Chapter 29

The city never slept, but within the walls of Wellington Holdings, a suffocating silence loomed over its empire. In the office lights, long shadows stretched as Ronald Wellington sat behind his mahogany desk, his fingers interlocked in deep contemplation. The world moved on, yet there was something in the air tonight-charged, unsettling.

Standing across from him, Ethan was posed with well-practiced ease, but his eyes flickered with the barest hint of hesitation. He had seen Ronald in many moods-indifference, cold precision, calculated fury-but this silence was different.

"You keep staring at me like that, Ethan. You got something to say or you just waiting for me to read your mind?" Ronald's voice sliced through the silence cold and sharp.

Ethan adjusted a cuff and spoke in his professionally even tone. "Sir, if I may say so, with all respect, I believe this is about the announcement."

Ronald leaned back in his chair; his face showed nothing. "Who is it, Ethan? Who's going to be appointed the new president of Wellington Holdings?

Ethan let out a quiet breath as his lips pressed into a thin line. "No official name has been released yet, but there are murmurs on the board. They say Jake had certain instructions for his shares and leadership in case of his-" Ethan paused, amending his word choice. "-absence."

Ronald's jaw tightened at the word. Absence. A pathetic, unsatisfactory substitute for death. His half-brother was gone, and now his legacy was being shuffled behind closed doors.

"Rumors?" Ronald asked without emotion.

Ethan hesitated before answering. "Yes, sir. And they're unsettling."

Ronald said nothing for a moment. He let the silence drag between them, watched Ethan, and weighed his words before continuing.

"Who are these board members whispering to? I want names. Whoever is orchestrating this—whomever Jake entrusted this with—needs to be outed."

Ethan nodded. "Understood, sir. I'll find out."

Ronald dismissed him with a flick of his hand, but as Ethan turned to leave, Ronald added, "And Ethan—"

Ethan paused at the door.

"Be discreet."

The next morning, Ronald found himself in the middle of yet another unpleasant meeting. Seated across from him in his office was Jake's long-time lawyer, Mr. Daniels—a man whose presence was as unwelcome as the news he was about to deliver.

"You're wasting my time, Mr Daniels," Ronald finally said, cutting to the chase as he poured himself a glass of whiskey, "If you're here just to tell me what I do know, then I suggest using your afternoon to better ends".

Mr. Daniels simply smiled and placed his briefcase on the table. "I doubt that you do, Mr. Wellington."

Ronald's fingers gripped the whisky glass a bit tighter. He did not like surprises.

Holt slid a paper across the table. "This is Jake Wellington's last legal will concerning his shares in Wellington Holdings."

Ronald's cold eyes flickered over the document but didn't pick it up. He would not give Holt the satisfaction. "I already know that Jake's shares are being reassigned. What I want to know is-to whom."

Holt leaned forward a bit, and a knowing light danced in his eye. "That, Mr. Wellington, is where the surprise lies."

The air between them thickened as Mr Daniels turned the document toward Ronald, tapping a specific section with a single finger.

Ronald's gaze lowered to the words.

Then he stilled.

Jake's shares would not be absorbed into the Wellington family. Nor would they be controlled by the board.

They were being given to someone Jake "cared for deeply."

Ronald's expression didn't change, but inside, something twisted—something dangerously close to rage. His fingers closed tighter over the glass before he finally set it down, the motion slow, deliberate.

He looked up at Mr Daniels, his voice even. "And who, precisely, is this person?"

Holt's lips curled into something just short of a smirk. "I'm afraid that information has yet to be publicly disclosed."

Ronald sprang to his feet, the chair scraping the floor. "You're playing a dangerous game, Holt."

The lawyer didn't bat an eye. "I'm just following Mr. Jake Wellington's wishes, sir. His instructions were clear."

Ronald's chest constricted, but not from grief-something far darker. Jake had done this on purpose. He had made this move knowing it would incense him.

But why?

Who the hell did Jake care for so much that he would hand them power?

Ronald's hands at his sides slowly clenched into fists. "Get out."

