Chapter 33 On A Leash
I could tell the boardroom was already poisoned before I stepped inside fully.
It wasn’t the temperature. The air conditioning hummed at its usual polite level, soft and controlled, but the cold came from somewhere deeper. It clung to the glass walls and the long, reflective table like a second skin.
I took my place at the head of the table but didn’t sit. Standing felt right, it felt like drawing a line.
My tablet was heavier than it should’ve been in my hands. I kept my face still, neutral, but my fingers betrayed me. They tightened just a fraction too much around the edges of the screen, a faint tremor pulsing through my grip.
But I didn’t speak, I wanted them to feel the silence stretch, I wanted it to crawl under their skin.
Across from me, Mark looked entirely too comfortable. He lounged back in his chair like this was his boardroom, like he was a man with nothing to fear. One ankle rested casually over his knee. His fingers tapped against the armrest—slow, deliberate, slightly off-beat, as if he enjoyed disrupting rhythms.
His suit was immaculate. Dark, tailored, expensive in a way that announced power without begging for attention. Even his tie was calculated—just dark enough to seem serious, just relaxed enough to feel untouchable.
I could say that he looked quite prepared.
That alone made my stomach tighten.
He’d made an executive move quietly without the press, internal alerts, or even the board vote. The Vale Corp’s Singapore subsidiary—one of our most sensitive international branches—had shifted hands overnight. Influence had been rerouted, authority reassigned and loyalty redirected.
It was the kind of maneuver that didn’t happen unless someone knew exactly which doors to knock on and which people to promise protection to.
Jack sat to my left, close enough that I could feel the tension rolling off him like heat. His face was composed, almost blank, but I knew him too well for that to fool me.
His hand rested beneath the table, fingers curled slightly, tight.
I inhaled, steadying myself, and opened my mouth—
The door creaked and every head turned.
Conrad Vale walked in like he owned the space. Because once, he had.
He wasn’t supposed to officially be here because he had “retired,” stepped back without ceremony and nothing about my father had ever been clean or final.
He didn’t look at me, he didn’t even acknowledge the sudden stiffness that rippled through the board members like a shockwave. He just walked to the far end of the table, the seat that used to be his and sat down like time hadn’t moved on without him.
My jaw tightened, heat flaring beneath my skin, but I didn’t flinch. I refused to give him that satisfaction.
“Interesting timing,” I murmured, my voice low but clear.
He didn’t respond, his silence alone was a statement.
I turned away from him before the familiar anger could root itself too deeply and focused on Mark. With a controlled motion, I slid the tablet across the glass table toward him. It stopped just short of his reach.
“Care to explain this?” I asked evenly.
Mark glanced down at the screen, barely a flicker of interest crossing his eyes. He didn’t pick it up.
“Sure,” he said easily. “Consolidation strategy. That branch has been bleeding money for months. I offered a restructuring plan and they accepted.”
“So you negotiated a high-level merger,” I said, my tone sharpening despite myself, “without consulting the board?”
His mouth curved—but not with a smile.
“Isn’t that how things are usually done around here?”
There it was, the challenge.
The implication that this company had never truly stopped being run from the shadows.
Jack shifted beside me. His gaze flicked, briefly, toward my father. Conrad’s expression hadn’t changed, but I caught it—the faintest crease in his brow. A micro-expression. Irritation? Calculation?
Guilt?
I was about to respond, to dismantle Mark’s confidence piece by piece—
When the door opened again.
My assistant stepped in, breathless, eyes wide with urgency. She crossed the room quickly and leaned in close, whispering into my ear. Her words sent a cold shock straight through my spine. She pressed something into my hand—a small USB drive.
I blinked once.
Then nodded.
I didn’t give myself time to overthink it. I turned to the table’s built-in display, inserted the drive, and pulled up the only file on it.
An audio clip.
My finger hovered for half a second.
Then I hit play.
Mia’s voice filled the room, distorted slightly but unmistakable.
“…Elena doesn’t know I’ve rerouted the data. Conrad wants to make sure he still has leverage if Jack doesn’t comply…”
Jack?
The silence that followed was violent.
It fell like a blade, sharp and absolute. Someone at the far end of the table exhaled too loudly, the sound brittle with shock.
