All Chapters of THE UPSTANDING DAVID MALCOLM: Chapter 41
- Chapter 50
125 chapters
Chapter 41
After ending the phone call with Elizabeth, Benjamin remained seated inside his luxurious bedroom, but the expensive surroundings provided no comfort whatsoever. He stood up abruptly and began pacing up and down across the plush carpet, his mind racing with competing crises and impossible decisions.His feet traced the same path over and over from the massive floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the estate gardens, past his king-sized bed with its imported silk sheets, around his antique mahogany desk, and back to the windows again. Each circuit felt like he was walking in circles not just physically, but mentally as well, trapped in a maze with no clear exit.He literally didn't know what he was going to do to resolve the multiple catastrophic situations that were converging on him from every direction. The weight of it all pressed down on his shoulders like a physical burden that grew heavier with each passing moment.He had just finished assuring Elizabeth on the phone, with what h
Chapter 42
At that moment, standing there in his bedroom with sweat beading on his forehead despite the cool air conditioning, Benjamin knew that this was absolutely the best way for him to navigate through all these crashing problems at once. His family needed powerful allies, Elizabeth needed help, and Raymond had been breathing down his neck for weeks about getting close to her.Without resisting for even another second, without allowing himself time to second-guess this decision that could change everything, Benjamin grabbed his phone and decided to call Raymond's number.The phone barely finished its first ring before Raymond literally answered the call, his voice sharp and immediately suspicious.“Benjamin,” Raymond's tone was cold, almost mocking. “I hope this call isn't because of the massive financial backlash that your family is currently experiencing. Because if that's the case, if you're calling me looking for some kind of bailout or business favor, then this conversation is going t
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Benjamin felt a surge of relief mixed with guilt as he heard Raymond's renewed enthusiasm. He knew what he was about to propose crossed several moral lines, but with his family's empire crumbling and Elizabeth facing a deadly deadline with the George family, desperate times called for desperate measures.“Listen carefully, Raymond,” Benjamin said, lowering his voice as if someone might be listening to their conversation. “I have already set up a private meeting with Elizabeth for later today. She thinks it's going to be a business discussion about her current crisis with the George family.”Benjamin paused, letting the implications sink in before continuing with his deceptive plan. “But here's the thing - I didn't tell her that it is going to be you at this meeting instead of me. She has no idea that you're going to be the one showing up.”His voice became more conspiratorial as he laid out the details. “It's going to be completely private, at a secluded location where you two won't
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At that moment, Elizabeth's sleek black sedan pulled up to the elegant entrance of what she immediately recognized as one of the most exclusive establishments in the entire city. As she stepped out of the vehicle, her eyes swept across the sophisticated architecture and understated luxury that screamed wealth and exclusivity.“So this is the famous Platinum Reserve Lounge,” Elizabeth murmured to herself, taking in the impressive sight before her. “I've definitely heard quite a lot about this place over the months.”The building itself was a masterpiece of modern design, with floor-to-ceiling windows tinted just enough to ensure complete privacy for the wealthy clientele inside, while still allowing glimpses of the opulent interior that lay beyond. Perfectly manicured landscaping surrounded the entrance, and discrete security personnel were positioned at strategic points, their presence barely noticeable but unmistakably professional.Elizabeth knew from the stories she'd heard in bus
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Immediately, Victoria nodded her head with the kind of firm conviction that had made her such a trusted advisor over the years.“I absolutely trust Benjamin's judgment in situations like this,” Victoria said with unwavering confidence. “He's never steered us wrong before, especially when the stakes are this high.”Without wasting another precious second of the limited time they had before Elizabeth's deadline with the George family, Victoria straightened her shoulders and gestured toward the imposing entrance of the exclusive lounge.“We should go inside right now and not keep whoever Benjamin has arranged for us to meet waiting any longer,” Victoria said decisively. “Punctuality is crucial when you're dealing with people at this level of influence and power.”Elizabeth, drawing strength from her secretary's calm assurance and knowing that every minute counted toward her rapidly approaching two-hour deadline, took a deep breath that she hoped would steady her nerves and give her the
