The next day, a video quietly began circulating across major online platforms, and within just three hours, it had skyrocketed to the top of the trending list.Early that morning, Desmond contacted Lucas, his tone grave. “Mr. Tudor, there’s trouble. A video of you hitting someone at the hospital has been uploaded online, and it’s already gaining a lot of attention.”As he spoke, he sent Lucas the trending search term.Lucas had just finished his morning workout and was wiping sweat from his forehead and neck with a towel. He opened his messaging app and saw the trending topic Desmond had sent.“Tudor Group Chairman Assaults Someone in Hospital.”He clicked on the link and was immediately met with countless videos, all showing the same scene from the hospital corridor's surveillance footage: a few seconds of him kicking a middle-aged woman to the ground. No context, no follow-up—just that brief, explosive moment.But he wasn’t just anyone; he was the newly appointed Chairman of Tudor Gr
“Huh?” Aveline was momentarily stunned and asked in confusion, “Why is he trending? Why is he being criticized?”Selena replied, “Oh, it's a long story—I can't explain it in just a few words. You need to check it out for yourself!”Aveline frowned tightly. What was going on? She had only been away for one night, and suddenly, this was happening?Without ending the call, she exited the screen and opened the app. The top trending topic was about Lucas.She clicked on it, and when she saw the content of the video, she immediately sat up.“Did you see it? Hahaha, that jerk is finally getting what he deserves! He’s being slammed across the internet—it feels so good!” Selena's voice came through, her laughter wild and unrestrained.The video clip only showed the moment Lucas kicked the middle-aged woman, without any context before or after, and Aveline wasn’t visible in the footage. No one knew Lucas had acted to protect her.Aveline pressed her lips together, scrolling through the commen
Aveline pressed her lips together slightly, unwilling to admit it but knowing she had to—her heart was wavering because of Lucas.Images of the recent events flashed through her mind. She lowered her gaze, a complex look in her eyes. How could she not waver?He had changed significantly. He had become much gentler, more respectful of her thoughts and opinions. He was slowly becoming the Lu she had once loved.And she had no defenses against Lu.She closed her eyes briefly, trying to pull herself out of those emotions, without giving any further explanation. “Let’s just get back to work,” she said, refocusing her attention on her computer....At Tudor Group.In the boardroom, the atmosphere was heavy.Lucas sat at the head of the table, dressed in a silver-gray suit, his tie undone and the top two buttons of his shirt left open. One hand rested on the table as he twirled a pen between fingers. His sharp, handsome face remained expressionless.The shareholders had all arrived.On o
Mark’s face darkened, his eyes narrowing as he replied, “Are you questioning me? What motives could I possibly have? I'm doing this for the good of the Tudor Group! Regardless of the circumstances leading up to this, the public has already been misled by that video. “Clarifying it now will do no good—they only believe what they see. If we make a sincere apology and show genuine remorse, we can calm things down. After that, we can release the full investigation results. That's the most effective way to handle this!”His tone was charged with emotion as he turned to Lucas. “What do you think, Lucas?”“Well said,” Lucas replied, his lips curving into a faint smile. He raised a hand and said, “Since you want Madam Yvonne to come in, why don’t you call her right now and see if she’ll agree?”His demeanor showed no sign of tension; his expression remained completely unchanged. The trending topic continued to spiral out of control, and the shareholders were in a heated argument, yet Lucas,
Desmond was speechless.His usually composed expression was starting to crack.Shareholders were equally at a loss for words.“What on earth? Do you even hear yourself right now?” they thought.Their expressions were a sight to behold, all eyes on Lucas, waiting to see what else he might say.On the other end of the line, Aveline fell silent.Did she hear him right? Did he just say he was being bullied?Wasn't he usually the one doing the bullying?With a calm tone, she replied, “It seems like you’re fine, so I’m going to hang up now.”“There is something, really!” Lucas quickly insisted, trying to keep her on the line. “After this incident, the executives at Tudor Group are holding a board meeting. They want to remove me from my position and send me packing. I’m about to be unemployed!”Shareholders were speechless.This was getting more and more ridiculous.Aveline paused for a moment and said, “This process sounds oddly familiar.”Wasn’t this exactly how things went with DK Group?A
This was the perfect moment to strip Lucas of his power. If they couldn’t find someone to replace him now, Lucas would only grow stronger, leaving the shareholders with no room to maneuver in the future.“Not coming, is she?” Just then, Lucas’ voice broke the tension, calm and unhurried, with a hint of amusement, as if he had expected this outcome all along.Mark glanced at him, his expression stern. “Madam Yvonne has deep feelings for the former chairman. With him bedridden, she insists on staying by his side to care for him. It seems we’ll need to look for another suitable candidate.”He cast his gaze around the room. One of the shareholders suddenly spoke up, “If we're talking about experience and capability, Mr. Lewis is the only one truly qualified to take over as Chairman and CEO of Tudor Group. We’ve all seen his dedication to the Group over the years. I vote in favor of Mr. Lewis temporarily assuming the position of Chairman!”“I agree!”“So do I!”Several shareholders on Ma
Mark had dedicated his entire life to the Tudor Group and was considered a key contributor to its success. Even Frederick had to show him respect, so who did Lucas think he was to speak to him like that?Tobias stood up, noting the displeased expression on Mark’s face. With a faint smile, he said, “Mark, it’s best to do what’s appropriate for your age and stop concerning yourself with things that don’t matter. You’re still a shareholder of the Tudor Group; you can enjoy your retirement comfortably. But if you lose those shares, what will you do then?”With that, he walked out of the room.The other attendees gradually left the boardroom, leaving Mark and a few of his supporters behind. The expressions on their faces were far from pleasant.Mark’s eyes were dark and fixed straight ahead, his hands clenched tightly into fists. Just then, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen—it was an unfamiliar number. He wasn’t planning to answer it, but then a text message arrived. Upon reading
Aveline thought this over and spoke directly, "If it's about the situation between him and me, you don't need to say more. I can handle my own affairs."Gernard fell silent. He had indeed come for that reason. With the uproar surrounding Lucas' altercation, he had intended to persuade Aveline once more. But hearing her distant tone, he felt a faint, inexplicable discomfort. A sense of unease that he couldn't quite understand. Seeing his silence, Aveline continued, "If there's nothing else, I'll hang up now. I'm at work." Gernard replied, "Alright, as long as you know what you're doing. I was just thinking, you were so eager to divorce before but couldn't find a way, and now there's an opportunity right in front of you. I just wanted to help. But it's your decision. I won't disturb you any further. Goodbye." He hung up the phone. A faint trace of mockery flashed in Aveline's eyes. To help Juliet, Gernard really could say anything. Anyone who didn't know better might have t