Chapter 26
Dawson shifted uncomfortably in his seat, avoiding direct eye contact with Tamsin as much as possible. He gently cleared his throat and began. “Good morning,”
He paused, expecting a remark from Tamsin. However, she said nothing, and the silence hung for a moment before Dawson proceeded. “Welcome, everyone. Are we ready to start?”
“Yes, sir.” A collective response echoed through the room, with Griffin’s booming voice dominating the response. Tamsin and Fraser remained silent, their voices noticeably absent from the affirmation.
Tamsin chuckled softly. “Why wouldn’t they be ready?” She whispered. “The purpose of today’s meeting is hardly ambiguous…” As all eyes turned to her, she trailed off, and the chairman took over.
“Is there anyone who wants to share an update on your business operations? Are there any issues, suggestions, or inquiries that we should consider before moving forward with the agenda?” He asked, his eyes scanned the room, lingering on most attendees but avoiding direct eye contact with Tamsin and Fraser.
Griffin’s curious gaze swept the room, meeting silence. He turned to Dawson. “It seems no one has any comments or concerns, sir,” he reported, and Tamsin immediately shot him a sidelong glance as if she had been expecting he would talk.
Tamsin’s gaze bore into Griffin, her expression stern. “Does your statement reflect your own perspective or that of everyone present?”
Before Griffin could respond, she sharply interjected, “You’re not authorized to speak on behalf of others. If this happens again, there will be consequences. If no one has anything to contribute, the silence in the room should be respected, not reported by you. You’re not a designated spokesperson.”
Griffin’s jaw clenched in frustration, but acknowledging Tamsin’s valid point, he chose not to escalate the situation. Instead, he broke eye contact, his gaze dropping downward as his anger simmered internally.
Tamsin's gaze shifted to Dawson, her chin lifting slightly. “Mr. Chairman, sir,” she addressed him, her voice calm but her demeanor assertive. “Given the clear agenda, I propose we focus on the key issue at hand,”
“The purpose of this meeting is to witness the transfer of shares, which is a family matter beyond our control,” she stated in a direct tone. “Rather than prolonging the discussion, I suggest we move forward. Your lawyer is likely waiting—please call them in so we can complete the necessary steps,”
With a casual shrug, she looked away, implying, “no point wasting time on something that's not worth it.”
Amabel’s eyes, red-rimmed with anger, fixed on Tamsin as she seethed with resentment. Her mind churned with helpless fury. The longstanding animosity between them was rooted in Tamsin’s disdain for Amabel, which she passed down to Felix.
‘Tamsin!’ She screamed in silence.
Their relationship was strained, with Tamsin consistently capitalizing on chances to undercut Amabel and Felix. Amabel had never gained the upper hand, because of Tamsin’s strategic foresight. However, with victory within her grasp, Amabel found the current humiliation tolerable compared to the past ones.
“Okay.” Dawson uttered, and just as he was about to pick up his phone, the door swung open and Freya, the Garcia family’s lawyer, entered. She approached the chairman, curtsied briefly, offering an apology.
“Forgive my tardiness, sir. An emergency detained me.”
“Do you have the documents?” Dawson inquired, and Freya nodded, swiftly taking it from her bag and handing it over.
After reviewing the key pages, Dawson looked up briefly to gesture to Felix. “Felix, step forward.” He commanded, his attention still on the document.
“Yes, sir.” Felix replied, rising from his seat with measured calmness, his composure intact despite his growing excitement, making his way to the chairman with deliberate calmness.
The expected moment arrived as Tamsin’s eyes met Amabel’s. Amabel flashed a discreet smile and wink, her chin lifting slightly in a gesture of triumph. Tamsin, meanwhile, crossed her legs and murmured a low, mocking laugh.
Freya pointed to the signature line. “Please sign here, sir.”
Dawson responded with a nod and took out a pen from his pocket and signed the document.
Amabel subtly nodded toward the chairman, and Tamsin followed her gaze, her smile unwavering but perplexing to Amabel.
‘Why is she laughing?’
Freya took the signed document from the chairman and flipped to the next page, extending it to Felix. Before he could take it, the door burst open, its sudden bang commanding everyone’s attention and drawing their gazes to the entrance.
“Hun?”
The room erupted in a shocked gasp, with eyes widening in disbelief as they fixed on the figure at the door.
“Alaric!” Many voices shouted in unison, stunned by his unexpected presence.
Amabel leaped up, her gaze fixed intently on Alaric. “How did you...?!” she exclaimed, her voice shrill with shock. “What are you doing here?”
Tamsin rose to her feet, coming to Alaric’s defense with a composed tone that carried a hint of challenge. “What’s the implication behind 'what’s he doing here’?” She asked. “As a fellow director, and shareholder, Alaric has equal, if not more than you, right to be present,”
Fraser stood up, his hands tucked into his pockets as he raised an eyebrow. “Or have you done something that made you assume he wouldn’t be here?”
