Chapter 127: Aurther Lost

127\. Aurther Lost

Life was never the same after the incident. The one most affected was Lucy. She refused to even mention Samuel, and her usual cheerfulness had completely vanished.

Eirene, who had once vowed never to speak of Samuel again, found it unbearable to see her daughter in such a state. Still, she chose to wait, letting the early emotional shock settle before making any impulsive decisions.

In the meantime, accompanied by Victor, Eirene had been meeting with executives of various Beatrix-owned companies and their business partners.

Some of them were Carter’s old allies, and a few even wept upon seeing Eirene, offering her their full support without hesitation. Others were more reluctant, still under Aurther’s influence, but after talking to Victor, they agreed to back Eirene, albeit grudgingly.

Eirene didn’t know much about the corporate world, but after spending time with Victor and attending these meetings, she slowly began to understand how things worked behind the scenes.

After a discussion with the executives of Beatrix Electronics, Eirene and Victor were on their way back to Shaibeat Corporation. They travelled in separate cars from their legal team.

“Mr. Ron doesn’t look like he’ll agree to help.”

Eirene said from the passenger seat.

Victor, calm as always, replied,

“They will. Right now, everyone’s hesitant because they think Aurther might win. No one wants to oppose someone who could become the President, even if they have evidence against him.”

“You really believe Aurther is going to lose?”

Eirene asked, remembering Samuel’s earlier assurance and now seeing Victor echo the same confidence.

“Yes. Samuel has more influence than you can imagine. He’s backing the opposition, and the Melissa scandal left a deep stain on Aurther’s reputation. On the surface, it looks like he might win, but—”

“But he won’t. Because Samuel’s already set the stage,”

Eirene finished his sentence.

“Something like that.”

Victor chuckled, but the mood inside the car quickly turned quiet.

Eirene sank into her thoughts. Victor remained distant, ever since she rejected his feelings, and news of her marriage to Samuel spread, his demeanour had become colder.

Eirene understood the awkwardness, but she had no choice. Samuel couldn’t be exposed yet. He was the hidden card she would play at the right time. If Aurther found out about her marriage, that she had fulfilled Carter’s will, they would risk losing their element of surprise.

Days passed. Soon, the long-awaited result day arrived.

Eirene, Victor, Samuel, Leo, Stella, and Sia all gathered at Samuel’s penthouse. Lucy had been left in Robin’s care with extra security, after all, Aurther’s true target had always been her.

Before the results were made public, Samuel received a call. No one knew who was on the other end, but Samuel’s expression turned grim during the conversation. When the call ended, he turned to the group and spoke in a neutral tone.

“Aurther lost… very badly.”

His voice was so serious that for a moment, everyone thought the opposite had happened.

Sia was the first to react.

“That’s great, boss!”

Eirene and Stella hugged in relief. With Aurther out of the picture, and Carter’s will in hand, the path ahead seemed less daunting. Samuel, however, quickly grounded them.

“This is just the first step. We still have a long way to go. The day after tomorrow, Eirene and I will attend the Beatrix executive meeting. Be ready.”

Everyone in the room was assigned a role.

Leo and Stella would focus on Lucy’s safety and well-being. Victor and Sia were to prepare the evidence and documentation. And Eirene… she had to prepare herself to stand before the executives and speak. For her, this would be the hardest task of all.

Eirene had only completed high school and had barely any real-world experience. But she had one major advantage, Samuel. In the business world, his name carried legendary weight. And as her husband, he would be standing beside her in that meeting.

Victor and Sia left first to begin preparations. Stella and Leo followed, though Stella lingered briefly, leaving Eirene and Samuel alone, knowing there were things left unsaid between them.

“You didn’t leave?”

Samuel asked as he uncorked a new bottle of wine, clearly prepared to drink alone.

Eirene shook her head and quietly sat beside him. The ashtray on the table was full and scattered with ashes and cigarette butts. Sia had mentioned how Samuel hadn’t been sleeping well, drowning his nights in alcohol.

“I heard you’ve been drinking a lot lately.”

She said, her eyes scanning his face. Strangely, he didn’t look tired, no dark circles, no visible fatigue.

“Did Sia tell you?”

Samuel didn’t deny it. He poured a glass of wine for himself and one for her.

“Well... I don’t want to be part of your life. But… thank you… for everything.”

Eirene kept her tone steady. She had long stopped believing in love, even though she knew the wall she had built around her heart had already started to crack. Still, she tried to appear strong and indifferent.

“You don’t need to thank me, Eirene. You have no idea what you mean to me.”

Samuel took a sip from his glass and noticed she hadn’t touched hers. He nudged it gently toward her.

“You know, I’ve developed this habit of looking for Lucia the moment I walk in, when I wake up, before I go to sleep. I didn’t even realize it until she was gone.”

He wasn’t sure Eirene was interested in his personal thoughts, but he knew her well and knew she was still soft at her core, no matter how much she tried to hide it.

At first, Eirene hadn’t planned to stay long. She ignored the drink. But hearing his words stirred something in her, *Guilt*. She had never told Lucy the truth. Even now, she keeps delaying it with excuses.

Feeling the weight of her conscience, she finally picked up the glass and downed it in one gulp. To her surprise, the wine had a sweet, fruity taste, nothing like the sharp alcohol she was used to. Instinctively, she slid the glass forward for another.

Samuel, ever observant, poured her another without hesitation. He knew exactly what he was doing.

“I don’t know why she thinks I left you, knowing you were pregnant.”

he said quietly.

“Eirene, if I had even the slightest idea, I would’ve never left.”

As he spoke, she emptied her second glass. Her expression shifted.

“What would you have done?”

She asked, pushing the glass forward again.

“I would’ve dragged you into that fake fire and vanished with you.”

he answered, refilling her glass.

“I always wanted to take you with me. I just didn’t realize back then that what I felt was love.”

Eirene sipped again, slower this time. She stayed silent for a moment, then finally said.

“Maybe… maybe I’ll explain things to Lucy once all of this is over. Help her understand you better.”

Her voice was softer now, her eyes unfocused. The wine and the guilt were starting to hit.

Samuel smiled to himself as he poured another. This was his plan all along: to chip away at her walls, to remind her of the past, to let guilt soften her defences.

The night grew deeper as they kept drinking. Eirene, tipsy and vulnerable, began sharing more, her regrets, her buried feelings, the emotional burden she’d been carrying.

Samuel listened silently, knowing that her heart, despite everything, hadn’t completely turned away from him and kept pouring more for her.