Chapter 64 Final Blow.

Chapter 64 Final Blow.

Chapter 64.

Final Blow.

Her voice is clear, resonant, and full of authority. She neither apologizes nor hesitates; she speaks as an equal.

“Gentlemen, the Jank Corporation has dominated the energy market for fifty years,” Alicia begins, as a holographic graph is projected onto the wall, showing the slow, but inevitable, downward curve of fossil sector profitability. “But dominance is not synonymous with immortality. We have reached a turning point where innovation is not an option, but a structural necessity.”

She moves to the technical part, and this is where her genius shines. She details a plan for aggressive investment in low-scale modular nuclear fusion-powered distributed energy microgrids.

“The Lazarus Project proposes a staged transition. Phase one: Integration of the current infrastructure with quantum storage technology. This allows us to efficiently store 95% of the energy generated, reducing waste to almost zero. The key here is the nano-structure technology I have developed, which allows for thermal stability under extreme conditions.”

Several directors, men who only understand profit margins, lean forward, fascinated by the complexity and audacity of the concept.

“Phase two: Immediate geographic diversification. We will not only focus on Europe and North America. My analysis identifies the emerging markets of Southeast Asia and Africa as the fastest growth points over the next ten years. Microgrid technology allows us to implement decentralized and resilient energy solutions in rural areas, where our competitors are non-existent. This gives us a de facto monopoly in the energy sector of the future.”

Alicia projects a three-dimensional financial model. The figures are overwhelming.

“Five-year profitability projection: with an estimated initial investment of 5 billion dollars, the expected return on investment is 350% in the first sixty months. This doesn't just revitalize the Jank legacy; it transforms it into the undisputed global leader in 21st-century energy. From being reactive to the climate crisis, we become the solution.”

Lucas feels a lump in his throat. The emotion of seeing Alicia at her peak, owning the room and her future, is almost unbearable. Arthur, the toughest businessman at the table, cannot hide his astonishment. His eyes, previously skeptical, now gleam with cold pride.

Carolina, for her part, begins to feel uneasy. Alicia isn't just succeeding; she is reigning. The attention she receives is one of intellectual adoration that Carolina has never achieved.

The Climax of Praise

Alicia concludes her presentation with a powerful summary that connects the technical vision with the company's philosophy.

“The Lazarus Project is not just a business plan; it is a plan for survival and dominance. It is the legacy the market will remember. Thank you.”

A dense silence hangs in the air, followed by a thunderous applause. The directors stand up. The ovation is sincere, not out of courtesy, but out of the sheer brilliance of the proposal.

Lucas is the first to approach, his eyes fixed on her, trying to communicate his euphoria. “Spectacular, Alicia. Simply spectacular,” he whispers, but maintains a professional distance.

Arthur Jank rises from his seat. He walks slowly toward Alicia. It is the moment of the patriarch's blessing.

“Alicia,” Arthur says, his voice resonating in the room. “That is the most audacious, most visionary, and, frankly, the most brilliant presentation I have heard in this room in two decades. Miss, you are not the future of Jank. You are the present. You are the executive director of this project starting tomorrow.”

The congratulations pour over her. The CFO shakes her hand, the COO looks at her with renewed respect. It is the moment of her greatest professional triumph, the culmination of years of effort and talent.

The Screen Explosion

At that precise instant, when Alicia is at the pinnacle of success, receiving Arthur’s praise, a subtle but widespread vibration runs through the room.

The directors’ cell phones, which had been silenced out of respect for the presentation, begin to light up one after another. The buzzing of notifications, first discreet, turns into an annoying chorus. The businessmen, addicted to information, cannot resist. One by one, they look at their screens.

The first reaction is disbelief. Then, icy horror.

The CFO, a man who doesn't flinch at falling stocks, visibly blanches, his eyes fixed on his screen. He turns his phone and shows it to the COO. The murmur grows, transforming into a serpentine whisper, full of dread and indignation.

Lucas, sensing the sudden change in the atmosphere, looks at his own phone. The headline on the screen is a direct punch to the gut, a headline screaming “Betrayal at the Top! Young Jank and Uncle Lucas: More Than Kinship.”

The news, launched by an unknown portal but funded with monstrous power, is an arsenal of intimate and compromising photographs.

One photo shows them both leaving a luxury apartment building (Lucas’s) late at night, Lucas with his arm around her waist, kissing her with unmistakable passion on the doorstep.

Another capture from the previous week shows them both in the mansion hallway, the exact moment Alicia turns and steals that defiant kiss on his lips, before telling him, “Your fiancée is calling, Uncle.” The image is enlarged, raw, and unambiguous.

A series of less clear photos documents the motorcycle ride with Alexei, but the accompanying text, full of manipulation, accuses Alicia of “a decadent double life” and uses the ride with Alexei to suggest the young woman is blackmailing Lucas to break up with Carolina.

The photos do not show an uncle-niece relationship, but a mature, secret couple’s relationship. The secret has been brutally exposed at the moment of greatest triumph. The scandal is not just sexual; it is financial, corporate, and moral. It is the ultimate betrayal.

Alicia, sensing the sudden freezing of all gazes, looks at Lucas. He is petrified, his face a mask of wax. Carolina, standing near the table, initially smiles with fleeting satisfaction, but upon realizing the gravity and that the photos imply a months-long scandal, her smile twists into panic. This is much bigger than she planned.

Arthur Jank, who has ignored the commotion, finally looks up and sees the face of his CFO. The man, trembling, hands him his phone.

Arthur’s face transforms. Dignity disappears, replaced by a primordial rage. His eyes, normally cold, turn red with uncontrollable fury at seeing the image of his niece passionately kissing his adopted son and right-hand man.

Arthur throws the phone against the marble floor. The sound of glass shattering resonates in the deathly silence of the room. He whirls around, and his voice, which rarely shouts, explodes like thunder.

“What in God’s name is this, Lucas!”