Chapter 50

Chapter 50
Sebastian's POV

The moment I accused Zayne, the conference room erupted into chaos. Camera flashes intensified, lighting up the room like strobe lights at a nightclub. Reporters jabbed their microphones forward, shouting questions over each other. The noise grew to a deafening roar.

I stood at the podium, unmoved by the pandemonium I'd unleashed.

My gaze locked on Zayne, whose face had drained of all color. His eyes darted around wildly, like a cornered animal searching for escape.

'Not so smug now, are you, brother?' I thought, satisfaction flowing through me like warm whiskey.

Father leaned over to whisper something to Zayne, his brow furrowed in concern.

Grandfather suddenly pushed himself to his feet, his cane striking the floor with a sharp crack that momentarily cut through the noise. His face contorted with rage as he bellowed, "ENOUGH!"

The room fell silent for a brief moment before erupting again. Grandfather's eyes, icy and commanding, swept across the crowd before landing on me. The disappointment in them was palpable, but for once, it didn't affect me.

"Nolan," Grandfather growled, "get all these reporters and everyone else out of here. NOW!"

Nolan stood at the side of the room, looking uncertainly between Grandfather and me. His eyes asked the question his lips didn't dare form.

I let out a cold laugh, slowly walking toward Grandfather. The clicking of cameras followed my every step.

"What's wrong, Grandfather?" I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Afraid of airing our dirty laundry in public? You didn't seem concerned about that when everyone was busy crucifying me."

Grandfather's face darkened further, his knuckles white around his cane. He slammed it against the floor again. "I will handle this matter, but first, get these people out!"

I held his gaze for several seconds, a mirthless smile playing on my lips.

---

After a moment of tense silence, I threw my head back and laughed. The sound echoed through the room, hollow and mocking. Reporters exchanged glances, clearly unsure how to interpret this unexpected reaction.

Grandfather's expression hardened, a muscle twitching in his jaw. Father shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Even Karen looked up momentarily, alarm flashing across her face.

Fine. Let them clear the room. I wanted to see just how far they'd go to protect their golden boy now.

I abruptly cut off my laughter. "Nolan!" My voice sliced through the tension like a blade.

Nolan nodded immediately, signaling to the security team. They moved with practiced efficiency, ushering the protesting media personnel toward the exits. Cameras continued flashing until the last reporter was escorted out, their shouted questions fading into the hallway.

When the doors finally closed, leaving only my family and Joanna in the conference room, I sat down with deliberate slowness. I crossed one leg over the other, resting my interlaced fingers on my knee.

My gaze traveled from Grandfather to Father, then to Karen, and finally settled on Zayne.

"Well," I said, my voice low and dripping with disdain. "How are you going to handle your precious Zayne now, Grandfather?"

Grandfather stood rigid, leaning on his cane, his face ashen with barely contained fury. Father's brow furrowed deeply as he glanced between Zayne and me. Karen kept her eyes downcast, suddenly fascinated by an invisible thread on her skirt.

'You've always taken his side,' I thought, watching them all squirm. 'Let's see you justify this. The evidence is right in front of you—will you still choose to be blind?'

---

Zayne shot to his feet, his hands spread in a gesture of innocence that made my stomach turn.

"Sebastian, you've got it all wrong!" His voice cracked with manufactured sincerity. "I honestly thought you were embezzling funds! I was trying to protect the company—protect our family name!" His eyes, wide and earnest, could have fooled anyone who didn't know better.

Father cleared his throat, his expression softening as he looked at Zayne. "Sebastian, I'm sure Zayne didn't mean any harm. He's just... overzealous about doing the right thing. Perhaps he acted impulsively."

"Exactly," Karen chimed in, her voice honey-sweet and utterly false. "Zayne has always been so principled. He wouldn't deliberately try to hurt you. It must be a misunderstanding."

I stared at them, letting the silence stretch uncomfortably. A cold smile spread across my face as I watched this pathetic performance unfold. They were so predictable it was almost boring.

"Principled?" I finally repeated, my voice razor-sharp. "Is that what we're calling it now? If he was so concerned about company ethics, why not bring his suspicions to me directly? Or take them to the board?" I leaned forward slightly. "Instead, he leaked manipulated information to the press and orchestrated a public takedown. Very principled indeed."

My gaze shifted to the corner of the room where Joanna stood.

'Joanna and Zayne—what a team you made.'

Joanna took a hesitant step forward, her hands trembling slightly at her sides. The confidence she'd shown in our previous encounters had evaporated completely.

"Sebastian, I'm sorry," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I never meant to hurt you. I was just trying to help those residents. I didn't know what would happen."

I studied her, taking in the pallor of her skin, the slight quiver of her lower lip. Something inside me twisted painfully, but I pushed it away. This wasn't the time for weakness.

"Don't worry about it," I replied, my tone deceptively light. "You and Zayne are both such upstanding citizens, after all."

Confusion flickered across her face, followed quickly by panic.

Grandfather slammed his cane down again, his face contorted with anger. "That's enough!" He turned his glare on me. "Sebastian, I will deal with Zayne appropriately. This matter ends here."

Father jumped in immediately. "Dad, you can't be too harsh on Zayne. He just graduated college—he's still learning how things work in the real world. He made a mistake."

I turned to face my father, the pain in my chest sharp and familiar.

'Of course. You always defend him. Even when he tried to destroy me, you're still making excuses.'

"A mistake?" I echoed, my voice dangerously soft. "Is that what we're calling deliberate sabotage now?"

I stood up slowly, my gaze sweeping over each member of my family. The room seemed to grow colder with each passing second.

"Since you're all so eager to protect him," I said, each word precise and cutting, "I'll make this simple. Zayne stays away from my company. That's non-negotiable." I looked directly at Grandfather. "And from now on, my business decisions are mine alone. No interference."

Grandfather gripped his cane tightly, his expression unreadable. "Sebastian, is this really how you want things to be?"

"You made that decision long ago," I replied coldly. "Don't blame me for finally accepting it."

Father looked like he wanted to speak, but something in my expression silenced him. Karen kept her gaze fixed firmly on the floor.

I turned abruptly, striding across the room to where Joanna stood frozen. Without hesitation, I grabbed her wrist, my fingers closing around it like a vise. She gasped softly but didn't resist as I pulled her toward the door.

I didn't look back as I dragged her from the conference room, leaving my family in stunned silence. The weight of decades of disappointment and betrayal hung in the air behind us, but for once, I felt nothing but cold resolve.