Chapter 272
Stella's POV
The room erupted into chaos. Family members began talking over each other, some protesting, others questioning the document's authenticity.
"This is absurd!" a red-faced cousin exclaimed. "Adam hasn't been involved with Lancaster Group for years! How could he possibly be CEO now?"
"This is clearly fake," Brian declared, standing so quickly his chair nearly toppled. "My grandfather would never make such a foolish decision!"
Joseph remained perfectly calm. "The document has been formally notarized by Mr. Lancaster's legal team. Its authenticity is beyond question."
I glanced at Adam. His jaw was tight, eyes narrowed. Something about this had caught him off guard—not the outcome itself, but something about the situation wasn't matching his expectations.
He wanted to be free of this family circus, not appointed ringmaster.
Thomas finally collected himself enough to ask, "Exactly when was this document prepared?"
"Three days before Mr. Lancaster's cerebral hemorrhage," Joseph answered calmly.
The implication hung in the air like cigarette smoke—this arrangement had been created before William's suspicious medical emergency. I could almost see everyone connecting the dots between this timing and Thomas's possible desperate actions.
My God, did Thomas really try to kill his own father over this?
As the meeting devolved into heated arguments, Adam gracefully stood and extended his hand to me. "I believe we've heard everything we need to," he said, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Shall we, Stella?"
Without waiting for any response, Adam guided me toward the door, his pace deliberate and steady—neither hurried nor lingering.
We had barely made it down the hallway when rapid footsteps approached from behind.
"Mr. and Mrs. Lancaster!" called a middle-aged man who had remained silent during the meeting. "A moment, please!"
Adam turned, his expression politely but completely disinterested.
"I couldn't help overhearing about your wife's connection to Rouge," the man said, suddenly friendly as a puppy. "I'd be very interested in discussing potential investment opportunities. My portfolio is quite diverse, and I believe I could bring considerable value to your enterprise."
Amazing how quickly their attitudes change when they realize you have something they want.
Before I could respond, another family member approached—a woman in her forties wearing a blouse that probably cost more than my first car.
"Stella, we should have lunch soon," she smiled as if we were old friends. "My husband has connections in the nightlife industry that might be helpful to you."
Adam watched this sudden display of ass-kissing with detached amusement. I glanced at him questioningly, but he seemed lost in thought, his gaze distant as if solving some complex equation in his mind.
"Thank you for your interest," I replied, "but Rouge doesn't currently need additional funding. If it did..." I looped my arm through Adam's, "I already have an investor right here, don't I?"
Whispers followed us down the hallway as we continued walking.
"So it's true? Stella really is Rouge's mysterious owner?"
"Absolutely. Remember that incident at the club last month? Stella and Samantha had that confrontation with those trust fund boys, and the manager personally intervened. It's confirmed!"
"And we thought Adam had married beneath him. She's been a successful businesswoman all along!"
Once we were safely in the elevator, I raised an eyebrow at Adam. "What just happened back there? I thought you didn't want Thomas's family taking over Lancaster Group. Isn't this exactly what you wanted?"
Adam's lips curved slightly upward as he reached out to mess up my hair. "Stella, nobody wants to work with flies."
"Flies?" I repeated, batting his hand away and trying to fix my now-disheveled hair.
"Thomas and his parasites," Adam clarified. "Besides, have you considered why William would arrange things this way?"
As the elevator descended, I considered the question. "To... create a balance of power? Thomas handles family matters while you manage the company..."
Adam nodded slightly. "Exactly. He's forcing us to work together, creating a situation where neither of us can act independently." His jaw tightened. "William's final move to ensure we remain tethered to each other, unable to break free."
The elevator doors opened to the lobby, and Adam immediately pulled out his phone.
"Taylor," he said as soon as the call connected, "get in touch with Violet."
Violet Lancaster—Adam's half-sister who had moved to Europe years ago. I'd never met her. I wondered what Adam was calling her for now.
"Adam, you've been skipping work for four days now," I said, looking up from my laptop as I prepared lecture notes. "Taylor has already called twice this morning asking where you are."
Adam reclined comfortably in the chair across from my office desk, his long legs stretched out, scrolling through his phone with apparent unconcern. The morning light streaming through my office window outlined his sharp profile with a golden glow, making him look like he'd stepped out of a luxury watch advertisement rather than lounging in my cramped office.
His gaze suddenly lifted, catching me staring at him. A knowing smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, one that never failed to make my heart skip a beat. "See something you like, Professor Winston?"
I cleared my throat, attempting to regain my composure. "I was just wondering why the CEO of GT Group thinks my office is his new workplace."
"I'm enjoying a well-deserved break," he replied, setting down his phone and leaning forward, "and besides, I've been handling all my work remotely."
His fingers reached across my desk, toying with a loose strand of hair that had escaped my ponytail. The casual intimacy of the gesture sent a warm current through my body, which I tried hard to ignore.
I swatted his hand away, though with less force than I'd intended. "That's not the point. The CEO of GT Group can't just disappear because he wants to hang around his wife's university campus."
"Why not?" His green eyes sparkled with amusement as he reached for my hand, his thumb tracing small circles on my palm, making it hard to concentrate. "I own the company."
*Annoying man*. He always had an answer for everything. Worse, he always knew exactly how to distract me.
"Have you noticed the sudden increase in foot traffic outside my classroom?" I asked, leaning back in my chair. "Security had to be called yesterday because some business school students were fighting over seats in the back row of my lecture hall. My course isn't even open to business majors."
Adam's lips curved into a satisfied smile. "They have good taste."
"They're hoping to catch a glimpse of you!" I said in exasperation. "Professor Miller cornered me in the hallway this morning to ask if 'Mr. Lancaster will be gracing us with his presence again today?' She didn't even try to be subtle."
"Are you jealous that other women find me attractive?" Adam teased, suddenly standing up and circling around to my side of the desk.
"Don't be ridiculous," I answered, though my heart rate quickened as he approached. "I'm simply pointing out that your presence is causing a disruption."
He perched on the edge of my desk, close enough that I could smell his cologne—some expensive, subtle scent that always made me want to lean in closer. "So you find me... disruptive, Mrs. Lancaster?"
The way he said my married name sent an involuntary shiver down my spine. I pushed my chair back slightly, needing to create some distance lest I do something unprofessional like pull him down for a kiss in my office.
"Adam," I warned, my voice embarrassingly breathless, "I have a department meeting in twenty minutes."
His gaze darkened slightly as it swept over my face, lingering on my lips. "That's plenty of time."
"For what?" I challenged, raising an eyebrow.
He didn't answer, instead reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers deliberately brushing against the sensitive skin of my neck, making me bite my lip.
Then he pulled back, his expression suddenly serious. "Stella, are you trying to get rid of me?"