Chapter 214: Demolish it

Silvia, Lily, and Gen marched out of the bakery, only to stop dead in their tracks when they spotted a massive bulldozer parked right outside. Several men stood beside it, apparently preparing to demolish the building.

"Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me!" Silvia exclaimed.

She stormed toward them, frustration evident in her voice.

"Hey! What exactly do you think you’re doing here?"

They had barely finished dealing with the goons who had wrecked their bakery, and now another group had arrived to demolish the entire place.

Can’t these people give us a moment to breathe?

Lily and Gen exchanged an exasperated glance before hurrying after her.

"She’s right!" Lily declared, planting herself firmly beside Silvia. "You can’t just demolish our bakery! We still have until tomorrow to vacate the property!"

The men exchanged uncertain looks before their supervisor stepped forward.

"Madam, we’re simply following orders. We’ve been instructed to demolish this building, so please move aside and let us do our job."

The three women stared at him in disbelief.

"Your job?" Silvia repeated incredulously. "Does your job involve destroying someone else’s livelihood without warning?"

"Look, madam, we don’t want any trouble."

"Then you’ve come to the wrong place!" Lily snapped.

Gen stepped forward, her expression serious.

"We’ve already informed the police about the men who vandalized our bakery. If you attempt to demolish it before the deadline, we’ll report you as well."

The supervisor hesitated.

"Please don’t make this difficult."

Lily folded her arms. "Oh, sweetheart, you have no idea how difficult we can be."

Silvia and Gen immediately positioned themselves beside her, forming a human barricade in front of the entrance.

Clara had promised to uncover the truth and save the bakery. Until she returned, they had no intention of allowing anyone to touch it.

Silvia raised her chin defiantly. "If you want to demolish this bakery, you’ll have to get past us first!"

The supervisor stared at the three women standing shoulder to shoulder in front of the bakery.

"Madam, please understand. We’re only following instructions."

"And we’re only protecting our bakery!" Lily retorted.

The man sighed helplessly.

"Look, I don’t want to argue with you. Just step aside before someone gets hurt."

Silvia immediately narrowed her eyes.

"Was that a threat?"

"No! I’m simply saying there’s a bulldozer behind me!"

"And I’m simply saying there are three very angry women in front of you!" Lily shot back.

Gen pressed her lips together, desperately trying not to laugh.

The supervisor rubbed his forehead. He had expected a straightforward demolition job, not a confrontation with three women who seemed determined to argue until sunset.

"Sir, what should we do?" one of the workers whispered.

"How should I know?" the supervisor muttered.

Lily immediately perked up.

"Oh, I have a suggestion! Why don’t you take that enormous machine and go demolish whoever sent you here?"

"Lily!" Gen exclaimed.

"What? I’m offering a practical solution!"

Silvia nodded approvingly.

"For once, I agree with her."

The supervisor looked as though he was developing a headache.

"Madam, this is our final warning. If you don’t move, we’ll have no choice but to proceed."

His words instantly wiped the smiles off their faces.

Gen stepped forward.

"Then show us the demolition order."

The supervisor hesitated.

"What?"

"You heard me. Show us the official authorization permitting you to demolish this building today."

The man exchanged a nervous glance with his workers.

"We’ve received instructions from Crownwell Holdings."

"Instructions aren’t legal authorization," Gen replied firmly.

Silvia folded her arms.

"And since our deadline is tomorrow, I’d love to know who suddenly decided to change it."

The supervisor grew visibly uncomfortable.

"That’s something you’ll have to discuss with the company."

"Wonderful!" Lily exclaimed. "Give us the name and number of whoever sent you. I’ll be delighted to discuss it with them!"

The man remained silent, unable to utter a word in response.

Just then, a familiar voice interrupted them.

"These are the official orders to demolish the bakery."

Kevin approached them, holding a stack of documents in his hand.

The moment Lily, Silvia, and Gen recognized him, their expressions darkened.

There was something about this man that none of them trusted. Unfortunately, they also knew they couldn’t simply threaten Crownwell Holdings’ legal representative into leaving.

Silvia exchanged a glance with her friends.

"I’ll check the papers," she muttered.

Lily and Gen nodded, watching anxiously as Silvia stepped forward.

"Let me see those documents."

Kevin raised an eyebrow before handing them over with a smug smile.

"Go ahead. Everything is perfectly legal."

