Chapter 113

A single phone call shattered Liliana's illusion. Her hand remained suspended in

mid-air, her face a placid mask as she watched him.

"Eat this. I have some work to take care of," Cedric said, noticing her strange expression but assuming she was still worried about Hale. He shoved his phone into his pocket, gave her one last look, and then turned and left.

The front door closed, and the sound of his hurried footsteps faded as he got into his car and sped off, rushing to the side of another woman who needed him.

The stove was still on. The noodles had turned into a pot of gluey mush, bubbling thick and slow. Liliana turned off the burner without taking a single bite and walked upstairs.

A bitter, ironic smile touched her lips, a smile directed at herself.

How could she have been so foolish as to think Cedric could be a good husband, someone who would listen to her fears and worries? He had made one simple bowl of noodles, and she had let herself fall right back into the trap.

***

At Zephyr Group, the shareholders were a divided bunch. Only half of them were truly loyal to Cedric. Sylvia, who had been promoted entirely by him, was a major point of contention. Now, the dissenting shareholders were banding together, demanding her dismissal.

The situation had escalated quickly. A crowd of reporters was camped outside the company headquarters, broadcasting live.

Cedric's car bypassed the media circus, heading straight for the underground garage where Timothy was waiting by the elevator.

"What's the situation?" Cedric asked as he strode toward him.

"The shareholders are arguing that Vice President Woods is unprofessional," Timothy reported as the elevator doors closed. "They say treating her resignation like a joke proves she's not fit for her position. They want her out."

The elevator ascended, the small space thick with tension. Cedric adjusted his cufflinks, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"They've got a lot of nerve."

Timothy stood behind him, head bowed respectfully. His report was finished. Recently, because of the situation with his wife, Mr. Forrest's temper had been on a short fuse. This time, those shareholders had picked the wrong fight.

The elevator opened, and they went straight to the boardroom. The first thing Cedric saw was Sylvia,

standing off to the side. She wasnet

dressed in a chic beige suit, but she looked cornered, surrounded by group of older men, her composure held together by sheer force of will.

The moment she saw Cedric, her eyes reddened.

"Ah, Mr. Forrest, you're here," said Shareholder Lockwood, the ringleader of the opposition, speaking with an air of smug authority. "We've already voted. The majority supports the dismissal of Vice President Woods, so..."

in this company,

"You hold stock in

which entitles you to dividends. That's it," Cedric cut him off, his voice like ice. "Company operations are nobyour concern anyone i unhappy with that arrangement, they are free to surrender their shares."

He gave the old guard no face at all. In the two years since he'd taken over, they had found plenty to

complain about, but he had made them so much mone

that they

never had a real opening to

challenge him. This was the first

time.

It became instantly clear to them that Cedric was not his father, Stoddard Forrest.

He was far more ruthless in both his methods and his temper.

The words "surrender their shares" fell like a stone, plunging the boardroom into a dead silence. The dividends ranged from millions to hundreds of millions. Who would be foolish enough to give that up?

"Anything else to add?" Cedric's cold gaze swept across the room.

"No... nothing," someone muttered.

Lockwood remained silent, his face grim, as others quickly chimed in.

"We just hope Vice President Woods will take her responsibilities more seriously in the future."

"Yes, if this happens again, we'll have to..."

Cedric ignored their blustering. He shot a final, meaningful look at Lockwood, then turned and walked out. As he passed Sylvia, he said, "You're with me."

Sylvia followed without hesitation, her heart soaring. The man striding ahead of her down the brightly lit corridor was tall and powerful.