"Louis! How dare you speak in your father's place?" Remy exclaimed, his voice a mix of surprise and anger.
"Pardon me, Father," Louis retorted, his tone defiant. "I thought that since you favour your favourite son so greatly, I should stand up for myself this time."
"What do you mean by 'favourite son'? You brat!" Remy sputtered, clearly taken aback by Louis's audacity. The family and corporate drama had taken an unexpected turn, leaving everyone in the room on edge.
In the heated aftermath of Louis's defiance, Alexander couldn't contain his fury. "What do you mean by 'favourite son'?" he seethed, his voice dripping with resentment. "And how dare you talk to our father like that?"
But before Louis could respond, Grandpa Cian, the master of taunts, interjected, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Oh, Alexander, always so quick to anger. You'd do well to learn some restraint."
Alexander's face contorted with anger as he clutched the sides of the table, his knuckles turning white. He was about to launch into a tirade when Grandpa Cian dropped a bombshell. "Did you think no one would ever discover your little secret?"
The room fell silent as Grandpa Cian continued, his words biting like a winter wind. "You've been siphoning off millions and billions each month, haven't you? Cleverly routing the funds to a secret account that bears no trace of your name."
Alexander's face paled, and his heart raced as he struggled to comprehend the extent of Grandpa Cian's knowledge. He stammered, "You... you have no proof of that!"
But Grandpa Cian was undeterred. He rattled off the names of five shareholders present in the room, accusing, "You bribed them, didn't you?" His voice dripped with disdain. "How could you make such accusations, claiming they took your bribes?"
The accused shareholders immediately protested, vehemently denying any wrongdoing. "We didn't take any bribes from him!" they exclaimed in unison.
Grandpa Cian raised an eyebrow, his gaze unrelenting. "Is that so?" He then revealed damning evidence, "Well, the money transferred from Alexander's account to yours tells a different story."
Alexander's face reddened with a potent mix of anger and humiliation. He lost control and, shouting at his grandpa, accused, "You old fool, you're just trying to sabotage me!"
Louis was unable to contain his rage, suddenly lunged forward and delivered a punch that landed squarely on Alexander's jaw.
The room gasped in collective shock at the unexpected violence. Alexander staggered back, clutching his face in pain.
Louis stood firm, his voice filled with righteous fury. "How dare you say this to my grandfather, you peasant?" His words hung in the air as tension thickened in the room.
As Louis's punch landed squarely on Alexander's jaw, a profound realisation washed over him.
He was so dumbfounded that he couldn't even protect himself at all. He sat on the ground and felt as if the room seemed to spin as his thoughts raced.
He finally understood the depths of his own deceit and the tangled web of corruption he had woven.
In that moment of clarity, Alexander comprehended the damning truth: not only had he been bribing shareholders within the company.
But he had also been actively engaging in corrupt practises, attempting to influence even their own grandfather, Grandpa Cian, with underhanded tactics.
The weight of his actions bore down on him—a heavy burden of guilt and shame. His grand ambition to secure the CEO position had led him down a treacherous path, one that had shattered the trust of those closest to him and compromised his own integrity.
Amidst the gasps and shock of the onlookers in the room, Alexander stood there, bruised and humiliated, forced to confront the consequences of his actions and the irrevocable damage he had inflicted upon his family and their company.
The tension in the room remained palpable even after Alexander was on the ground, yet the punch was still echoing through the collective consciousness of the onlookers.
It was Grandpa Cian's authoritative voice that broke the charged atmosphere, cutting through the turmoil.
"You both can stop this," Grandpa Cian declared firmly, his voice commanding the attention of all those present. "Come and have a seat, Louis."
Louis, ever the obedient grandson, heeded his grandfather's words. He stepped away from the tumultuous confrontation and walked gracefully back to his previous seat, his demeanour composed yet his eyes holding a fierce determination.
Grandpa Cian seized the moment, his gaze sweeping across the room, weighing on each face. He was a man who had seen it all, and now he was about to make a momentous announcement.
"Now, all of you know how one of my grandsons did something horrible," Grandpa Cian began, his voice carrying a blend of disappointment and authority. "I would not allow such a thief to remain within my company, let alone serve as its CEO."
The gravity of his words hung heavy in the room, and a collective hush descended as everyone braced for the inevitable verdict.