Holt nodded politely, popping his briefcase shut. "Good evening, Mr. Wellington."

With the lawyer gone, Ronald was alone in his office, staring down at the paper in front of him.

Whatever this person was, they were about to step into a war they weren't ready for.

And Ronald would be waiting.

********

Later that night, Ronald found himself pacing his study at the Wellington estate with a whiskey in his hand and frustration brewing behind the coldness of his facade. The question mark that had appeared over Jake's shares was an irritant he couldn't afford.

As if summoned by his vexation, Catherine swept into the room, her entitlement wafting off her like waves. She was as smartly turned out as ever; her expression was smug and yet inquiring.

"Ronald," she purred, sinking onto the leather chair opposite him. "You appear disturbed."

Ronald didn't answer immediately. He sipped his whiskey slowly, his hawk eyes fixed on her as if considering whether she was worth an answer.

Catherine smiled wryly. "It's about the shares, isn't it?"

His silence was all the confirmation she needed.

She crossed her legs, tilting her head slightly. "You should be careful, Ronald. Uncertainty is dangerous in the corporate world. It makes people. desperate."

His jaw tightened. "Are you implying something, Catherine?"

She leaned forward, her manicured fingers tracing the armrest of the chair. "Only that I find it amusing how everything you thought was under control is slipping through your fingers."

Ronald's patience thinned. "If you came here to gloat, leave."

She laughed, rising slowly. "Oh, darling, I don't gloat. I observe. And right now, I'm observing a man who doesn't like losing control."

Her eyes shone as she turned toward the door. "But don't worry. I'll be watching."

With that, she was gone, leaving Ronald clutching his glass tightly, his mind already working on his next move.

Meanwhile, back at the Rodriguez estate, Catherine entered her father's study, an air of triumph about her. Mr. Rodriguez sat behind his desk, the dim glow of his desk lamp casting shadows over his aged features. He looked up as his daughter sauntered in, already sensing her mood.

"Catherine," he greeted, his voice measured. "What brings you here?

She reached for a glass and poured liquor from his cabinet, swirling the amber liquid in her glass as she answered, "I wanted to check up on you, Father. Ensure you're holding up well."

Rodriguez exhaled and set down the papers he had been reviewing. "Cut to the chase, Catherine. I know you better than that.

She smirked, taking a slow sip. "Fine. Amelia is out of the picture. Wellington Holdings is on the edge of chaos. And Ronald?" She chuckled. "He’s more furious than I’ve ever seen him."

Rodriguez studied her. "And that pleases you?"

Her gaze sharpened. "Of course. He’s always been untouchable. Always controlled, always ahead. But now? He’s vulnerable."

Rodriguez leaned back in his chair, lacing his fingers together. "And what do you plan to do with this. vulnerability?"

Catherine's smile grew wider. "Use it to my advantage."

Rodriguez didn't say a word for a moment. He studied her, his face unreadable. Then he let out a sigh, standing.

"Catherine," he said slowly, walking toward her. "I hope you understand that playing with fire is dangerous. Ronald Wellington is not a man who allows people to manipulate him without consequences."

Catherine met his gaze, unfazed. "I’m not afraid of Ronald."

Rodriguez studied her, then shook his head. "Perhaps you should be."

Rodriguez sat behind his desk, a glass of wine in hand. He glance up at Catherine

"I take it you have heard the rumors, father," Catherine said as she sat down opposite him.

A faint smile curled up in Rodriguez's lips. "Rumors? My dear, I make a point of starting rumors."

Something like amusement flickered across Catherine's eyes. "Then you've heard how Jake's shares have been reassigned.

Rodriguez nodded, his fingers drumming on the desk. "Yes, I’ve heard the whispers. But what’s more interesting is the person being chosen. Someone with power, no doubt."

"Someone with influence," Catherine added. "Someone who can move the chess pieces as they please."

Rodriguez leaned back, considering her words carefully. "And who is this mysterious person?"