Amabel’s eyes widened defensively, but before she could respond, Tamsin let out a mocking snicker.
“It doesn’t matter now—he’s here, and no one will push him out,” Tamsin asserted. “His position is secure, built on merit and hard work, not backroom deals or parental influence.”
Felix’s lips quivered, and a tremble ran through his body as fear took hold. His mind went blank, unable to devise an escape plan, and he fixed a desperate gaze on Alaric.
Alaric’s gaze met Felix's, his eyes widening slightly as a subtle smile played on his lips.
Amabel’s breathing quickened as she gazed down, her mind racing to devise a plan. After a few tense moments, an idea struck, and her eyes flickered upward. She caught Griffin’s expectant stare and gave him a wink.
Griffin turned to Alaric, his tone firm. “We’re in the middle of a meeting. What made you burst in like that?" He raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been absent for years—why show up unannounced? No one was expecting you.”
“But I am.” Tamsin said.
“Me too.” Fraser backed her up.
Tamsin pursed her lips, and she waited for Griffin to glance her way. “Alaric informed me he was coming,” she claimed. “I should have mentioned it to the others, but I forgot. If anyone should be held accountable for the abrupt entrance, it’s me. I’ll accept the blame.”
“I’ll take some blame too,” Fraser chimed in, his eyes scanning Griffin, Amabel, and Felix before he pulled his hands from his pockets. He shrugged. “Why the tension? His name’s on the list, and he’s still a director, after all.”
Alaric remained silent, adhering to the plan not to intervene until Tamsin gave the signal.
Tamsin exhaled softly. “None of them will answer because they don't want him here,” she said, her gaze sweeping the room. “His presence is a thorn in their side—what did you expect?”
She turned to Fraser. “I’ll answer for them. Yes, Alaric’s name remains on the list. He’s still a director—an immovable one.”
Felix’s eyes narrowed, and he bit his lip, steeling himself for what he was about to do. He snatched the document from Freya and fumbled for a pen. As his pen hovered over the paper, the chairman’s sharp command cut through the air.
“Don’t!”
“Hun!” Felix exclaimed, while Amabel and Griffin's eyes snapped to the chairman, their gazes wide with surprise.
Felix’s body trembled, and the document slipped from his grasp, his hand frozen in mid-air as he struggled to lower it.
“But, dear-” Amabel uttered. She rushed over to the chairman, snatching up the document and holding it tight. Her gaze met the chairman’s, and she attempted to speak, but her lips quivered. Before she could get a word out, Fraser intervened.
Fraser snored. “You’re using endearments in a meeting?” Amabel’s gaze turned icy, but Fraser brushed it off. “Tamsin previously addressed this. Since you’re repeating the error, sanctions seem fitting.”
Tamsin’s soft tone diffused the tension. “Fraser, let's show some leniency. She's facing personal challenges, and it’s impacting her focus. This will serve as her last warning.”
Amabel’s teeth ground together as she met Tamsin’s gaze, the faint smile on Tamsin’s face a clear indication that her defense was laced with mockery. Amabel felt a sting from the realization that Tamsin’s words belittled, not supported, and the pain of losing just when she thought she had the upper hand.
“Don’t speak for me!” She screamed, frustrated.
Tamsin’s voice turned sharp. “I’m not speaking in your favor. If anyone wants you to go, it's me. I'm not defending you—I have nothing to gain from it. I’m simply enjoying the moment, and no rule says I can’t.”
With a sly smile, Tamsin raised an eyebrow. “Confront your own issues, not me. You know as well as I do that taking your frustration out on me won’t solve anything.”
Amabel’s gaze snapped back to the chairman, her voice tightening. “What’s happening? You’ve clearly given this thought—you shouldn’t change your mind. Felix is capable. You should let him-”
With a calm yet firm gesture, the chairman raised his hand, cutting Amabel off. “Enough,” he said softly. His neutral demeanor gave away nothing, leaving everyone wondering where he truly stood in Alaric’s presence.
With a subtle sigh, he turned his attention to Alaric, a formality in his tone. “Welcome back,” he said, their gazes meeting. “To what do we owe the pleasure of your sudden return?”
Alaric’s eyes flicked to Tamsin, seeking her nod of approval. With a slight inclination of her head, he turned back to the chairman, his response crisp and direct. “The reason is obvious…”
His words dripped with confidence and disdain. “I’m here because what belongs to me was never truly up for debate and the thought of giving it to someone, clearly unqualified, shouldn’t have passed through anyone’s mind…”
“You want to claim your share, is that it?” Tamsin forwarded a question, and Alaric joggled his head.
Alaric’s voice was firm with an edge of warning. “I’m back to stake my claim, to secure what's mine, and to correct the mistake of attempting to give it to someone else.”