All Chapters of THE RISE OF THE APEX KING: Chapter 31
- Chapter 40
63 chapters
CHAPTER 31
The morning sun was bright when Richard’s car drove through the busy streets of New York.The traffic was heavy as usual. Cars moved slowly along the wide roads while people hurried along the sidewalks, each person focused on their own tasks and worries.Inside the black car, the atmosphere was quiet. Richard sat behind the steering wheel, his eyes focused on the road ahead.Beside him sat Michelle.She was dressed in a simple but elegant business outfit and her hair was tied neatly in a bun.The closer they drove toward the Donovan Group headquarters, the more silent she became.Richard noticed this immediately. He glanced at her briefly before returning his attention to the road.Michelle’s emotions were very easy for him to read. Her face was expressive. Even when she tried to hide her feelings, they often appeared in her eyes.Right now, he could tell exactly what she was thinking. She was nervous, not because of the meeting but because of the place they were going - Donovan Group
CHAPTER 32
Seeing it was Denzel’s people who drove in, Richard was not surprised. In fact, he had expected something like this.Richard knew very well how greedy and scheming the Eric Donovan family was. He had studied them carefully after marrying Michelle. Their habits, their ambitions, and their connections were already clear to him.And he also knew that they were a perfect match with someone like Denzel Washington.Both sides wanted power. Both sides liked control. Both sides had no problem stepping on others to get what they wanted.Richard glanced briefly toward the approaching man surrounded by bodyguards.Denzel walked with confidence and pride. His expensive suit fit perfectly, and the classy watch on his wrist flashed under the sunlight. His presence drew attention from almost everyone near the entrance.But Richard quickly turned his gaze away. He had no interest in Denzel right now.Instead, he looked back at the security guard who had stopped them earlier.The guard was a middle-ag
CHAPTER 33
The tension near the entrance of the Donovan Group building grew heavier by the second. Several employees had slowed their steps. Some pretended to check their phones while secretly watching the scene unfold. Others stood a little farther away, whispering quietly to one another. No one wanted to miss what was happening.The mayor himself had ordered security to throw two people out of the building. That alone was enough to attract attention.The middle-aged security guard who had spoken earlier stepped forward with confidence. His chest was puffed out proudly, and his face carried the smug look of a man who believed he held power in that moment.Behind him, two other guards followed closely.They approached Richard and Michelle. The first guard reached out his hand. His intention was clear. He planned to roughly shove Richard aside and drag Michelle away from the entrance.His fingers barely touched Richard’s shoulder before something happened. A sharp sound suddenly echoed in the air
CHAPTER 34
The boardroom of the Donovan Group was tense now. Low whispers filled the room as no one had expected the meeting to become so dramatic.“What are you doing here?” Madeline mouthed. Her voice was low as she did not want to draw too much attention but her anger was obvious.Her son, Yohan, was still lying in a hospital bed because of her crazy husband, Richard. The doctors had said his bones would take time to heal.And now Michelle had the nerve to walk into the Donovan Group as if nothing had happened.Madeline’s nails dug into her palm.Eric walked up to Michelle and grabbed her arm. It was clear he did not want to make a scene.“Come with me,” he said in a low whisper.Michelle frowned as Eric tried to pull her toward the door.She pulled her arm away from his grip and he stared at her in disbelief.Michelle looked at him without fear.“Leave me alone,” she snapped. Michelle then turned to face the board with a small smirk on her lips.“Aren’t we all here concerning the new share
CHAPTER 35
Meanwhile, the shareholders in the boardroom had started stealing glances at Richard. Many of them had never seen him before. Yet he stood there beside Michelle as if he belonged in the board room.Near the far side of the table, Denzel Washington sat quietly in his seat. His fingers tapped lightly on the polished table but his eyes never left Michelle.At first, when he had seen her enter the building, his anger had been strong. He had wanted revenge.But now a different plan had started materializing in his head. From the looks on the faces of Eric and Madeline, he knew that they were hiding something. He realized immediately that Michelle was actually the one whose name was in the will. Getting married to her would not only clean his record but also strengthen his influence in the city.A few days ago, Michelle herself had not been very valuable to him. She had simply been a tool. But now the situation had changed.If Michelle truly controlled over fifty percent of Donovan Group,
