Chapter 118. Stab on the table

Chapter 118. Stab on the table
The boardroom was very calm. Still still. Vera sat on the head of the long mahogany table, Raymond was locked in a place like her wheelchair steel throne. Around them, members of the Andrace Board shifted to their seats, their eyes becoming overwhelmed with doubt, greed and unspecified alliances.

The message of the previous night is still echoing in Vera's mind- "Enjoy your little victory. It will be your last." She was barely sleeping, yet here she was facing a sea of men and women who once vowed loyalty to the family, but now the injured looked like a vulture.

One of the old members cleaned his throat. "Mrs. Vera Andres, I believe you have called this meeting. Is it so important?"

Vera's gaze swept over them, stable and sharp. "You all know why. Documents have come out - forged by Francis and Diana to destroy me.

A gambling rips through the room. Some avoided his eyes. Others exchanged heavy glimpses with doubts.

Raymond's voice cut through noise, low but commanding. "Those documents were proved fake. Francis and Diana manipulated this company, this family. Still some of you are still clinging to their lies. Why?"

At the distant end, a young man, Julian, bent back to his chair, folded the weapon. "Whether there is a lie or not, the world saw those papers. Investors saw them. And when you can clean Vera's name internally, his reputation outside these walls has already been broken."

Vera's hands entered the fist under the table. "And whose fault is it, Julian? Ours - or people who remain silent when the poison spreads?"

Julian's smile stuttered, but before he could answer, cut another voice. "Sufficient."

This came from Helena Andres, Raymond's cousin, a woman whose loyalty was always difficult to measure. He adjusted his glasses and talked to Cool. "We all know what Francis and Diana are able to do. But if Vera wants to catch her position, she must prove herself - not only for us, but for the world. Otherwise, this company will fall under the weight of her scams."

Vera met her cousin's gaze, she caught fire in her chest. "And I will prove myself. But I will not bend ghosts who tried to destroy me."

The board resonates again, the voice arises, the arguments are overlapping. Raymond grounded her and placed her hand on Vera's hand. He put his strength with his touch, even the room felt that it was leaning against him.

Then the doors opened.

Every head turned.

Went to Juliet, clicking against his heel polish floor. He drove a folder under his arm and wore a smile on Vera's stomach.

"What is she doing here?" Raymond demanded.

Juliet ignored her, her eyes were fixed on Vera. "I am here because some of your board members have invited me."

The gaps spread around the table.

Vera woke up on her feet, boiling fury. "Do you dare to step into this room?"

Juliet's smile widened as soon as he set the folder on the table. "I dare because I was asked and because I will change everything I have."

He opened the folder, spread photos on the table. Each one showed Vera -different time from different angles. To enter the clinic. Meeting with a doctor. Catching the results of DNA testing.

The board whispers.

Vera froze, her stomach fell.

Juliet exploited the last photo, showing Vera holding the seal envelope. "Your successor orders secret DNA tests behind her husband's back. What does she say about her trust? What does she say about her loyalty?"

Vera's chest tightened. "You followed me."

Juliet's eyes shone. "Of course. And I have a complete report. What happens when the world finds out that Vera Andres had suspected her child's father? She believed that Francis could be a true successor with all?"

Raymond's chair slammed his hand against the table. "That’s enough!"

But the damage was done. The board members were whispering frighteningly, their suspicion was now burning like a fire.

Helena bowed forward, her voice calm but sharp. "Is this true, Vera? Did you order that test?"

Vera's throat looked dry. She wanted to shout, to deny it all. But she cannot lie - not now, not now.

"Yes," he admitted, his voice breaking. "I did. Because I needed the truth. Because Francis took everything from me, even my body. And I had to know for my child, for myself, for myself, my child too."

The whispers increased loudly, some frightened, others victorious.

Julian gently nodded his head. "So this is true. You suspected Raymond. You suspected this family."

Vera's fist trembled on her sides. "I suspected Francis. I suspected Juliet. And I was right, because the results proved that the children are Raymond. Not Francis."

Raymond arrived for his hand. "She is telling the truth."

But Juliet smiled only sweetly. "Then why didn't you share those results with us? Surely you kept the proof."

Vera's breath was caught. He left the papers at home, locked in his drawer. He did not bring them, thinking that he had no need.

Juliet's grin wide in her silence. "that's what I thought."

The board burst again, voices collided like thunder. Some shouted to remove her, others argued for evidence.

Raymond's face became dark, but Vera saw an injury to her eyes- on the fact that Juliet had planted seeds of suspicion, hurt that her personal fears were now public weapons.

Juliet bowed closely, whispering that only Vera could hear. "You see? It doesn't matter what is true. What do they mean by what they believe? And right now, they believe in me."

Vera's nails dug into her palms. She wanted to separate Juliet, once and to end her poisonous games for all. But he forced himself to stand long, cutting his voice through chaos.

"I don't need to prove my ability for false people. I will bring results. I will show you the truth. And when I do, each one of you doubts me."

His words calmed the room for heartbeat, sharp and heavy.

Then Helena spoke again, her tone cool. "Till then, we vote. Does Vera stay the successor - or do we suspend him until further evidence is given?"

The members of the board shifted to look at each other. Hands started rising.

Raymond's jaw was held, his eyes were burning with anger. In Vera's heart, each raised hand looked like a knife.

And then-

The light slipped.

The screen turned black with the wall.

A new image filled the room- Frankis. His face, alive and smiling cruelty.

The board started gasping. Juliet's smile disappeared.

"Good morning, family," Francis's voice was drawn through speakers. "Do you miss me?"

Vera's blood cooled down.