Family on Their Knees Heart Turned to Ice novel Chapter 1279

1279 /1389

"I know," Sebastian replied without looking up.

Lester hesitated, struggling to mask his confusion. It was an open secret that the Mercer Group was on the verge of total collapse. Throwing money at them was the definition of a sunk cost. In all his years working as Sebastian's right hand, he had never seen his boss make a losing bet.

Unable to hold back, Lester finally asked, "Sir, why the investment?"

Sebastian leaned back in his leather chair, a calculating gleam in his eye. "The Mercer family is desperate. They are pulling every string they have to drag Lillian back into the fold. Blood is thicker than water, after all. If they somehow manage to win her over, where do you think the Mercer Group will stand?"

The realization hit Lester like a freight train. "Of course. Ms. Mercer has officially unmasked herself as Li. Her aviation project is proceeding flawlessly. If she returns to her family, their stock will shatter its previous all-time high within a week. If she brings her tech with her, the Mercer Group won't just recover—they'll skyrocket. They could easily become our biggest rival."

Sebastian nodded slowly. "Exactly. But that's only if they succeed. If she refuses to return, the Mercers will sink to the bottom of the ocean and never resurface. The risk is too high to justify using company funds."

He tapped his pen against the desk. "But a personal investment? That's just paving the road ahead. If she goes back to them, and if I manage to win her back, our families will inevitably cross paths again. Two hundred million means nothing to me, but it buys their goodwill and saves face. It's a bargain."