Chapter 655

Hannah’s explanation finally smoothed Susan’s ruffled feathers. Knowing that even Theodore and Manuel had been turned away from her "private" party made Susan feel like she was back in the inner circle. She wasn't a backup; she was the "gorgeous primary."

After hanging up, Susan found herself idling in the office. Work had never been her forte, and the financial news usually bored her to tears—until she saw Manuel’s name.

The headlines were vicious. For a week, the press had been tearing Manuel apart, painting him as an incompetent General Manager whose silence was a sign of weakness. Susan felt a prickle of indignation. She knew Manuel; his silence wasn't weakness—it was a strategy. But the public saw it as a lack of accountability, and by extension, it made her father, Edward, look like a fool for hiring him.

She didn't hesitate. She marched straight into Henry’s office.

"Withdraw the news," she said, skipping the pleasantries.

Henry’s soft smile faltered, a flash of gloom crossing his face before he masked it. "What news, sweetheart?"

"The hit pieces on Manuel. I know you’re behind them," Susan said firmly. "Manuel is qualified, and my father knows what he’s doing. This isn't helping anyone—it’s just dragging Phillips Bank through the mud."

Henry tried to play the martyr. He claimed he was doing it to "pressure" Manuel, to protect the group from Manuel’s supposed ill will. "I won't let him hurt you or your father, Susan!"

"If my father gets hurt, he asked for it," Susan countered bluntly. "The bank belongs to him. If he wants to hand it to Manuel, that’s his choice. I’m his daughter, but I’ve done nothing for that company. I don't care about the inheritance anymore. Just stay out of it, Henry."

The words cut Henry deep. He was an outsider, and Susan had just reminded him of that fact with brutal efficiency. Furious but contained, he made the call in front of her to kill the story, enduring a shouting match with his media contact just to prove his "devotion" to her.

"I just want you to be happy," Henry said, his voice dripping with forced affection.

Susan felt a pang of guilt. She had essentially told her boyfriend that his efforts were meddlesome. To make it up to him, she promised him a dinner date the next night, though she turned down tonight's offer to see Hannah.

The moment the door closed behind her, Henry’s facade crumbled. He slammed his fist onto his desk, the wood groaning under the force. He could feel Susan slipping toward Manuel, and he knew he had to escalate his plan before he lost her entirely.