Hearing the comments—pretended to be murmurings yet loud enough to be heard by everyone—Vera’s face twisted with bitterness. Her fists clenched, and her eyes blazed as she took a deep breath to calm her nerves.
For some time now, she thought she had overcome the pain from every jab concerning this incident. But in this moment, she had to admit: she never healed. And she never stopped regretting. Indeed, it’s quite pathetic.
Even Trevor, with all his patience, affection, and loyalty, had failed to break down the walls she’d built.
Aaron, her husband on paper but a stranger at heart, had tried to provide her a semblance of stability.
Still, none of it mattered. Because that one goodbye—that final, quiet departure from Davis—had undone everything destiny might have prepared for her. That single step had upended her life.
And now, watching Jessica—a girl she once dismissed as a naive outsider—stand gracefully, confidently, beside Davis, Vera couldn’t deny the bitterness coiling in her chest.
She had to admit she was completely envious of Jessica. A country bumpkin. A rejected daughter. A girl without worldliness or sophistication. Yet with Davis, she held the entire Allen empire in her hand. She had Davis’s loyalty. His admiration. Perhaps, even his love.
With her smile, she had succeeded in stealing the one man truly worth loving.
"But then, do I get to blame her? She was never in the picture when I left... but I can’t help being bitter," she mused to herself.
Noticing a cold, piercing gaze trained on her for a while, Jessica turned her attention away from Davis. Her eyes locked onto Vera’s. A brief silence lingered between them. Then, with a soft sigh, Jessica stepped forward.
"Sis-in-law, are you okay? Why are your eyes red?" she asked gently.
Vera hadn’t realized her emotions had spilled so freely onto her face. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear the tears forming in her eyes. With a single thought "I can’t let them see how much I hurt due to my foolishness.
Taking a deep breath "Nothing much. You don’t have to worry," she said, her voice composed but barely hiding the storm underneath.
Jessica tilted her head and sighed dramatically. "I thought something might be wrong. Maybe my husband could help you fix it."
"You don’t have to bother, thank you," Vera replied, meeting her gaze head-on. Jessica nodded at her challenge.
"Jessica nodded at the challenge in her voice. "Mr. Aaron, maybe you should step out and get treated. Otherwise..."
Without finishing her sentence, she pulled away from Davis and walked confidently, her head held high toward the head of the table.
Her posture changed completely; serious and commanding, as though all the drama that had just unfolded was a weird figment of everyone’s imagination.
Taking a deep breath, she addressed the room.
"Great men and women of the Allen Group, I want to thank you for your patience throughout this tumultuous period, and for your goodwill toward the company."
Her voice rang with clarity and authority.
"Now, I would like to propose that this meeting reconvene tomorrow. Do you agree?" she asked coldly.
The boardroom tensed. To the minority who supported Davis, it was a straightforward question. But to the majority who had backed Desmond, it felt like a trap. Her tone, the firm way she stood—it all made them uneasy.
They exchanged subtle glances. The weight of her presence and the chill in her voice pressed against their composure.
One of the older board members finally cleared his throat. "With the media and the people of Country Y waiting eagerly for the outcome of this meeting, it might be more prudent to continue."
Another added, "It would help pacify the public and reassure investors. The company stock has taken significant hits already."
Jessica’s eyes swept across the room. She gave it a second thought and nodded.
"Very well," she said. "Let’s begin."
Davis watched her, pride brimming in his eyes as she confidently introduced the agenda.
Several attendees noticed the unhidden adoration in Davis’s gaze and shook their heads in silent resignation. Some even looked wistful.
Jessica continued, her voice unwavering.
"With the agenda of today’s meeting still in view, and considering the clause which states that the largest shareholder assumes power as the group’s president and acting head, I hereby propose the appointment of Davis Allen to act in my stead."
Her statement dropped like a thunderclap.
The room froze. Silence blanketed the hall, and shock colored every face and some others flushed with surprise.
Noticing their shocked expressions, Jessica wondered what exactly was running through their minds. "Do they really think it’s that easy to lead?" She mused.
Jessica arched an eyebrow. "Why do you look surprised? Though I am the largest shareholder, it doesn’t mean I must always sit at the helm."
Her tone was sharp, but not mocking. Clarifying, yet commanding.
The room exploded in hushed murmurs.
"Is she that easygoing?"
"Who would have thought, in the end, it would still fall to Davis?"
Outside the building, the scene was far from composed.
Desmond was led out in handcuffs. His head hung low, his eyes avoiding contact, fixed on the pavement below. His expression was unreadable, his pace slow.
Camera flashes burst across the open space with reporters struggling for better shots.
Reporters surged forward, microphones in hand, jostling for space as security officers pushed them back. A flood of questions lunged in his direction.
"Mr. Desmond, is the Allen Group going through a grand power shift?"
"Will Davis Allen be the new chairman?"
"Is it true you plotted against Davis like the rumors say?"
"Why did you lie to the public about Elder Allen being critically ill when he was healthy all along?"
"Desmond Allen, are you surprised to face this day?"
Desmond could barely listen anymore. The questions stabbed into him one after the other. His ears rang. His vision blurred slightly, not from physical fatigue, but from humiliation.
He gritted his teeth..
As they stepped into the open, an unexpected scene unfolded. It was as though he had stepped into another world.
As they stepped further outside, a mob had gathered. No one expected what came next.
Out of nowhere, someone hurled a half-eaten sandwich at him. Another tossed a drink. Plastic bags filled with waste began raining from all sides. The crowd jeered and cursed him.
"You disgraced the Allen name!"
Desmond flinched. He clenched his fists tightly. Rage surged beneath his humiliation. This was not just a scandal. It was public execution by shame.
They had orchestrated this fall. And they would pay.
He didn’t know how. Or when. But he would find a way.
The police did their best to form a shield around him. They ushered him quickly into a dark sedan. The door slammed shut with a hollow thud. He didn’t look back.
The car merged into the main road and disappeared into the traffic, bound for police headquarters.
In the rear seat, Desmond sat motionless, his mind reeling.
His fists clenched. At that moment, he made a decision: Davis and Jessica must pay for this public humiliation. For everything.