Revenge

Chapter 127: Revenge

GREG EVANS

I had never been the responsible one. That was John. He carried the weight of our family, made the tough decisions, and protected everyone. And now, he was gone.

Murdered.

I sat in my office with a glass of whiskey, staring at nothing. The world hadn’t stopped for him. Cars still moved, people still laughed, businesses still thrived. But for us—for Mia, for Cecilia, for me, our world had turned upside down.

I had failed him.

I should have been there. I should have done more as the first son. Instead, I spent years being the reckless one, the selfish one, while John carried everything alone. He never asked for help, and I never offered.

Now, it was too late.

I downed the rest of my drink, slamming the glass on the desk.

I couldn’t bring John back. But I could make sure his family—our family, was taken care of and I would make sure whoever did this paid for it in full.

I grabbed my coat. There was work to do.

The Evans estate felt different without John. It felt cold and empty, everyone was in mourning.

When I walked into the living room, Mia was curled up on the couch, staring at nothing. Cecilia sat beside her, her hand resting on Mia’s, but she looked just as lost.

Neither of them noticed me at first. I wasn’t used to that. Usually, when I walked into a room, people turned. They laughed, rolled their eyes, expected some kind of trouble. But now? I might as well have been a shadow.

I cleared my throat. "Mia."

She didn’t move.

I sighed and sat across from her. "I know nothing I say will make this better. But you’re not alone, kid. I’m here. And I’m not going anywhere." I moved to touch her, “we're not going anywhere.”

She flinched slightly, but didn’t speak.

Cecilia gave me a weak smile. "I'm glad you're becoming a better man. You're stepping up."

"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" I exhaled. "John always had everything under control. Now… it’s on me."

Mia finally looked at me. Her eyes were red, swollen. "I don’t know how to do this."

"You don’t have to," I said softly. "Not alone."

She hesitated, then leaned forward and wrapped her arms around me. I wasn’t used to this kind of thing, but I held her tight. She had lost her father. I had lost my brother. We were grieving.

“We'll need to start planning his funeral but that would be when we're emotionally ready to let go.” I said, as she pulled away from me.

Mia sniffed, “Marvin said he'll be home soon, maybe when he gets back we can start the funeral arrangements.”

“That sounds like a plan.” Cecilia muttered.

“I'll have to go to interactive imagination to calm the shareholders down and hold the fort.” I said standing up.

Cecilia smiled, “that's good, I trust you can handle everything. I'll take care of the house while you're gone.”

The boardroom was eerily silent as I entered. Every board member sat stiffly in their seats, their gazes cautious, their expressions unreadable.

John’s absence loomed over the room like a ghost.

I stood at the head of the table and rested my hands on the polished wood. "I’ll make this quick," I said, my voice steady. "Until everything is sorted, I will be acting CEO of Evans Corporation."

A murmur spread through the room. Some looked relieved. Others, skeptical.

"Greg," one of the senior members, started, "this is a difficult time, but are you sure…"

"Yes," I cut him off. "I know I haven’t been involved in the company the way John was. But I won’t let his work fall apart. Evans Corporation will remain stable. The stock will remain steady. And I will personally see to it that John’s vision continues."

There was silence and I started to think they would start to disagree but one of them nodded, then another nodded. Until, one by one, they all agreed.

"Now," I continued, "we need to address the public. I’ll handle the press conference personally. We can’t let rumors about the company’s stability spread."

There were no objections. No one else wanted to face the media. The meeting ended, and I walked out, feeling the weight settle on my shoulders. John had spent his whole life carrying this burden. It was my turn now and I'll make sure I don't disappoint him and dad.

I stood in front of the cameras, reporters buzzing with questions, their pens ready to twist every word I said.

I adjusted my tie and faced them head-on. "As many of you know, John Evans, my brother and the CEO of Evans Corporation, was tragically taken from us. His loss is devastating, not just for our family, but for the company and its employees."

Flashes went off but I didn’t blink, I needed to focus, one wrong word and everything might go wrong.

"Let me be clear," I continued, "Evans Corporation is not falling apart. My father built a legacy, passed it on to my brother and I will ensure that legacy stands. As acting CEO, I will oversee all operations and maintain the stability of this company."

A reporter raised her hand. "Mr. Evans, do you believe his murder was business-related?"

I met her gaze. "I believe my brother was targeted, and I trust law enforcement to do their job. Right now, my priority is ensuring his family and this company are protected."

They all started to murmur but I didn't care, I had said all I needed to.

"That’s all for now," I finished, walking off before they could pry further.

Back at my brother's office, I stared at the whiskey bottle but didn’t pour a drink. John was dead, and I didn’t just want justice. I wanted revenge.

Whoever did this was going to pay.

I pulled out my phone and dialed.

"We need to talk," I said.

The man on the other end hesitated. "About what?"

"About who killed my brother," I said, my voice cold. "And how we’re going to bring them down."