Chapter 115: The Man Behind Piva

\-Celeste-

My hands were cold beneath the table. I kept them folded together so no one would notice how badly they were trembling.

Across the boardroom, the latest shareholder figures sat on the screen.

Piva Holdings had reached the required voting threshold and Vaughn Capital had been pushed back.

Piva had acquired enough voting power to become the strongest force in the room.

The board chairman cleared his throat.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Piva Holdings has formally requested representation on the board.”

My heart pounded.

“Who is the CEO?” one of the directors asked.

The chairman glanced toward the door. “He will be joining us shortly.”

I stared at the closed doors.  Something about the way he said it made my stomach tighten.

All I could think of was his mission. Why was he trying to buy out Ashford Group? All I could think of was my fate.

The room fell silent.

And I waited. I waited for what felt like an eternity.

Then the doors swung open.

Lucien walked in.

And I stopped breathing.

He looked too calm as he walked into the room like he belonged there.

I didn't know this man.

The man who had spent the past several days watching me fight to keep Ashford Group from being taken away.

The man who had known exactly what was happening.

He didn't even look at me. He cleared his throat and spoke directly to the room.

“Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Lucien Blackwell, CEO of Piva Holdings.”

The room filled with murmurs.

I stared at him.

No. There was no way.

Finally, he looked directly at me, and something in his expression softened.

“Celeste.”

I couldn't speak.

Before I could process what was happening, another screen lit up at the side of the room.

A breaking business report appeared.

ECHELON PROPERTIES ANNOUNCES NEW CEO AND OWNER, LUCIEN BLACKWELL.

The room erupted in whispers, but I barely heard them because my eyes remained fixed on him trying to process everything at once.

He had been buying shares. He was the owner of Echelon. That meant Jackson worked for him. Not the other way around.

And he had told me nothing.

The chairman called the meeting to order again and Lucien took his seat.

“I want to make something clear,” he said.

Everyone quieted.

“Piva Holdings has no intention of removing Celeste Ashford from her position.”

My head snapped toward him.

He continued. “She remains the president of Ashford Group. Our interest is protecting the company from being taken over by parties whose intentions are not aligned with its long-term stability.”

A director frowned. “And will Piva support her leadership?”

“Yes.” The answer came without hesitation.

I should have felt relieved. Instead, anger burned through me. Because none of this changed the fact that he had kept me in the dark.

The rest of the meeting passed in a blur.

Figures were discussed. Voting rights were clarified. The board questioned Piva's intentions.

I barely heard any of it. All. I could only think about the man sitting across from me.

When the meeting finally ended, I stood before he could approach me.

“Don't.”

He stopped.

And I walked out. The last thing I wanted to do was converse with him.

I heard him following me.

“Celeste.”

I kept walking until I reached the elevator and pressed the button repeatedly.

The doors opened and I stepped inside. He arrived just as they closed while I stared at it shutting between us.

I needed air.

I needed to get out of here. The elevator went down to the underground parking garage.

By the time I reached my car, I heard footsteps behind me.

“Celeste, wait.”

I turned.

“What?!”

Lucien stopped several feet away. “Let me explain—”

“You had plenty of opportunities to explain.”

“I was trying to protect you.”

“By lying to me?”

“I didn't lie.”

“You hid it!” My voice echoed through the garage. “You watched me panic while I tried to stop Vaughn and Piva from taking my company, knowing the entire time that you were behind Piva.”

“I was trying to prevent them from gaining control—”

“You should have told me!” I snapped.

“I couldn't.”

“Why?” I said, fighting back tears.

He hesitated. “Because I didn't want anyone to stop. I didn't know who to trust.”

I stared at him. “And apparently, that included me.”

His expression tightened. “That isn't what I meant.”

“It is exactly what you meant.”

He stepped closer. “I wanted you to remain president.”

I shook my head between sobs. “That doesn't make this okay.”

“I never intended to take Ashford from you—”

“Then why didn't you tell your wife?” I said, meeting his gaze.

He had no immediate answer.

My eyes burned.

“Before leading Ashford… I was your wife.”

“I know.”

“No, you don't.”

I shook my head.

“You don't understand what it feels like to discover that your husband has been secretly acquiring enough power to control your company while you're standing in a boardroom fighting for your life.”

“I did it because I knew what was coming.”

“And you decided I didn't deserve to know—”

“I decided I needed to keep you safe—”

“Stop saying that!”

My voice broke. “I am not something you can protect by making every decision for me.”

He stepped closer. “I was trying to make sure you kept everything you fought for.”

“And I would have rather fought beside you than find out you were standing behind me.”

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then I heard footsteps.

His expression changed. He turned.

Three men emerged from between the parked cars and walked toward us.

“Stay behind me.”

I barely had time to react before one of them lunged.

Lucien shoved me aside and struck him hard enough to send him stumbling backward.

Another man came from the side. Lucien blocked the first blow, then drove his elbow into the man's chest.

“Run!” he shouted.

I turned toward the elevator, but before I could reach it, a hand grabbed my arm.

I screamed.

Lucien spun around. “Celeste!”

He rushed toward me, but another man struck him across the head.

He staggered.

Blood appeared at his temple. “Lucien!”

I fought against the arm holding me, but the man dragged me backward.

Lucien tried to stand.

He stumbled toward us.“Let her go!”

The man holding me tightened his grip.

The last thing I saw was Lucien falling to one knee as another blow struck him.

A van rushed to us, the doors opened, and I was dragged inside.

I screamed his name as the doors slammed shut.

Before I could think, someone draped a cloth over my head…

And everything went black.