CHAPTER 36
Every pair of eyes slowly turned toward him. Some people looked annoyed while others simply looked impatient..Richard remained calm even in the midst of the judgemental gazes. He placed one hand on the table and he slowly glanced around the room.For a few seconds, he said nothing and another of the older shareholders frowned, impatient.“Well? If you have something to say, then say it.”Richard nodded and smiled at them. “Just a nobody, as you all said.”He slowly looked around the room again.“But a nobody whose identity none of you here aside from my wife, is qualified to know.”Those words proved to be the bombshell because the next minute, gasps sounded from several corners of the room.“What did he just say?”“Did he just insult us?”“Who does he think he is?”A few directors slammed their hands against the table. Their faces turned red with anger and one shareholder pointed a finger toward Richard.“This is outrageous! How dare you talk to us like that?”More voices joined in
CHAPTER 37
CHAPTER 36For several long seconds after Rico walked in, the entire boardroom remained silent.No one moved or even dared to cough.Every eye in the room stayed fixed on Richard. Just moments ago, many of them had mocked him and called him a nobody.But now the situation had completely changed.Rico was not just any man. Everyone in the city knew his name.He was famous both inside the country and outside it. People often whispered about his connections and his reach. Some believed he controlled several major businesses behind the scenes. Others believed he had influence in politics and finance across many regions.No one knew the full truth but everyone knew one thing - Rico was very powerful.There were also some rumors about him that he had ties with the Apex. However, they were all rumors. No one had proof.Still, even the rumors alone were enough to make people cautious when dealing with Rico.So when such a powerful man like Rico walked into the boardroom and bowed to Richard,
CHAPTER 38
Meanwhile, many of the major shareholders and board of directors had not yet recovered from the shock of what they had just seen.Rico stood calmly behind Richard’s chair, and Mr. Vincenzo stood beside him with a leather briefcase in his hand.Their eyes moved between the two powerful men and Richard.The atmosphere had completely changed. Earlier, most of them had been mocking Richard. Some had even called him a nobody. But now, none of them dared to speak so casually anymore.Even the people who still doubted him remained silent.Mr. Vincenzo finally stepped forward. His presence alone demanded attention.He placed his briefcase on the table and opened it calmly. The soft click of the locks echoed in the quiet room. Then he pulled out several documents.He adjusted his glasses before speaking. His voice was clear and professional.“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began, “my name is Vincenzo Rossi.”Most people in the room already knew that but the formal introduction made the moment feel
CHAPTER 39
Michelle was still standing with her back toward the road as she had no idea what was coming. Inside the approaching vehicle, the driver’s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly and the engine roared louder.The person behind the wheel leaned forward slightly, eyes fixed on the target ahead - Michelle Donovan.The distance between them grew smaller every second and the driver pressed harder on the accelerator.Back near the entrance, Michelle was still smiling and staring at a text on her phone. She had not noticed the danger behind her.But Richard had.Without thinking, he slammed his own car door shut and started the engine.The tires screeched as his car shot forward.Everything happened within seconds. The dark sedan rushed forward like a bullet.But then, another vehicle suddenly appeared. It came from the side road with incredible speed.Without hesitation, the vehicle turned sharply and rammed directly into the front of the attacking sedan.The impact was violent. Metal cra
CHAPTER 40
The hospital corridor outside Michelle’s room was quiet. Soft lights glowed along the ceiling, and the air carried the faint smell of medicine and disinfectant.Right outside Michelle’s hospital room stood Richard. His voice was low as he spoke to the doctor. He kept his tone soft so the sound would not wake Michelle.Marty stood beside him, and the little boy looked sleepy and confused. His small fingers were wrapped tightly around Richard’s as he listened to the doctor. Richard wasn't comfortable bringing Marty with him to the hospital but he had no choice because of safety concerns. The news of Michelle’s attack had spread across the city like wildfire.Within hours, it had appeared on multiple news channels and social media platforms.Reporters had crowded outside Michelle’s home and even outside the Donovan Group headquarters. Even now many of them had gathered outside the hospital as well.They were desperate for information and even the media had already started building their