Chapter 48

Chapter 48
Joanna's POV

Tuesday night, I sat alone in my room at Sebastian's mansion, staring at my phone screen. The latest news alert glowed ominously: [King Enterprises Protests Escalate, Calls for Judicial Investigation Mount.]

My heart raced, fingers trembling slightly as I scrolled through the article. The words "potential criminal charges" and "embezzlement investigation" jumped out at me like accusations.

'Sebastian, things are getting worse. Everyone's saying you might face a judicial investigation, maybe even jail time. Why aren't you doing anything? Why won't you calm the public, return the money to those residents? What are you thinking?'

I bit my lip hard enough to hurt, then dialed Zayne's number. My voice came out low and urgent when he answered.

"Zayne, what do we do now? Sebastian doesn't seem to be planning to calm the media or return the money to those residents. If this continues, he'll really face a judicial investigation, maybe even jail!"

My eyes burned with unshed tears. 'I only wanted to help those elderly people. But if Sebastian goes to jail because of this... '

Zayne's voice came through the speaker, as smooth and composed as ever. "Joanna, don't worry, it's going to be fine. If Sebastian really faces a judicial investigation, I'll ask my grandfather to bail him out. Then I'll take over the company and make sure those residents get their compensation. No one will lose out."

I froze, frowning at his words. "Take over the company? Zayne, what do you mean?"

A brief silence fell over the line before Zayne laughed lightly. "Oh, nothing serious. Just assisting with management, you know? If Sebastian gets into trouble, someone has to temporarily take care of things. I'll keep trying to convince him to resolve this properly."

My chest tightened. 'Assisting with management? But you clearly said "take over the company," and your tone wasn't joking. Zayne, what are you really thinking? Are you genuinely trying to help Sebastian, or... do you have other plans?'

My palm grew sweaty against the phone.

"Joanna, Joanna," Zayne's voice carried that unique casual tone, as if we were just discussing a lunch menu. "You always overthink things. Business language is just like that—sometimes the expressions come across as a bit harsh."

"Fine," I finally compromised, though my instincts told me things weren't that simple. "I believe you're doing this for his benefit."

"Joanna, don't overthink this," Zayne replied, his tone still gentle. "You've done nothing wrong. Sebastian is the one at fault. I'll handle everything—just take care of yourself for now."

I hung up, but unease lingered. Those four words—"take over the company"—stuck like a thorn in my heart.

---

Wednesday morning, I walked into the company building. The protest crowd outside hadn't dispersed—if anything, it had grown more tense than the previous days.

I kept my head down, hurrying through the entrance, my inner voice racing: 'Sebastian, it's the third day now. What will you do?'

I had barely reached my desk when Nolan approached me, his expression cold and professional. "Miss Bennett, Mr. King is holding a press conference. You're responsible for preparing the venue and contacting the invited reporters to ensure they arrive on time."

I stared at him, momentarily stunned. 'A press conference? Sebastian is finally facing the media? Is he going to apologize? Will he return the money to the residents?'

I nodded and immediately began the preparations, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders.

'Sebastian, you're finally taking action. If you apologize at the press conference and return the money to those residents, maybe everything can still be resolved. And maybe... maybe I won't feel so guilty anymore.'

As I contacted reporters and arranged the venue, a tiny flicker of hope burned in my chest.

---

By afternoon, the conference room was ready. Reporters filed in one by one, setting up cameras and microphones, the air thick with anticipation. I stood in the corner, checking that everything was in place, my mind racing.

I spotted Sebastian entering through the side door, dressed in a dark suit, his face expressionless, eyes cold yet carrying a strangely calm determination.

My heart clenched at the sight of him.

I retreated to the back of the room, watching nervously as Sebastian approached the podium, his posture rigid and commanding despite the chaos surrounding his company.

---

The press conference began. Sebastian stood at the podium facing reporters and cameras, his voice deep and solemn.

"First, on behalf of King Enterprises, I want to apologize to everyone concerned about the Bronx relocation issue. Due to internal company conflicts, certain information was leaked, causing widespread concern and misunderstanding. Today, I want to set the record straight."

I stood at the back of the room, my heart racing. My palms were slick with sweat as I waited for his next words.

Sebastian paused, his gaze sweeping across the room before his tone suddenly shifted, turning cold. "However, I must clarify that King Enterprises has not embezzled any compensation funds."

I froze in shock. 'What? No embezzlement? Sebastian, what are you saying?'

The room erupted in murmurs. Reporters raised their hands, shouting questions as camera flashes went off in rapid succession. Sebastian remained impassive, his hands gripping the edges of the podium, his eyes hard and determined.

I stared at him, feeling like the floor had dropped from beneath my feet. The hope I'd felt minutes ago vanished, replaced by confusion and dread.

'Sebastian... what game are you playing?'