"I am kicking this man out," Grandpa Cian announced and continued, his tone unwavering, "and I would like to introduce you to your new CEO, Louis Heisenberg."
As the weight of the announcement settled in, some shareholders exchanged furtive glances, while others simply nodded in acceptance.
It was a momentous change of guard—the passing of the torch from one generation to the next.
"If anyone has any problem," Grandpa Cian stated, his gaze sweeping the room one last time, "they can surely cancel their contract with the company."
The room fell into a hushed silence as Grandpa Cian's words hung in the air. The shareholders, who had once been so vocal and confident, now found themselves contemplating the implications of his statement.
The mention of cancelling contracts with the company seemed to awaken a sense of uncertainty and doubt within their minds.
For years, they had trusted and relied on the leadership of the Heisengber family, but now, faced with this abrupt change, they were forced to question their loyalty.
No one dares say a word regarding this matter.
With that final proclamation, Grandpa Cian rose from his seat, the weight of his decision evident in the lines etched upon his face.
The shareholders who had been swayed by Alexander's bribes felt a surge of relief, believing the storm had passed.
But Grandpa Cian had one more decree to deliver, a reminder that left a heavy silence in its wake.
"Joshua," he said, directing his gaze towards the beleaguered assistant who had been involved in the bribery scandal, "the shareholders who were bribed will likely cancel their contracts. Remove them from the premises without any further ado. H&B will have no dealings with their companies in the future."
His words hung in the air, a stern reminder of the consequences of betrayal. The shareholders who had been influenced by Alexander's illicit offerings rushed forward in a futile attempt to apologize, but Grandpa Cian was already in motion.
With measured steps, he exited the room, his assistant in tow, and Louis, the newly appointed CEO, followed closely behind.
The shareholders, left to grapple with the ramifications of their choices, watched as the door closed behind them, sealing the fate of H&B and its uncertain future.
Both of them turned around and saw Ariana standing at the side with Jen. Verena guessed she must be her assistant now.
Araian raised an eyebrow at Verena, a hint of mockery in her tone. "I see you didn't defend us, Verena. Does your hate for us outweigh everything else?"
Verena's gaze narrowed, her lips curling into a sardonic smile. "Oh, Ariana," she began, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "It's not about hate; it's about priorities. And honestly, defending you isn't at the top of my list."
Verena's comment elicited a snort from her as she continued, "You should know better, Ariana."
Ariana's face flushed with anger, and she took two steps forward, seemingly intent on reaching Verena and delivering a slap. However, Jen standing next to her, shook her head subtly, stopping Ariana in her tracks.
Ariana followed her friend's gaze and noticed that people were beginning to look in their direction.
She quickly composed herself, putting on a sweet smile, and said, "You—you're out? Prison is a place people wouldn't make it alive, right?"
She added, "I'm sure your fellow inmates are still serving their time there, hehe." Ariana acted as if she hadn't just spilled the beans about Verena's past.
The people around them immediately turned their attention to Verena; curiosity piqued. They wanted to know if Verena was truly an ex-prisoner. The atmosphere grew tense as they awaited her response.
Verena didn't flinch; instead, she grinned confidently. "I think I'm lucky to be strong enough to fight till the end," she retorted, her words laced with sarcasm. "Not like someone who didn't even have the guts to cut a beautiful cake!"
Laughter erupted among the onlookers. Many of them had already taken a liking to Verena for her straightforward nature and how she effortlessly insulted the ex-influencer.
They had harboured resentment towards Ariana, especially after the controversial article that stirred up painful memories once again.
Mutterings spread through the crowd, condemning Ariana with words like "bitch" and expressing concerns about her influence on their children.
Someone even speculated that the murder case from many years ago, for which Verena had been imprisoned, might have been connected to Ariana in some way.
Suspicion fell on the Vandeleurs and other influential families, reigniting old grudges and accusations.
Ariana realised that she wasn't winning any popularity contests in the café, attempted to save face.
"You really have a sharp tongue, Verena," she affirmed, feigning nonchalance. "Anyway, have a nice day. I was just here to say hello, considering we used to be friends. I'll catch you another time."
With that, Ariana and her friend gracefully exited the café, leaving behind a crowd that was still buzzing with excitement and gossip.