With the mbers showing no sign of sympathy, no rcy in their gaze, Vera felt her world crumble beneath her feet.
Her eyes snapped to Jessica burning with fury, helplessness, and resignation. "Jessica, you can’t do this. You should..."
Jessica’s cold voice cut her off like a blade. "Vera, why can’t I do it? Why shouldn’t I? Or... don’t you think you deserve even more?"
"Jessica, Davis isn’t around to make that decision," Vera managed, her heart urging her to stand firm even though it was clear she was making no headway in this struggle.
Jessica leaned back lazily in her chair, twirling the pen in her hand. Her face remained expressionless, but her voice sliced through the quiet. "Well, well, well... my dear Vera, I have every right to make this decision and far more."
Vera opened her mouth to protest, but Jessica raised a hand, silencing her words before they escaped. "...with or without Davis’s presence. If you, a re unqualified vice president, dare to make decisions on his behalf... then why not ?"
Vera t her gaze squarely, teeth clenched. "You..."
Jessica slowly dropped her pen onto the table and shrugged indifferently. Her eyes glinted, her voice cold and unwavering. "A majority shareholder. A wife. And the matriarch of the Allen family. Tell , Vera...do you still think I am not qualified?"
The declaration sent chills down the spines of every board mber.
With the Allen Group secure in her hands, the family standing firmly behind her, and her skill undeniable, the board mbers exchanged silent glances. Their conclusion was unanimous: don’t offend her...if you value your position.
Vera’s temper snapped. Her chest heaved as she barked, "Jessica, that’s out of line! I am still the Allen family’s wife!"
Jessica chuckled softly, raising her hand to cover her mouth in feigned amusent. "Of course, sister-in-law. But... do I need to remind you that the law enforcent agency is already waiting at the door?"
Vera’s eyes flew toward the door. They widened in horror. Her heart pounded so violently she thought it might burst from her chest.
"Jessica, you can’t do this to ! I am innocent of all this! The Louis family..."
Jessica shook her head, her tone laced with disdain. "Vera, once upon a ti, I held you in reverence. But now... I see you only ever wished to be a puppet in soone else’s grand sche."
She sighed, her expression almost weary. "And puppets pay the price of their foolishness. Or did you truly believe that after setting fire to the Allen family, you could walk away from the flas unscathed?"
Luke, standing quietly at the side, shook his head in resignation. "It seems Jessica won’t be easy to handle. Otherwise... how could she have untangled this entire sche?"
Before anyone could respond, the silence of the conference room shattered—several phones buzzed with simultaneous notifications.
The mbers glanced at one another, then each checked their devices with growing urgency.
Jessica’s lips curled upward in satisfaction. She calmly disconnected her laptop from the projector, switching the screen back to the Allen Group’s stock chart.
Vera frowned, staring at the numbers flashing on the screen. Her mouth ford a silent "O," words trembling on her lips but refusing to co out.
Jessica cleared her throat, drawing their attention. Her voice carried the weight of command.
"First, I wish to thank everyone who stood firm through this storm. Second, I am pleased to announce the Allen Group’s collaboration with the Santiago Group to develop our eco-friendly ho appliance line."
The room erupted in gasps. mbers scrambled to their phones, eager to publicize the news.
"Finally, the Louis Group had failed the Allen Group and at the sa ti dented the Allen’s na, Allen Group will pursue this case till justice is served."
As her words settled, a board mber noticed the main screen flicker. He grabbed the remote and raised the volu.
"Louis Group involved in economic fraud."
"The fall of Louis Group... Consurs lant the side effects of products."
"Louis Group siphoned the Allen Group project fund yet accuses them of negligence."
"Sylas Louis’s connection to the Alpha Project under investigaton."
The comnt section wasn’t left out.
"Is this a battle of the Titans... Allen Group makes the headlines in the morning and by midday the Louis Group is trending."
How swift the Allen Group is in their response and counter act,
"Isn’t the rumour saying Davis was out of the country?"
"I guess that this the real power play."
With the murmuring threatening to take over the room, Jessica’s cold voice declared the eting dismissed.
Gracefully, she rose from her seat, just as a few policen in ordinary wear entered.
She welcod them and with a tilt of her head, she gestured towards Vera who stood rooted to the spot, her thoughts racing, her gaze unfocused as though trapped in her own world.
