Chapter 432

Almost at the same time,Erick received the text.

Two simple words glowed on his screen. "Mission accomplished."

His hands trembled with excitement as he quickly dialed Nolan. "Mr.Stewart! Lightning fixed the system!"

Nolan shot up from the sofa, his fatigue vanishing in an instant. After instructing the servants to look after Fannie and Norwood, he grabbed his coat and strode out the door.

"Meet me at the office," he told Erick briskly before hanging up.

Half an hour later, Nolan and Erick met at the entrance of the Stewart Group.

Just as they prepared to step inside, a familiar figure appeared-Colson.

His eyes immediately caught the faint dark circles under Nolan's, and a smug smile tugged at his lips.

Strolling toward them, he sneered, "Granting the whole company a half-day leave just to buy yourself some time? Do you even realize how much money we lose when operations are shut down for half a day?"

It was clear Colson hadn't come to help-he was here to measure Nolan's downfall.

From Nolan's weary appearance, he felt more certain than ever that Nolan was doomed.

But Nolan remained composed. He adjusted the cuffs of his suit with deliberate calm, then lifted his gaze to meet Colson's, his eyes carrying a sharp glint of mockery.

"As long as I'm in charge of the Stewart Group," Nolan said evenly, "my word is final. You don't hold the authority to question my decisions."

Colson didn't flinch. His smirk lingered, confident,dismissive.

To him, Nolan's defiance was nothing more than a final display of bravado before inevitable defeat.

Colson's lips curled into a sneer, disdain dripping from every word. "Fine. Let's see if you can keep up this bravado when you're at the board meeting this afternoon."

He tugged at his tie with exaggerated flair before striding away, his swagger louder than his smugness.

Nolan watched him go, then calmly withdrew his gaze and stepped into the building. Erick hurried to follow close behind.

The elevator carried them swiftly to the twentieth floor.

The door to the server room was ajar.

Nolan pushed it open and strode directly to the main server.

The moment his eyes landed on the glowing green light flashing steadily on the monitor, the weight of days of tension finally lifted from his shoulders. The system was running flawlessly again.

A rare flicker of relief touched his expression.Five hundred million spent-but worth every cent.

Beside him, Erick was practically shaking with excitement,his joy spilling over. "This is incredible, Mr.Stewart! Lightning is unbelievable! Ghost was taken down in no time at all-Lightning really is the world's top hacker!"

He rubbed his hands together, his mind already racing ahead. "Mr. Stewart,since Lightning showed up inside the Stewart Group, maybe we can trace them somehow. Should I send someone to investigate this mysterious hacker's identity?"

Erick imagined that if they found out who Lightning was, they would never have to worry about technical security again.

But Nolan dismissed the idea instantly, his tone flat and decisive. "No need."

Nolan did not doubt it-Lightning was eccentric,someone bound by their own strict rules. Clearly, they despised being disturbed.

If they pushed too hard and offended such a figure,they might never secure Lightning's help again.

He voiced this thought aloud, and Erick's enthusiasm quickly cooled.

"You're right, Mr. Stewart," he admitted with a hint of embarrassment. "I didn't thinkit through."

Nolan said nothing more. His eyes lingered on the steady hum of the servers, the green lights blinking in perfect order. For a moment, he kept looking at them.

Then, his calm voice broke the silence. "Go and cut off the main power to the server room."

Erick froze, blinking in disbelief. "What?”

He almost thought he had misheard. "But...why shut it down now? The system was just fixed!"

Nolan turned his head, and a slow, knowing smile curved his lips. "If Colson finds out we've already fixed the system," he said softly, "then how will the show play out at noon?"

Erick's mind clicked instantly, the brilliance of the plan hitting him all at once.

So that was the plan! Let Colson and Brodie believe they had already won, let them gloat and flaunt their supposed victory. And then, at the very peak of their triumph, Nolan would crush them with the truth-restoring the system in an instant and slapping them squarely in the face.

It was brilliant. It was elegant. It was ruthless.

Erick's admiration for Nolan swelled to the point of bursting. He nodded hard. "Yes, Mr. Stewart! I'll take care of it right away!"