The Tycoon's Gutsy Wife

Chapter 28: A Vow

"What now? Do I have to come to you to ask for permission before making a decision for my company?" Darien questioned, sarcasm evident in his tone.

Eric’s fists clenched under the table. He was well aware he shouldn’t be here. After all, he didn’t have anything to his name to deserve being in the same room as Darien.

If not for the fact that they were related, people would have already started comparing their importance to society. Although they have since he ranked low in the family tree.

Yet, his father had told him to come.

The boardroom went silent for a moment as no one dared to say a word.

They all knew who Eric was—Darien’s cousin who had nothing to his name.

Eric wanted to speak, but a scowl from his father forced him to keep his mouth shut.

"That’s what I thought," said Darien, his eyes brushing past Eric to glance at his uncle, who still wasn’t pleased. "My father and grandfather built this company with their blood, sweat, and tears. And I can assure you that I wouldn’t run it into the ground. Every decision I’m making has its reasons, and I hope you can trust me with this one."

Darien understood where their concerns came from.

These were the same people who had worked with his late grandfather and helped build the company from scratch. When they died, everyone had suspected Mr. Donovan for their deaths. It was completely normal that they didn’t like Darien’s idea of partnering with their enemy’s company.

However, Darien had a perfectly good reason—one he wouldn’t disclose anytime soon.

The board members glanced at each other.

For almost a decade, Darien had been in charge. He’d been made CEO even before the age of eighteen, and the company had skyrocketed ever since.

Doubting him now seemed like a foolish act.

Mr. Hawthorne seemed to realize that the board members trusted Darien’s judgment and might not question him further about his decision.

Half an hour later, the meeting was adjourned after Darien assured all the members that he was making the right decision.

After all, he was the one who’d lost two important family members—snatched from him at such a young age. So no one needed to tell him who to despise and who not to despise.

Andrei was already outside waiting for Darien, and when he saw him stepping out of the office with a solemn expression, he knew he was annoyed.

He noticed the uncle and his son behind him, their expressions just as grave as Darien’s, but he didn’t acknowledge either of them as he followed Darien to his office.

"I’m guessing it went well?" Andrei asked.

"It did," Darien replied, settling into his chair, but he winced when he felt the bandage on his shoulder shift, reopening the injury. "It’s obvious they’re trying to do everything in their power to get me out of this seat, but they’re terribly wrong."

He grimaced as he felt blood trickling down his suit.

"But you’re out there hanging out with Adeline Westwood," Andrei reminded.

Darien scoffed.

"I’m only keeping her close for one reason," he replied. Andrei cocked an eyebrow at him in confusion. "I still suspect that Mr. Donovan is the man behind my father’s and grandfather’s deaths. For years, there’s been no evidence to prove the claims. That old man is very sneaky and wouldn’t leave any proof behind. So, what better way to learn his deepest secrets than to get close to his favorite granddaughter?"

Andrei couldn’t believe his ears.

Darien was going to use Adeline to get evidence against the man who had snatched his father and grandfather from him.

"So what exactly are you saying? You’re going to make her fall in love with you?" Andrei asked, still a little confused.

"Of course. How hard can that be? Her husband already cheated on her, so she’ll need a man to heal or something."

Darien stood up from his chair and walked toward the door. The bleeding had worsened and had already stained his suit. He needed to go back to the hospital and rest.

A lot had happened in the past month—Adeline breaking a bottle on his head at the club, the flower allergy incident, and getting shot right in the shoulder.

As much as he despised hospitals, he needed to stay there for a while if he wanted to live.

At the Westwood Corporation,

"So, have you made a decision yet?" Mr. Westwood asked his son, who had a grave look on his face as he tried to concentrate on his files when his father suddenly barged into his office. "Twenty percent of the Donovan stocks is a lot, you know? You can’t possibly be thinking of giving it back to Adeline."

"I never said I was giving it back to her—at least not yet," he said.

Theodore rubbed his face in frustration.

Since Mr. Donovan’s decision, his father had been bothering him about the shares Mr. Donovan had signed in his name—shares that originally belonged to Adeline.

Indeed, twenty percent was huge. If he gave it back to her, it would make her the second richest member of the Donovan family.

It was already enough that she wanted a divorce. Signing the papers would set her completely free from his grasp.

"Then why on earth do you sound like you’re not so sure?" his father questioned, eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You have one month before you two divorce. Make sure that divorce never happens, Theodore. I only agreed to get you two married because of the ties we’d share with the Donovans. And most importantly, make sure to keep Ian close. He’s still your heir, after all."

Theodore could only nod to his father’s words—anything to get the man to keep quiet.

Meanwhile, the entire time they were talking, Lina had been eavesdropping on their conversation.

She scoffed.

"He still wants to get back together with that woman? Not under my watch!" she vowed.