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At that moment, hearing their polite apology, the figure seated in the luxurious armchair couldn't help but let a satisfied smile spread across his face. This was exactly the kind of respectful greeting he had been hoping for, the perfect start to what he anticipated would be a very productive meeting.Raymond then stood up from where he had been comfortably seated, rising with the confident movements of someone who was completely at ease in these exclusive surroundings. He began walking closer to Elizabeth and Victoria, his expensive Italian leather shoes making soft sounds against the polished marble floor as he approached them.“Please, you two don't have any reason to be sorry at all,” Raymond said in a voice that was smooth and welcoming, though there was an undertone of something else that Victoria couldn't quite identify. “I literally just arrived here myself a few minutes ago, so you're actually perfectly on time.”He gestured toward the plush seating area with its expensive
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At that moment, Raymond's demeanor shifted noticeably as he raised up one of his fingers in a sharp, commanding gesture that was clearly meant to literally shut Victoria off mid-sentence. The movement was swift and authoritative, carrying the kind of arrogant entitlement that Elizabeth had always found so distasteful about him.Victoria immediately understood the dismissive signal and quickly bowed her head respectfully, her years of experience in high-level business dealings teaching her never to openly disrespect someone with Raymond's family connections and influence, no matter how rude his behavior might be.“You,” Raymond said in a tone that brooked no argument, his voice carrying the cold authority of someone who was used to having his commands followed without question. “I need you to excuse yourself from this room immediately. Your presence is not needed here for what we're about to discuss.”His words were delivered with the kind of casual cruelty that powerful men often use
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At that moment, upon hearing Elizabeth's question about Benjamin's whereabouts, Raymond's lips curved into a knowing smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, the kind of expression that immediately put Elizabeth on edge.“Oh, so Benjamin didn't actually tell you that he wasn't planning to be here himself?” Raymond said with a tone that carried just a hint of amusement, as if he found Elizabeth's confusion entertaining rather than concerning.His voice took on an almost patronizing quality as he continued explaining the situation. “Benjamin just arranged this meeting between us, but he never intended to attend it personally. He told me exactly what kind of help you're looking for, exactly what kind of crisis you're dealing with right now.”Raymond's smile widened as he spoke, clearly pleased with himself for being in the position to offer assistance. “And after hearing about your situation, I knew that I would definitely be able to help you out in ways that most people simply couldn'
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Instead of taking one of the chairs across from her or even maintaining a respectful distance on the same couch, Raymond deliberately chose a seat that brought him uncomfortably close to her personal space, close enough that she could smell his expensive cologne and feel the warmth radiating from his body.The proximity made Elizabeth's skin crawl, but she forced herself to remain calm and focused on the urgent matter at hand rather than allowing her discomfort with Raymond's behavior to derail what might be her only chance at getting the help she desperately needed.Before either of them could begin discussing the serious crisis that had brought them together, Raymond turned his attention to the security personnel who had been stationed throughout the exclusive lounge.“Gentlemen,” Raymond said in a voice that carried absolute authority, addressing the intimidating bodyguards who had been silently monitoring the room since Elizabeth's arrival. “I need you to please step outside and
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Raymond's expression shifted as he heard her words, his smile taking on a quality that made Elizabeth even more uncomfortable than she had been moments before.“Elizabeth, sweetheart,” Raymond said, his voice dropping to a lower, more intimate tone that was completely inappropriate for what was supposed to be a business meeting. “You really don't need to be so formal and distant with me. We're not strangers, and there's no reason for you to act like you don't know me.”His tone became almost wheedling as he continued. “Why are you going to literally refuse to take even a small sip of my drink? Why are you still maintaining this cold, professional attitude toward me when we both know there could be so much more between us?”Raymond leaned slightly closer to Elizabeth as he spoke, invading her personal space in a way that made her skin crawl with discomfort.“I want you to understand something very important about me,” Raymond continued, his voice taking on what he clearly thought was