Once everyone had spoken up and the matter was more or less clear, the older officer furrowed his brows and looked at Lyra Solis. After a brief pause, he said hesitantly, "Miss Solis, this looks like a civil dispute. No one's caused any trouble yet, so it's hard for us to intervene."
"That's right," one of the suppliers chimed in quickly. "The officer's right—we have legitimate contracts with Thalassa Pharmaceuticals. We're just here for a legal collection!"
"Exactly! We're reasonable people. Debts must be paid—that's just common sense!"
"Master Voss was even willing to help repay the debt. Acting all high and mighty while broke—what's the point?"
As the crowd chimed in one after another, Lyra's irritation grew. She didn't bother wasting words. "If you want to settle accounts, that's simple—if you're owed money, you'll get it."
She paused, sweeping her gaze across them before adding, "But one thing must be made clear—what you're doing today violates the terms of your contracts. As such, we'll be deducting 10% from the total owed. That clause is explicitly stated in the contracts you all signed."
"This..."
The room fell quiet for a moment as the suppliers exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions shifting subtly.
Indeed, when those contracts were first signed, they all contained that clause. It was meant to protect Thalassa Pharmaceuticals. Otherwise, suppliers could show up at any time demanding payment before the agreed cycle, leaving the company constantly on the back foot.
It had been the former chairman's idea. Back then, the company was thriving, and he was a man of honor—staunchly committed to integrity and trustworthiness. Because of this, no supplier had ever dared to show up prematurely demanding payment.
Even when payments were delayed by a few days, no one ever came knocking. But after the chairman passed, that foundation of trust had crumbled almost overnight.
This time, at Kael Voss's urging, a few instigators stirred the pot, and once word spread that Thalassa might default on payments, a flood of suppliers rushed in—conveniently forgetting that clause in their contracts.
What they hadn't counted on was that Lyra had anticipated this exact scenario. She had thoroughly reviewed every supplier contract, so she knew the clause by heart.
Once she reminded them, the crowd's enthusiasm noticeably waned. Most of them began to hesitate. After all, Thalassa Pharmaceuticals had an excellent track record. And if they pushed too hard and the company enforced that 10% penalty, they'd only end up losing money themselves.
Seeing that a single sentence from Lyra had caused such hesitation, Kael Voss grew anxious. If they didn't press the issue, how could he pressure her into a corner—or into marriage?
He was certain the company's accounts were bone dry. Lyra had to be bluffing.
Quickly, Kael signaled with his eyes to a middle-aged man and a few other suppliers he had already spoken to in advance. They knew the plan—don't back down.
The middle-aged man glanced at the others. They exchanged uncertain looks. But thinking of Kael's previous promises, the man gritted his teeth and stepped forward. "It's not that I don't trust Miss Solis, but my business needs liquidity. I'm willing to accept the 10% deduction—please settle my payment."
His lead was quickly followed.
"Same here," said another. "I'm in the same position. I'll take the 10% cut as well..."
In a matter of moments, seven or eight of the twenty-something suppliers present had insisted on immediate settlement. The rest said nothing but continued watching coldly from the sidelines.
It was obvious—they were just waiting to see if Lyra could really produce the money. If she failed, they'd pounce like wolves smelling blood.
…
"Very well."
Lyra narrowed her eyes slightly and looked directly at the seven or eight suppliers pressing the issue. She knew full well these were Kael's plants—people he'd intentionally embedded to undermine her.
They had managed to catch her off guard this time, but they had also exposed themselves. One by one, she'd be sure to root them out. Once they were gone, Kael's ability to interfere would be drastically reduced.
After a moment's thought, Lyra turned to her assistant. "Calculate the total owed to these suppliers and log each one. I want full records of their company details."
Though the assistant wasn't sure what Lyra had in mind, she quickly obeyed—recording each supplier's request and calculating the amounts due.
Before long, she returned with a piece of paper and handed it over discreetly. "Miss Solis, there are seven suppliers in total. After deducting 10%, their payments range from £20,000 to £40,000 each. The total comes to £196,000."
Lyra frowned slightly and took the paper, scanning it carefully. The numbers felt a bit high, but there wasn't time to investigate now. That could come later.
"Alright."
She held the document up for everyone to see. "Here's a breakdown of the amounts owed. Does anyone object to the figures listed?"
The middle-aged man and the others glanced at one another and replied in unison, "No objections."
Lyra turned to the officers. "Officers, I'd appreciate it if you could act as witnesses. I'll be settling the payments according to this breakdown."
The two policemen exchanged a brief look. The older one hesitated for a second, then nodded. He had no objections—it was just a matter of witnessing the process.
Seeing his agreement, Lyra pulled out her phone and dialed a number. The call connected quickly.
"Mr. Miller, come on up. I'm on the 16th floor. You'll see me as soon as you step out of the lift."
Kael and the other aggressive suppliers looked stunned. Their expressions shifted, darkening quickly.
Kael's heart raced. Did she really manage to borrow the money? But from whom? I've never heard of her knowing anyone wealthy...
Tension rippled through the air. The few vocal suppliers now looked visibly uncomfortable. Some opened their mouths as if to speak but thought better of it.
Ding!
The elevator doors slid open. Walter Miller stepped out briskly, flanked by two of his employees—each carrying a large leather case.
Seeing him, Lyra's expression softened into a faint smile as she turned to the room.
"Now, who was it that said I didn't have any money? Look—it's here."
"Miss Solis, I've brought the £200,000 you requested. Where would you like it placed?"
Walter looked briefly startled by the number of people in the hallway. Then, spotting Lyra through the glass doors, he lit up and walked toward her with a bright smile.
Lyra replied with a pleasant tone, "Thank you, Mr. Miller. Just pour it out on the reception desk. With officers present, I doubt anyone will try anything stupid."
Her words made Walter pause slightly. Try something? What's going on here?
He glanced at the police, his confusion growing. Clearly, something had happened here—but he wasn't about to question it. At her instruction, he motioned for his team to dump the money directly onto the front desk.
Earlier, when Lyra received a call from her assistant detailing the situation, she had immediately wired £200,000 to Walter Miller and asked him to bring it in cash.
It was a simple errand. Walter had no reason to refuse. Wanting to make a good impression on Lyra, he'd fetched the money himself and brought his staff along.
In fact, while she had been fiddling with her phone by the office plant earlier, she was responding to a text from Walter—letting her know he was downstairs and asking if he should come up.
Lyra had played it shrewdly. If Kael wanted to set her up, he'd better be ready to get burned.
In the end, her maneuver left Kael's supplier pawns taking a 10% hit on their payouts—while she walked away with a small but satisfying victory.