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Cheated & Despised, now the Billionaire Heir Chapter Fifty-three
Every director and executive widened their eyes in shock and confusion the moment Ethan walked in with Lara."Wait... isn’t that—?" One of the senior board members of Aurelius Imprint Conglomerate stopped mid-sentence, his expression shifting from curiosity to unease.Damian stiffened.However, no one dared to acknowledge the storm that had just walked in, with Magnus' warning from the other day still fresh in their minds.Despite their efforts to stay composed, most of them couldn’t help but lean in and whisper to each other, wondering why Ethan was there."This has to be a mistake," another whispered, glancing nervously at Magnus.However, with a confident stride, Ethan walked straight to the empty chair Magnus had reserved for him near Lara—which he had been instructing people not to sit in since the meeting began.Then, he acknowledged Magnus with a slight nod before letting his gaze sweep the room.When Damian’s eyes met Ethan’s, his face twisted with a mix of disbelief and disgu
Cheated & Despised, now the Billionaire Heir Chapter Fifty-four
Damian blinked, clearly confused. “Focus on what?”Ethan laughed softly and shot a glance at Magnus. “Has he not been told?”“I’m here to make sure your presentation is on point,” Ethan replied.Mr. Richard, looking lost, turned to Magnus.“I… honestly don’t get it.” He shrugged slightly. “Is he a legal consultant or what? Our legal teams have already checked everything and given the green light, so…”“It’s just a bit confusing, and I think others feel the same way,” he said, glancing around the room.People nodded in agreement.Magnus didn’t even look at him as he said, “You all know I don’t sign anything unless I’m sure. Think of this as one last check.”Mr. Richard swallowed hard and nodded.Damian shot him a disbelieving look. As his father’s right-hand man, he expected Mr. Richard to fight tooth and nail to get the deal signed, not giving up like this.Then, Magnus shifted his gaze to Ethan, leaning back on his chair. "Go on. Let's get this over with real quick."Ethan shifted,
Cheated & Despised, now the Billionaire Heir Chapter Fifty-five
Ethan's voice dropped slightly. "You’ve requested a substantial upfront investment from Aurelius Group—more than necessary for operational expansion.”He leaned back slightly. “But that’s not the real issue. The real issue is where that money is going because it's not indicated in the proposal and if I'm not mistaken, you didn't mention it in your presentation."The room went deathly still.He looked directly at Magnus now. “Where do you think it would be going to, Mr. Aurelius?"He tilted his head slightly. "A shell company?"The words rang out, sinking into every person in the room. Even the most indifferent directors were now leaning forward, their intrigue replaced with concern.Magnus’s expression darkened slightly as anger surged within him, realizing that Damian and his father were trying to outsmart him.Damian took a slow breath, forcing a tight smile. “That… that’s probably just an oversight.”“A mistake? You actually call that a mistake?!” Magnus scoffed, his voice heavy wi
Cheated & Despised, now the Billionaire Heir Chapter Fifty-six
The tablet’s speakers crackled slightly before an audio played.“Mr. Copper,” a worker’s voice rang out."The chemical compound used in the production of Lurexorin—it’s dangerous. I’ve done my research, and it’s linked to pancreatic cancer.”“I believe the team responsible might not have known about the danger, which is why I told Mr. Gareth. If we continue this production, sir, we could be held responsible for endangering thousands of lives.”Damian exhaled."A multi-billion-dollar anti-inflammatory drug. And now, a potential PR disaster linked to pancreatic cancer... interesting," he chuckled.He tapped the side of his glass. “John, you said you did your research. What’s the compound?”John swallowed hard. “Perchloroacetate, sir.”A sharp silence followed.Are you sure?" Damian asked.“I triple-checked, sir. Studies from independent labs show a direct correlation between prolonged exposure and aggressive tumor growth.”Damian sighed. “And how many people know about this?”John hesit
Cheated & Despised, now the Billionaire Heir Chapter Fifty-seven
Ethan knew Damian wouldn’t admit to anything. He was sure Damian was already crafting a way to deny it.What Damian didn’t know was that John, as an activist, had anticipated the outcome of the meeting when he realized that the regulatory inspectors had deliberately overlooked the chemical compound during their factory visit.That’s what triggered his research.And when he confronted Damian, he came prepared—hiding a recorder on his body to capture every word.Among the files Lara had submitted to Ethan was a list of employee records across the company and its subsidiaries.Ethan found it suspicious that John had been terminated just three months into his employment for a trivial reason.John was forced to disappear with his family from Damian after he handed the evidence over to the police and found out that Damian had the cops on his payroll.But Ethan had tracked John down yesterday. He found John in a hidden location, living in secrecy with his family—his instincts guided him stra
