Chapter 343: The Lawsuit

After leaving Jessica’s room, Riley returned to his own room. However, before he could enter, the cell phone in his pocket began vibrating nonstop.

Riley absentmindedly pulled it out and frowned when he saw his assistant’s name on the screen. He had just parted ways with Jessica in the lobby, so he was confused about why she was calling him again so soon.

With a slight sense of unease, he pressed accept as he stepped into his room.

“What is it, Erica?” he asked.

“Sir…”

Erica’s worried voice came through the phone, making Riley slow down. He stopped just before reaching the living room and turned his attention fully to the call.

“Have you heard?”

The frown on Riley’s forehead deepened. He walked over to the sofa and sat down, trying to understand what had made his usually composed assistant sound so nervous.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. What is it that makes you sound so panicked?” he asked while loosening his tie, hoping to relax after the long day.

“Sir, I just received information that Cresswell Tech has already filed a lawsuit against us.”

“What?” Riley raised his voice in shock before quickly lowering it again. “Are you sure about that?”

“Yes, sir. I already double-checked the information from my source, and it’s true. The news will be released on Monday.”

For a moment, Riley didn’t move. He sat frozen on the sofa while his mind raced through everything Erica had just told him.

His thoughts immediately turned to Cresswell Tech and his uncle, Zachary. He had believed his uncle had succeeded in getting Kevin Richardson to drop his plans to take the tender dispute to court. That was what Riley had assumed after seeing how calm Zachary had been earlier. But now, it seemed that whatever Zachary had done had not been enough.

“Damn it, did he really try to help us or not!?” Riley muttered, the curse escaping before he could stop himself.

“E-Excuse me, S-Sir…” Erica sounded even more worried after hearing his reaction.

Riley cleared his throat and forced himself to calm down. Losing control wouldn’t help, especially when he still needed to understand exactly what was happening.

“Erica, I need you to double-check everything you heard once more. I want to be completely certain that the information is correct. And… Are you sure they’re announcing the lawsuit on Monday?”

“But sir, I already verified it, and everything I’ve found so far confirms it. Yes. Yes. They will announce it on Monday.”

Riley exhaled a heavy, long sigh before speaking, “Do that triple check! Check it with your friend in Cresswell. And call me immediately after that. I want to know about everything.”

“Yes, sir, I will do that again, and I will keep you updated.”

Riley didn’t say much more. He gave Erica a few additional instructions before finally ending the call.

Once the line was disconnected, his hand loosened, and he let the phone fall onto the sofa beside him without giving it much thought.

His mind was in turmoil. Although he was almost certain Erica was telling the truth, he still refused to accept it fully. There had to be some mistake. His father had looked completely calm earlier, and if Cresswell Tech had really decided to take the matter to court, his father should have known.

“Impossible,” Riley muttered as he leaned back against the sofa. “There’s no way Dad would have been so calm earlier if this were actually happening. He would have known beforehand, right? He might have already confronted Uncle Zach.”

The thought gave him a little comfort, but it didn’t last long. Deep down, Riley knew the situation was serious. If the lawsuit became public, the company could face negative publicity, and that could affect both the Sterling Group and his own position within the company.

He rubbed his forehead as he tried to think of a solution.

So many thoughts now tangled in his mind: Maybe his father already knew about the lawsuit. Maybe his father had a plan to handle it before the news was officially released.

With that thought in mind, Riley stood up from the sofa and walked toward the door. He decided to speak to his father directly rather than sit there worrying about what might happen.

Riley left his room and headed toward the presidential suite where William Sterling was staying.

The closer he got, the more tense he felt. And before he could knock, the door opened from the inside.

William’s assistant appeared in the doorway and looked surprised to see him.

“Riley, what a coincidence. Your father was actually asking for you. You can go in now.”

Riley’s expression changed slightly when he heard that. Had his father been looking for him? The timing immediately made him suspicious.

‘Could Dad already know about the lawsuit?’ Hearing his own thought was enough to make him tense, but he kept his expression controlled. He nodded politely and stepped into the room.

The moment Riley entered, he saw his father sitting on the sofa with the company lawyer. His hand immediately clenched tightly at his side.

Seeing the lawyer with his father confirmed that the matter was more serious than Riley had expected.

William Sterling noticed his son approaching. His expression became darker, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he simply raised one hand and gestured for Riley to sit down.

Riley obeyed and took the seat across from them. He tried to appear calm despite the uneasiness growing inside him.

“Dad, are you looking for me?”

William didn’t answer his question right away. He simply looked at Riley for several seconds before finally speaking. “Riley, have you heard about the Cresswell Tech lawsuit?”

Riley’s heart raced, but he managed to act naturally.

“What!?” He shook his head as if the question had genuinely surprised him. “No, I don’t know. Did they really proceed with the lawsuit?” His voice sounded genuinely clueless, even though he had already known about it from Erica.

“Yes! That’s why I called our lawyer here…”