Silvia ignored his arrogance and carefully examined the papers. However, the further she read, the more her expression changed.

Her eyes widened in disbelief.

"This can’t be right," she whispered.

Kevin smirked.

"Is there a problem, Miss?"

Without answering, Silvia hurried back toward her friends.

"He has the demolition order," she informed them grimly. "According to these documents, they have permission to demolish the building."

"What?" Lily exclaimed. "But our deadline is tomorrow!"

Gen frowned.

"How did they obtain permission so quickly?"

Silvia shook her head helplessly.

"I don’t know."

Lily glanced at the bulldozer before nervously biting her lip.

"What do we do now? Madam isn’t answering her phone, and these people are practically breathing down our necks!"

Gen looked toward Kevin, who was already instructing the workers to prepare the bulldozer.

"We can’t let them proceed. Madam promised she’d find a way to expose the truth."

Silvia clenched the documents in her hands.

"Then we’ll have to buy her some time."

Lily stared at her suspiciously.

"Please tell me your plan doesn’t involve another rolling pin."

Silvia shot her an irritated look. "Not unless you have a better idea!"

Lily pursed her lips, desperately searching for a way to stop the demolition. After a few moments of deep thought, her eyes suddenly lit up.

"There’s only one thing we can do," she announced.

Gen and Silvia immediately turned toward her.

"What?" Gen asked.

Lily took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, and marched toward Kevin with an expression of absolute determination.

"Hold on! You can’t demolish this place until the owner arrives!"

Kevin raised an eyebrow.

"And what makes you think that?"

"Because we’re just employees!" Lily declared. "We don’t have the authority to make decisions about this property. You’ll have to wait for our madam!"

Kevin stared at her for a moment before letting out a mocking laugh.

"Did you even read those documents? Your so-called madam doesn’t own this land."

Lily’s confidence faltered for a split second.

Of course she knew that! The papers clearly stated that the property had never legally belonged to Clara’s grandparents.

But what else could she do?

She couldn’t stand there and watch years of Clara’s hard work get reduced to rubble.

"Well, that doesn’t change the fact that she’s our employer!" Lily argued, stubbornly folding her arms. "If you have a problem with this bakery, discuss it with her!"

Kevin’s smile disappeared.

"Move aside. You’re wasting my time."

"And you’re wasting perfectly good fuel by keeping that enormous machine running!" Lily snapped.

Behind her, Silvia nearly choked.

"Lily, seriously?"

"What? I’m trying!"

Gen quickly joined Lily.

"She’s right about one thing. Madam isn’t here to respond to your claims. The least you can do is wait until she arrives."

Kevin glanced at the three women, visibly losing his patience.

"I’ve entertained this nonsense long enough."

He turned toward the workers. "Proceed with the demolition."

Lily’s heart sank, but she refused to budge. "Then you’ll have to get past us first!"

Silvia and Gen immediately stood beside her.

Whatever happened next, they were determined to protect the bakery until Clara arrived.

***

Meanwhile, Dorothy stood at a discreet distance, watching the confrontation unfold with a smug smile on her face.

Seeing Lily, Silvia, and Gen desperately trying to stop the demolition only made her more satisfied.

"Look at them," she muttered disdainfully. "Do they seriously think three ordinary employees can stop Crownwell Holdings?"

She adjusted her sunglasses, her gaze shifting toward Kevin, who appeared to be losing patience with the women.

Dorothy had specifically instructed him to finish everything before Clara arrived. The last thing she wanted was for Dominic to learn about the demolition and interfere.

But even that concern quickly vanished. Dorothy was convinced that not even Dominic could do anything when the documents clearly stated that Clara’s grandparents had never legally owned the land.

"Even if you bring your husband here, Clara, what can he possibly do?" she muttered smugly. "The documents are in our favor. Let’s see how you save your precious bakery now."

Dorothy watched as the three women stood shoulder to shoulder, determined to protect the bakery.

"Get them out of the way!" Kevin roared.

Three men immediately stepped forward, forcibly dragging Lily, Silvia, and Gen aside despite their desperate resistance.

"Let go of us!" Lily screamed.

"Don’t you dare touch our bakery!" Silvia shouted.

Ignoring their protests, Kevin turned toward the bulldozer operator.

"Demolish it!"

The engine roared to life. But just as the massive machine began moving forward, a sharp, commanding voice cut through the commotion.

"Don’t you dare touch my bakery without my permission!"