Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Monday morning, the stock market opened. Montgomery Group's share price plummeted. The drop expanded quickly: 5%, 8%, 10% ... triggering circuit breakers and halting trading. Panic spread like wildfire through the Montgomery family and corporation. In his office, Declan fielded a call from their biggest lending partner, the voice ice-cold: "Mr. Montgomery, given your company's sudden reputation crisis and core partner Whitmore Group's withdrawal, our risk assessment has reached maximum levels. Per contract terms, you must repay the $150 million short-term loan in full by next month. Settlement deadline: 48 hours." Declan rubbed his exhausted temples, stress lines etched deep. Ding. His phone rang again-the new project manager, voice frantic: "Mr. Montgomery! Without Whitmore funding, all our suppliers have stopped deliveries and demand immediate payment! Three major construction crews have walked off the job! The site is basically... dead!" One crisis after another. His computer pinged with an urgent email from the clean energy lab director: [Project Suspension Notice] The message was brief: Whitmore's technical team and all core patent licenses withdrawn as of 8 AM today. Lab data access has been locked. Research and development cannot continue. Then his inbox exploded. Multiple cancellation notices from Montgomery subsidiaries' biggest clients flooded in- All citing identical reasons: Due to Montgomery's damaged reputation and Whitmore Group's terminated shipping partnership, we're ending our contracts. "FUCK!" Declan swept everything off his desk with a violent swipe. He'd never felt so completely screwed! That's when his father called: "You worthless piece of shit! Look what you've done! Decades of Montgomery legacy-about to be destroyed by YOUR hands!" "All for that disabled whore! Look where it got you! This is a goddamn disaster! Cough cough..." Violent coughing cut off his words, followed by his stepmother's tearful panic: "Harrison! Doctor! Get a doctor!" The line went dead. Immediately, Declan's cousin Blake called, voice cold and direct: 16:22 Chapter "Declan, uncle's back in the FR because of you! The whole family's going nuclear! They're all at my place demanding an emergency family meeting! You better have a solution, or... don't blame us for cutting ties!" Suddenly, his office door burst open. Several major shareholders led by Director Walsh stormed in, faces livid. Walsh slammed printed stock reports on Declan's desk: "Declan! Half our market value GONE in thirty minutes! The bank wants $150 million immediately! project's shut down, the lab's worthless, clients are fleeing! Whitmore Group's three-punch combo just cut Montgomery's throat! What's your explanation?!" Another shareholder's voice was even colder: "Without Whitmore's money, technology, and distribution channels, Montgomery's an empty shell. Get your ass to the Whitmore family RIGHT NOW-grovel if you have to-and fix this partnership! Otherwise, we're calling an emergency board meeting to remove you!" Declan sank deep into his chair, his expensive suit wrinkled and tie askew.. His eyes were bloodshot, jaw stubbled and unkempt. His father's rage, family accusations, and shareholder ultimatums hammered his skull like sledgehammers. He pressed his aching temples, voice hoarse: "Mr. Walsh, Mr. Lee, I'm trying to contact the Whitmores..." Before he could finish, the door was SLAMMED open again. Scarlett burst in, face pale and makeup smeared. She rushed to his desk, voice breaking: "Declan! Save me! Every brand canceled my contracts! My agency dropped me! I have nothing left! Only you! I'm carrying YOUR baby! You can't abandon me!" This was clearly fallout from the cheating video I'd released. It had gone completely viral online. The once-sympathetic "strong disabled model" was now everyone's most hated homewrecker! Declan was already at his breaking point-seeing her now made him snap. He violently shoved her away, his disgust absolute: "Save you? Look around! Montgomery's about to COLLAPSE because of you! My dad's in the hospital because of YOU! I can barely save myself! GET OUT!" He hit the intercom, voice stone cold: "Security, get in here. Remove this person and ban her from the building permanently." Two guards quickly entered and grabbed the still wailing Scarlett. Under the shareholders' disgusted stares and Declan's revolted expression, Scarlett was forcibly dragged from the office. The office fell silent. Declan stared at the still-falling stock numbers on his screen, the gray sky beyond his floor-to-ceiling windows. Everything was suffocating him. He suddenly shot up, eyes wild with desperate determination and reckless abandon. 16:22 Chapter 8 Grabbing his car keys, he bolted from the office. He floored the gas pedal, racing toward the Whitmore family estate. This was the only place he could think of that might save everything. 16:22 Dear Hubbu