All Chapters of In The Smoke-Filled Room: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Heels echoed on the marble floor of the big building of West Corporation. Violet, in a tight black dress that Clyde handpicked for her, literally strutted down the hallway, clutching a folder that contained all the details concerning the next meeting. The façade of professionalism came about so easily for her now, but beneath that was the secret she and Clyde shared secret binding them close yet so dangerously. She was not his sister, Violet West, but an actress hired to play the part of Violet in an Elaborate Charade.As Violet entered Clyde’s office, she noticed him standing by the large glass window, gazing out at the city skyline. “You’re tense,” she said softly, setting the folder on his desk.He turned, his eyes locking on hers. “We’ve got trouble,” he said, his voice low and grave.“Trouble?” she asked, her stomach tightening.A man named Adrian Blackwood has just acquired a significant stake in one of our subsidiary companies," Clyde said, his tone clipped. "He's a tycoon from

Sharon sat in the darkened study of her plush estate, the dancing tangerine from the fireplace casting shadowy silhouettes on her face. Her manicured nails tapped against the glass of wine in her hand as she went deep into her thoughts. Opposite her, Eva lay on the leather sofa, scanning through her tablet with an expression of resolve. Here were two women bound by ambition, greed, and a voracious appetite for power.Mother, we can't waste any more time," Eva said, her voice cutting through the silence. Firm and laced with frustration, her tone brooked no argument. "Clyde's growing influence in the company makes it harder for us to maneuver. We need to act now."Sharon leaned back in her chair, the corners of her lips tugging upwards in a smirk. "Patience, my darling. These things take precision. One wrong move and we risk losing everything.Eva frowned, throwing her tablet onto the coffee table. "And what about Violet? She's become a problem. Clyde's obsession with protecting her is

The woman sat in the dimly lit office, her fingers drumming impatiently on the mahogany desk.Thick tension hung in the air as her lips arced into a sly smile when the door creaked open. Ashadowed figure stepped inside, closing the door softly behind him."Do you have it?" Sharon's voice cut like a razor in the silence. The figure, a man in his latefifties with salt-and-pepper hair, nodded and handed her a thin folder. Charles Abbott, one ofClyde’s most trusted board members, smirked as Sharon opened the folder.“It wasn’t easy,” Charles said, his voice low. “Clyde’s tight with the company’s internal records,but I’ve managed to extract details about upcoming projects. This information could shift theboard’s loyalty if used correctly.” Sharon's eyes gleamed as she flipped through the pages. "Thisis perfect. With this, we'll make Clyde look incompetent, and the shareholders will have nochoice but to side with me." Charles leaned against the desk, an arrogant smirk on his face. "B

The tension at the West estate was palpable. With Richard still recovering in the hospital andSharon's schemes bubbled beneath the surface, and Clyde barely had a moment to catch hisbreath. Yet, the universe seemed intent on delivering one more twist to his already chaotic life.It had started rather quietly that evening when Clyde was studying some of his company files inthe study. A knock came, disrupting him from his target of focus. Before he could get out anacknowledgment, his assistant pushed the door open, coming across as uncomfortable."Mr. West," the assistant tried, "somebody is waiting for you. He said he was related toyou."Clyde raised an eyebrow. "What are you saying? Who is it?The assistant hesitated and then stepped aside to reveal a young man in his late twenties. Hissharp features and piercing blue eyes uncannily resembled Richard West during his youngerdays."My name is Lucas," the man said, stepping forward confidently. "Lucas West. I believe we needto ta

A Rival TakeoverWith Sharon plotting behind the scenes and Clyde struggling to hold things together, tensions inWest Media had already been high. But no one saw the latest threat coming in the form of ahostile takeover by an unrecognized new player on the business scene.It came with an early morning announcement during a scheduled board meeting. Clyde sat atthe head of the table, his usual composed self replaced by a somewhat edgy shuffle of papers.Sharon sat to his left, her perfectly polished smile masking her inner turmoil. The boardmembers murmured amongst themselves, exchanging anxious glances.The meeting was disrupted when the head of legal affairs, Mr. Talbot, entered the room with agrim expression and an envelope in hand.“Mr. West,” Talbot said, sliding the envelope toward Clyde. “You’ll want to see this immediately.Clyde opened the envelope, and his eyes scanned the papers inside. The room fell silent as thetension became palpable. Finally, Clyde spoke, his voice