Chapter 412
"Alright, so what's the plan now?"
Michael wasn't just looking to point fingers; the priority was to fix the mess.
Aaron quickly replied, "I'll head over to the local government office that handled the stamping. I'll check if they made a mistake or if someone's trying to screw us over."
"Don't worry, I'll let you know as soon as I find out anything."
"Good. Be careful with this. Whatever you do, don't go at it alone."
Michael was worried Aaron might act rashly and get into trouble.
"I got it. I'll keep you updated."
With that, Aaron hung up.
Michael put down his phone, sinking deep into thought.
The Adri Family had willingly given up this project. Why would the local government in Auroria pull something like this?
The Brown Group had been a top company in the country for years, with enough experience to not fall for a fake contract.
Such documents would be scrutinized upon arrival in the country, leading to interception, investigation, and eventually uncovering the truth. This would only delay the project, and mining operations couldn't start just anytime; they required strict timing and professional surveys.
What were these people after?
Michael couldn't figure it out. He decided to take the fake document out of the safe and look for clues.
Starting from the first page, he meticulously reviewed every detail.
When he reached the last page, he noticed something odd in the signature section.
He touched it and felt the embossed stamp.
But he hadn't signed or stamped it. How could there be such an imprint?
Suddenly, something clicked in Michael's mind.
He knew what the other party was up to!
Michael, furious, slammed the document onto the table.
He had been played!
The contract was in duplicate. After noticing something was off, he had one copy sent back for redrafting.
But it seemed someone had tampered with the blank document sent back in his absence.
The last page of the contract had the mine manager's signature and the local government's stamp in the "Party A" section.
In the "Party B" section, his name was blank, but there were traces of a stamp.
This meant someone had forged his signature and stamped the company's seal!
This made the contract legally binding. He had no choice but to accept the loss.
Damn it! He hadn't considered this possibility.
Meanwhile, Aaron, who was in Auroria to negotiate with local officials, received an urgent call from Michael.
He had to pause his conversation and find a quiet place to answer.
"Mr. Brown."
"Aaron, you don't need to investigate anymore!"
"What?"
Aaron was stunned, thinking Michael was joking. He cautiously said, "Mr. Brown, this is no time for jokes. You know how much effort we've put into this mine. The capital investment alone is over a billion dollars. If there's a problem with the contract, it's a big deal."
Aaron's rebuttal was understandable. He was in charge of the project in Auroria.
If something went wrong, Aaron would be held accountable, but as the CEO of the Brown Group, Michael would bear the ultimate responsibility.
Moreover, once the project started, the Brown Group would need to allocate 70% of its liquid assets to support it.
If a problem arose now, not only would their preparations and efforts be wasted, but the Brown Group's funds could also be restricted due to cross-border issues.
Such a significant portion of funds being tied up would be dangerous, even for a large group like the Brown Group.
If the funds were frozen, they could face predatory competitors.
This would also harm the Brown Group's reputation and future development.
But Michael was telling him to stop. Aaron was baffled.
Michael's voice deepened, "You heard me right. There's no need to investigate further. I found the reason!"
Although the implications were significant, he had no doubt about the other person's ambition.
To achieve this outcome, that person had personally intervened to make Michael believe in the project's credibility.
In hindsight, the scheme likely began when Michael decided to enter Auroria's mining industry. He had been targeted from the start.
The Adri Family had the strength to remain standing for over a century.
Initially, the Adri Family stayed quiet, even using internal conflicts to make Michael lower his guard, thinking he could dominate the mining sector.
Once the project started, it wouldn't be easy to withdraw. The initial investment was too significant for Michael to give up.
The Adri Family exploited this, leading Michael into their trap step by step.
They never intended to let go of Auroria's largest mine.
So, when Michael considered giving up, they panicked.
The Adri Family used various means to make him believe victory was within reach, just a bit more effort needed.
Whether it was internal family strife or Earl personally showing sincerity to take Bianca away, it was all a grand illusion. A web spun for Michael.
How could he have believed Earl, a survivor of such family battles, was a man of deep feelings?
Once Aaron received the project proposal, the Adri Family's plan was set in motion.
Now, the document in Michael's hand was fake but stamped by the local government.
This meant the Adri Family had colluded with the local government.
No matter who Aaron approached, he wouldn't find the truth.
Michael's signature wasn't their concern. As long as the contract was sent back, someone in the country could forge his signature and stamp the Brown Group's seal. This made the document legally binding, trapping the Brown Group.
Realizing this, Michael was relieved the Adri Family targeted the Brown Group first, not the Wilson Family. Otherwise, it would be Isabella losing sleep.
Her health was too fragile to handle this.
But his situation wasn't much better.
He had to intercept the contract before it reached Auroria.
If the contract landed in the local government's hands, there would be no turning back.