's analysis to Vivian.

Vivian's reply came quickly, full of her usual swift and decisive style.

"Check their finances? Easy."

"My dad has an old war buddy who used to be a big shot at the Banking Commission. Now he consults for a top-tier investment bank. A company the size of the Lehman Group can't make a move in the capital market without them knowing."

"Wait for my word."

Vivian was even more efficient than Annelise expected.

By the following afternoon, an encrypted, detailed analysis report on the Lehman Group's financial status over the past year appeared on Annelise's burner phone.

The contents confirmed Zachary's suspicions, and the severity of the situation far exceeded Annelise's wildest guesses.

The Lehman Group, a business empire that appeared invincible and deeply rooted to outsiders, was completely riddled with holes on the inside.

The report clearly outlined that a year ago, against all advice, Barnum Lehman had dumped the group's largest pool of liquid capital—over three billion—into a lithium mining project in South America.

He had intended to ride the wave of the green energy boom and gamble big, aiming to push the Lehman Group's empire to a whole new level.

But man proposes, God disposes.

Just three months ago, that small South American country suffered sudden political turmoil. The new military regime announced the nationalization of all foreign-owned mining projects.

The massive three billion investment, along with all their grand visions, was frozen overnight.

No wonder he was willing to stoop to what was essentially legal robbery, forcing her to sign that ridiculous "supplemental agreement."

He wasn't paving the way for his cheating son's divorce.

He was trying to save his crumbling business empire.

She also finally understood why Hackett had brought up divorce at that exact moment.

If she obediently signed the share transfer agreement, the Lehmans would get their life-saving funds in the fastest, most respectable way possible.

If she refused, a messy divorce battle was another viable path to extract that money—one that would take more time and effort, but would be just as effective.

All the tender moments, all the talk of preserving dignity, all the claims of "incompatibility" and "freeing each other."