Chapter 258

At the same time, the light was still on in the study at the York Villa.

Cedric sat behind his desk. The ashtray in front of him held four or five crushed cigarette butts.

He'd barely smoked since the injury. Tonight was an exception.

Through the haze of smoke, his face was half in shadow, brow knotted tight.

He stared at the scattered documents on his desk, eyes narrowed, replaying every detail over and over in his mind.

Every step had been meticulously designed. Interlocking. Airtight.

If Leon had orchestrated all of this, how had he gotten Jason to do his bidding?

When Jason was fired, Leon had voted in favor of the termination.

By all logic, Jason should have hated him.

A thought flashed through Cedric's mind. His pupils contracted. He looked sharply at the files.

Unless Jason's firing had been Leon's plan all along.

Push him out first, then recruit him. That way, Jason wouldn't resent him—he'd be grateful for the lifeline.

Cedric crushed out his cigarette and rubbed his temples.

One question still nagged at him.

Why would Leon do any of this?

The man was in his sixties. He held the vice chairmanship. His annual dividends were obscene. His son ran a business overseas. Life was comfortable.

What reason would he have to risk everything?

Unless what he wanted wasn't money.

Cedric closed his eyes. A line Cody had once said surfaced in his memory.

"Leon is capable and ambitious, but he's petty. When I passed him over for CEO all those years ago, he said he didn't mind. He's held that grudge for over a decade."

Cedric's eyes snapped open.

What if Leon's goal had never been money—but control of the York Group itself?

The thought hit him like a shockwave. The more he considered it, the more plausible it became.

Leon had been embedded in the York Group for thirty years. His roots ran deep. At least a third of the board members owed their positions to him.

If he truly wanted to seize power, all he needed was the right opportunity.

And that opportunity was dismantling Cedric and Katniss's hold on the company.

Once they were out, Leon—as the largest remaining shareholder—could step in seamlessly.

The realization crystallized.

Cedric picked up his phone, found the PI's number, and sent a message: [Leon's offshore accounts. Can you trace them?]

Ten minutes later, a reply: [Extremely difficult. But I can try. Give me three days.]

---

The next day, Cody was discharged.

He was supposed to stay another week, but the old man was stubborn—refused point-blank, insisting that if he stayed any longer he'd develop new ailments out of sheer boredom.

The doctor couldn't argue him down, so he signed the release papers, rattled off a list of instructions, and let him go.

Back at the York Villa, Cody settled into his chair in the living room, looked around, and frowned. "Where's Cedric?"

The housekeeper answered quickly. "Mr. Cedric York is at the office. He said he'll be back for dinner."

"And Katniss?"

The housekeeper hesitated. "Mrs. York... has been staying elsewhere recently."

Cody's expression darkened. He was silent for a few seconds, then spoke to the housekeeper. "Take me to the office."

"Mr. Cody York, you just got out of the hospital—"

"I said take me to the office."

Cody's voice was quiet but carried absolute authority.

The housekeeper didn't dare argue. She wheeled him out the door.

When the car pulled up to the York Group headquarters, the receptionist nearly jumped out of her seat. "Mr. Cody York, what are you doing here?"

"What floor is Cedric on?"

"He's... in the conference room."

Cody nodded and gestured for the housekeeper to wheel him to the elevator.

The conference room door swung open. Inside, the quarterly review was in progress.

Seven or eight department heads sat around the long table. One stood at the projection screen, mid-presentation.

Cedric sat at the head of the table. At the sound of the door, every head turned in unison.

When they saw Cody in his wheelchair at the threshold, the room went silent for two seconds. Then everyone rose to their feet.

"Grandpa?"

Surprise filled Cedric's eyes. He stood and crossed the room quickly.

"What are you doing here? You just got discharged. You should be resting—"

"Everyone out."

Cody ignored him, his gaze sweeping over the others in the room.

They exchanged uneasy glances, gathered their things, and filed out one by one. The last person pulled the door shut behind them.

Only the two of them remained.

Cody wheeled himself to the head of the table, then looked up at Cedric.

"Tell me. Why did Katniss move out?"

Cedric lowered his eyes. Said nothing.

"I'm asking you a question."

Cody's voice sharpened.

"We had a disagreement."

"What kind of disagreement?"

Cedric was silent for a long time before answering. "She thinks I don't trust her. That I've been monitoring her."

"And have you?"

Cedric's mouth opened. He didn't deny it.

Cody stared at him, then snatched a binder off the table and hurled it at his head.

It struck Cedric's shoulder. Papers scattered across the floor.

"You ungrateful fool!"

Cody's hand was shaking. His voice was shaking.

"What did I tell you the other day? I told you to treat her better! And what have you done?"

Cedric didn't flinch. He stood motionless, letting the pages settle around his feet.

"I'm sorry, Grandpa."

"Sorry doesn't mean a damn thing!"

Cody's chest heaved with fury.

"If you drive Katniss away, I'll donate the entire York Group to charity. Every last cent. Don't think I won't."

Cedric slowly crouched down, one knee on the floor, meeting Cody's eyes at level.

His eyes stung. His voice came out rough. "Grandpa, I know I was wrong. But I honestly don't know what to do."

Cody looked at his reddened eyes. Some of the anger ebbed, though his face remained stern.

"Then figure it out! You're a grown man who can't even keep his own wife. What good are you?"

Cedric dropped his gaze to the scattered papers on the floor. The silence stretched.

"Grandpa, something's off with Katniss lately."

He looked up, his eyes heavy with conflicting emotions.

"She's been going out constantly. Won't tell me where. She visited Lillian at the detention center without saying a word. I think she's investigating something, but she refuses to let me in."

Cody's eyes narrowed. "Investigating what?"

"I don't know."

Cedric let out a bitter laugh.

"She doesn't trust me anymore. She'd rather put herself at risk than let me help. Grandpa, between us... there's no trust left."