Jack’s body went rigid beside me, every muscle locking at once. I didn’t look at him,
I just couldn’t.
My heart slammed painfully against my ribs, each beat loud enough to drown out my thoughts, but my face stayed composed.
Years of training and survival kicked in. I turned my glare on my father instead, daggers sharp enough to draw blood.
Conrad’s face flickered—confusion first, then something uglier. Guilt—recognition.
So it was true.
But what exactly were they talking about?
I’d known Mia was working for him but Jack’s name—that part didn’t make sense.
Mark leaned forward slightly, interest finally sparking in his eyes. “What’s that supposed to be?”
I didn’t answer because I didn't have one.
Jack said nothing.
Conrad remained silent too, but his fingers drummed slowly against the table, a measured rhythm that made my skin crawl. He was calculating.
I pulled the USB free and straightened. “I think,” I said carefully, “this meeting is over.”
Chairs scraped back immediately. Half the room obeyed without question. The other half hesitated, eyes darting between the three men still seated, hungry for whatever explosion they sensed was coming.
When the room finally emptied except Jack, only Conrad and Mark remained.
I faced them, but my gaze settled on my father. “You knew Mark was going to make that move and you approved it. You both crossed a line.”
“You shouldn’t say my name like I’m not here,” Mark cut in, irritation leaking through his smirk.
Conrad spoke before I could respond. “This is bigger than any one of us, Elena. You should remember that.”
I met his eyes. “I do remember. That’s why I’m not walking away from this.”
Then I turned and left.
Jack followed.
The hallway outside felt too narrow, the walls closing in. I stopped abruptly and spun around, anger finally cracking through the control I’d been clinging to.
“What was that about?” I demanded.
“What do you mean?” Jack asked, genuinely confused.
“That audio,” I hissed, stepping closer. “Your name was mentioned. Did my father ask you to work for him again? Tell me the truth.”
Jack ran a hand through his hair, frustration clear on his face. “No. I have no business with your father. And I don’t understand why my name was mentioned either.”
I searched his face desperately, looking for cracks, for tells. Lies had a way of announcing themselves if you knew where to look.
“Jack,” I said softly but dangerously, “if I find out you’re lying to me about anything—”
“I’m not,” he said immediately. “I promise.”
Something melted in me, I genuinely wanted to believe him.
My chest ached at the probability of betrayal and I only wanted to burn the whole place down to ash.
"Elena." Conrad called as he stepped out of the conference room.
Jack took the opportunity to excuse himself.
Conrad walked up to me but kept quite a considerable amount of distance between us.
"I wonder why you still concern yourself with meetings like this when you're supposed to be 'retired'." I said with defiance.
He chuckled softly. "It's still my company, my legacy."
I wanted to roll my eyes. "What do you want?"
"I can understand many things but the reason why you've chosen to rebel against me. But despite how revolting it is to watch, it's a little fun too." He chuckled dryly. "I guess you know by now that Mark is your half brother..."
My chest tightened. "Why did you keep his existence a secret all these years, may I ask?"
"You shouldn't concern yourself with my reasons, Elena. But I'll tell what, Mark is the son of a woman—my mistress whose name should never be spoken of. But you should know that I had to make a difficult choice at the time because if the world had known about his existence, Vale Corp wouldn't be where it is today..." He smiled proudly.
I clasped my eyes shut trying to control my emotions. "So, you chose the company over your own son?"
He shrugged. "Vale Corp comes first, I would have done the same if it were you."
My heart skipped.
He walked past me with the deliberate move of an old man before he stopped behind me.
"Come home tomorrow for a family dinner—just me, you and your half brother, don't bring your tattooed husband." He sucked in a breath. "I figured we need to bond over those random dinners once in a while..."
I scoffed, when were we ever family?
I turned to look at him. "And if I refuse?"
He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "I wasn't asking, Elena."
I felt my blood boil but I clutched my tablet so hard to keep myself grounded.
"Besides, I intend to strip you off your executive position in the company if ever you decide to disobey me again." He said with a slight tilt of his head.
"W-What?" My voice cracked.
"And you already know that I don't make empty threats. See you tomorrow." He said and walked away.
And yeah, I think a cat got my tongue.