Even as the policeman was officially issuing her the notice of her arrest, she heard nothing of what he said.
Calmly, the policeman clasped her wrist with handcuffs. At that mont, her tears fell, sliding down her cheeks in torrents.
She was stumped of what else to say, and even at this mont, she thought so hard about it all yet it was their fault; Davis, Jessica, and the Louis family.
With Vera led away, the room fell into hushed murmuring.
Casting a brief glance at them and a sly smile dancing on her lips, she strode out with effortless poise.
The mbers stared at her receding figure, both with respect, admiration, and puzzle.
"
"
"
"
~Country Z~
Davis’s car pulled up in front of the hotel lobby. A uniford guard stepped forward to open the door.
Davis stepped down, his brow creased, a twinge of worry and restlessness etched on his well-sculpted face.
His phone clutched tightly in his hand, casting one last glance at the car and Ethan, he strode into the hotel lobby.
Ethan followed suit, arriving at the reception area, he stopped by the receptionist’s table. "Dave Raven," he chid.
The receptionist nodded as she quickly checked their booking and reservation on her system.
With their booking confird, she quickly handed out their keys to them with a slight bow. "Welco, enjoy your stay in our hotel," she said.
Her gaze trailed on Davis, who was already walking towards the elevator, dialing frantically on his phone.
His frustrations threatened to spill forth as the urge to return to the country coursed through him.
Ethan pressed the floor number and silently watched as his boss’s jaw tightened, his expression thunderous.
His deanor was clear, he wasn’t even interested in whatever or wherever they are headed rather only hoped he can speak to her.
Together they stepped into the elevator, Davis’s jaw clenched as Ethan silently watched him without any comnt.
He was clear about the situation going on in his boss’s mind. He must get in contact with his wife; otherwise, he is but a tid bomb waiting for detonation.
He sighed, hoping to settle down and check on the information from Country U and minimize this brewing storm.
In the elevator, he set their luggage down to check his phone for updates. His brow furrowed, but he quickly locked the screen again deciding to arrive his suite.
"Ethan..." Davis began, but the elevator dinged, and he cut himself off until they arrive their suite. They stepped into the hallway heading directly to their room.
Ethan had their room booked close to each other to enable them to work together during the period.
Despite how luxurious the hotel was, Davis had no interest to notice its grandeur, his mind long drifting to Country Y.
With a click, Ethan opened the door for him, carefully checking for any signs of hidden caras, bugs, and any recording device.
With the confirmation of his suite clean and secured, he shrugged his shoulders. "You take a rest, I am in the next room," Ethan said.
The door closed, and Davis collapsed onto the couch, dialing yet again while whispering a silent prayer, it might have been the hundredth ti.
This ti, the line connected. Relief surged through him like a wave.
"Arrived?" Jessica’s languid voice floated through the receiver.
Davis released a breath he never knew he was holding until now, his tensed shoulders sagged, his lips curling up with a smile.
"Arrived," he clipped.
Jessica’s soft and tired voice ca through the phone.
They discussed for a long ti and like a capable assistant, she practically gave him a brief rundown on events that had transpired since his takeoff.
From explaining his contact being unreachable, the little answer and instructions from the hospital down to the situations at the company and the outco.
Davis’s grip on the phone tightened, his jaw locked and dread drumd through his heart. In less than twenty-four hours, so much had erupted in his absence.
He took a deep breath. He was grateful, happy, and relieved. Yet, his heart raced with thoughts.
"You take a rest. I will take up Vera’s case from here after I contact the police chief," he assured firmly.
After a little more nag for her to take care of herself, the call ended.
Ethan tapped on the door and pushed in, he stopped before Davis and handed the tablet to him.
His eyes scanned through the tabloids , his gaze colder with every little detail he read, after a short while he handed it back to him.
"She was able to handle it...though she was exhausted," he murmured.
He looked up, his eyes sharp as steel. "Every task we have here must be completed quickly. We return ho imdiately after."
Ethan nodded. "Your schedule’s prepared. Do you want any andnts?"
"No." Davis glanced at his watch. "But before anything... we visit that person."
"Now?"
Davis took a quick glance at his wrist. "Since we have so hours left, I guess to handle it now is much more important."
Ethan nodded briskly. "I’ll make the arrangents." He said and left the room.
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