Chapter Seventy One

Chapter Seventy One
The London sky had turned black as the autumn rain began to fall gently outside Arion’s study window. Occasional flashes of lightning tore across the skyline, as if echoing the chaos now engulfing his life. In his hand, the flash drive containing the betrayal of his own flesh and blood still felt hot, even though he had replayed the recordings several times.

His father—Richard McCallen—had known. Too late, yes, but it still hurt. His final words in that voice memo echoed loudly in Arion’s mind: "Protect this legacy."

And now, Arion knew exactly whom to keep his eyes on. Harriet was clearly the enemy. But Theodore? The man he had always considered a loyal cousin?

A soft knock at the door cut through his thoughts.

"Come in," he said sharply.

The door opened, revealing the slender figure of Hazel Loraine—the company’s head of communications who he had once deeply suspected, but who had now become the only person secretly helping him from within.

Hazel stepped in, her face serious. "We have a problem."

Arion turned quickly. "What now?"

"This morning, Harriet held a meeting with part of the board without your knowledge. They’re discussing an evaluation of the CEO position. Theodore was present."

Arion narrowed his eyes. "They’re moving that fast?"

Hazel nodded. "And more than that. There are reports that Harriet has hired an external audit firm to investigate your financial transactions from when you were regional director in Asia five years ago."

Arion clenched his fist. "They’re trying to create a narrative of embezzlement."

Hazel looked at him sharply. "Is there anything they can actually use against you?"

Arion met her gaze without blinking. "Nothing illegal. But enough to be twisted if they want to spin a story."

Hazel placed a folder on his desk. "You need a strategy. Turn the game around before they take you down."

Arion nodded slowly. "I already have the weapon."

He handed her the flash drive. "Take this to Simon. Make sure he and his legal team start preparing charges. And one more thing—contact the media. Set up an exclusive interview."

Hazel looked surprised. "You’re going public?"

Arion gave a thin smile. "If they want to play dirty, I’ll shine the biggest spotlight I can. Harriet won’t be able to hide behind her mask."

Hazel took the flash drive with a brief nod. "Alright. But we need to be careful. Theodore isn’t just family—he has support among the old shareholders."

"I know," Arion murmured. "And I’m starting with them."

The next day, Arion attended a board meeting. The large room was filled with familiar faces—some friendly, some neutral, and some cold. Harriet sat at the far end of the table, wearing a blood-red blazer and a cold, almost smug smile. Beside her, Theodore sat with his arms crossed, staring at Arion as if daring him to speak.

The board chair, Arthur Bremmer, opened the session. “Ladies and gentlemen, today we are here to discuss the stability of leadership within McCallen Hotels. Given the concerns raised recently—”

Arion cut in, his voice firm. “Before we begin, I’d like to share something with the board.”

He slid his laptop to the center of the table and played an audio clip: Richard McCallen’s voice, weak but clear, expressing his regret over trusting Harriet and urging Arion to protect the company.

Silence fell over the room. Harriet slowly straightened in her seat, then said, “We don’t know when that recording was made. It could be fake.”

Arion stared at her. “I also have your correspondence with Philippe Vasseur. Including suspicious financial transactions, with evidence you knew him before you ever met my father. And private communications with my cousin here.” He glanced at Theodore. “All of it is undergoing legal verification.”

Theodore paled.

One board member, a senior woman named Miriam Cross, spoke. “These… are serious accusations.”

Arion nodded. “And I don’t make them lightly. But I believe the board deserves the truth before we speak of stability.”

Tension hung thick in the air.

Arthur finally said, “I think we’ll need to conduct an internal investigation and deeper evaluation before making any decisions about the CEO.”

Harriet stood. “I will challenge the validity of all that data.”

Arion smirked. “Be my guest. But the world will see it too, Harriet. I’ve already scheduled an interview with The Financial Review this afternoon.”

The interview aired two days later, and the impact was explosive. Arion spoke directly, not playing the victim but as the rightful heir trying to restore his family’s name and the company’s integrity. He never mentioned Harriet by name, but he said enough to make the public speculate.

Support began pouring in. Major investors started questioning Harriet’s appointment as executive overseer. Even social media exploded with hashtags like #SaveMcCallen and #TrustArion.

But this was no final victory.

That night, Arion returned to the family home—a mansion on the city’s edge that now felt more like a battleground than a sanctuary. He hadn’t entered his father’s room since the funeral.

Tonight, he stepped inside.

The room was untouched: a large mahogany desk, towering bookshelves, family portraits on the walls. On the desk, a small wooden box caught his eye. Locked, but with the initials R.M. engraved on top.

After several minutes of searching, Arion found a hidden key beneath the drawer. The box opened slowly—inside was a handwritten letter, clearly penned by Richard.

“To Arion,” the envelope read.

With a heavy breath, Arion read the letter.

“If you’re reading this, I’m gone. I’m sorry, my son. I let my ambition blind me for too long. Harriet came when I was weak, and I wanted to believe there was still love left in old age.
But I was wrong. I saw it at the end.
Don’t repeat my mistakes. McCallen Hotels is more than a business. It is a legacy. A home. And you… you are the only one who truly cares about our family name.
Protect it. With everything you have.”

Arion’s hands trembled as he folded the letter back.

Now he knew one thing for certain.

He wouldn’t stop until Harriet and Theodore lost all their influence.

And McCallen Hotels… would return to the hands that truly deserved it.