Catherine's smile was enigmatic, and she didn't say anything. Instead, she took a slow sip from her glass, savoring the moment. "That remains to be seen, father. But I think we both know what's at stake."

Rodriguez's expression softened, his gaze now sharp. "Then it's only a matter of time before the truth comes out. And when it does, things will change. For all of us."

For one fleeting instant, doubt danced in her eyes, before she masked it again with another smirk. "Good night, Father."

She spun and strode away, leaving Rodriguez staring after her, his mind racing with fears he dared not utter.

He knew Ronald Wellington.

And he knew men of that ilk did not break.

They counterattacked.

And when they did-it was pitiless.

Days turned into weeks, and the air thickened with tension in Wellington Holdings. Board members whispered behind closed doors, their faces impassive. The sense of uncertainty lingered, and every day Ronald's frustration grew. There was no end to the disappointment, no matter how much effort he put into attempting to uncover just who had given Jake his last marching orders. The silence was deafening.

Ronald prowled the hallways of his empire, his mind racing with possibilities, his patience wearing thin. There were too many unanswered questions, too many shifting variables he couldn't control. Who was working against him, and why had Jake's final will been manipulated in this way?

His office had become a prison of sorts, where every surface and every chair reminded him that the walls of his domain were closing in.

The phone rang, shrill against the heavy silence. Ronald snapped it up at once.

"Ronald Wellington," he answered, his voice sharp, unwavering.

On the other end, Ethan's voice was tight with urgency. "Sir, you need to come to the boardroom immediately. There's something you need to see."

Ronald's stomach twisted. "What is it?"

Ethan hesitated before responding. "It's about the audit report… you won't believe it."

Without waiting for further explanation, Ronald stood up, the chair scraping loudly across the floor. A familiar surge of adrenaline ran through his veins; this was no longer about business anymore, but a war of control, and whatever Ethan had in store could just be the key.

The walk to the boardroom felt like an eternity. The door loomed ahead, and when Ronald stepped inside, he saw Ethan standing by the conference table, papers spread before him.

"What is this?" Ronald's voice was low, measured, though his mind raced.

Ethan handed him a thick envelope. "The audit for the last quarter. Something's off, and it's bigger than we thought."

Ronald's eyebrows furrowed as he tore the envelope open and began flipping through the documents. With each turned page, his eyes narrowed. The numbers did not add up. There were discrepancies, large, unexplained discrepancies in the financials of the company.

His heart began to race as he scanned through the details. There were transfers, huge amounts of money being transferred to some account he did not know, and it wasn't just one transaction. It was many and all linked to one account.

The name associated with the account sent a jolt of realization right through him.

"Who is this?" Ronald muttered to himself.

Ethan's voice was grim. "That's what we need to find out. Whoever is behind this, they've been operating under the radar for months. And now… they've made their move."

Ronald was still, his mind working. Whoever was doing this wasn't just a thief; they were trying to take the heart of Wellington Holdings piecemeal.

A wave of cold rage swept through him. He had no idea who was behind this, but he would find out. And when he did, they would regret ever thinking they could outmaneuver Ronald Wellington.

He exhaled abruptly, his jaw tautening. "This ends now."

But before he could say anything else, the door to the boardroom creaked open. Ronald’s eyes snapped to it, his muscles tensing instinctively. A man in a black suit entered, carrying a briefcase. His presence was deliberate, calculated.

"I trust you’ve seen the audit, Mr. Wellington," the man said, his tone too calm for the tension in the room.

Ronald's face clouded, and he recognized the man-the lawyer for the estate of Jake.

"You," Ronald growled, taking a step closer toward him. "What do you want?"

He didn't bat an eye. "I am here to tell you that we have all we need to proceed to take the next step. You have been given enough time, Mr. Wellington."

His eyes blazed with anger. "I don't take kindly to threats."

The lawyer’s lips curled into a tight smile. "This isn’t a threat, Mr. Wellington. This is a formality. The game is changing. And you’re running out of time."

With that, the lawyer turned and exited the room, leaving Ronald in a cold silence.