Cheated & Despised, now the Billionaire Heir Chapter Fifty-eight
The moment the words left Mr. Gareth's lips, the boardroom fell into stunned silence.Damian's face drained of color, his breath hitched, and his jaw slackened. His fingers twitched slightly as if trying to grasp onto something—anything—that would make this nightmare unreal.“Government agencies… stormed the factory?” His voice came out hoarse, barely a whisper, yet the weight of those words crushed his entire being.His body stiffened as if caged by an invisible force.“Sir, you need to get here fast because they’ve found the Perchloroacetate since they showed up unexpectedly.” Mr. Gareth’s voice was rushed.But Damian barely registered his words. His mind was elsewhere, fixated on how Ethan had pulled it off.He knew it was Ethan’s doing—the smug look on his face said it all.Fury burned in Damian’s eyes as Ethan stared him down.Meeting Damian's gaze, Ethan leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable as a flicker of amusement played in his eyes.He sipped his water as if th
Cheated & Despised, now the Billionaire Heir Chapter Fifty-nine
With the directors and executives gone after Damian reluctantly took Ethan’s advice to leave, only three people were left in the boardroom—Ethan, Magnus, and Lara.The air still carried the weight of the chaos that had unfolded.Ethan leaned back in his chair.Lara, still shocked as to how everything had happened, just like Magnus, turned to Ethan."But how did you know about it?" Her voicewas laced with confusion."The flaws in the deal, the hazardous chemical compound used in the drug’s production, and not to mention the recording."She gave a slight shrug. "I mean, no one caught it. Not even the legal team after reviewing it for weeks. But you—"Magnus scoffed. “Obviously, it’s the superior intellect that comes with being the ring bearer and King of the World."“Because if someone like me—who has spent weeks dissecting that damn proposal—missed those flaws, yet he spotted them in just a few days…"He gave a slight shrug. "Well, that’s the only explanation that makes sense."Ethan
Cheated & Despised, now the Billionaire Heir Chapter Sixty
Damian’s throat tightened the moment he heard his father’s voice.He didn’t need anyone to tell him—he already knew his father was talking about the scandal caused by the leaked audio recording.“Am I talking to a ghost, you fool?!” his father barked, his voice sharp enough to cut through bone.Damian swallowed hard, shutting his eyes for a moment to steady his breath before opening them again and forcing himself to speak. "I... I don't know how it happened, Father. It's—""You don't know how it happened?" his father scoffed, cutting him off."You really said that just now?" he scoffed again."You know… the biggest mistake of my life was leaving the company in your hands. You’ve always been a disappointment, and now you’ve proven it beyond a doubt.” His father's voice was laced with regret, disgust, and anger.“With your level of incompetence, I doubt you’re even capable of running one of the subsidiaries. I should have tested you with that first before trusting you with the entire gr
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Chapter 102
***BACK TO PRESENT***As Ethan told the story to Mr. Hayes, his knuckles turned bone-white, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his skin.His voice trembled—not from weakness, but from the weight of betrayal.But the real reason behind the fire in his eyes wasn’t what he was saying. It was something deeper. Something he wasn’t ready to share.Then, his thoughts snapped back to the real reason—that exact night.***FLASHBACK***At the police station, he was thrown into a holding cell.Three other men were already inside—one lying on the bench with a busted lip, another pacing like a caged animal, and the third, a heavy-set guy with dead eyes, just staring into nothing.A few hours after Ethan had called Vanessa for help, telling her he’d been charged with burglary, an officer appeared at his cell."Ethan Cross," the officer called, unlocking the cell. "You've been cleared. Someone posted your bail."Confused, Ethan followed the guard to the front desk where, to his sh
Chapter 101
***FLASHBACK******Fifteen months earlier—before the bone marrow transplant***The rain poured down in heavy sheets as Ethan pulled his thin delivery jacket tighter around his shoulders, the cheap plastic bag containing clutched against his chest to keep it dry. The electric scooter he used for deliveries had broken down three blocks back, and he'd had no choice but to continue on foot.His shoes squelched with every step, his socks soaked through. But he kept moving. This was his last delivery for the night. After that, he’d head back to his tiny apartment, count the few money he’d made, and stress over how he was going to cover even a small part of Vanessa’s hospital bills. She’d been stuck there for weeks, going through endless tests after they found out she needed a bone marrow transplant.He saw her as his girlfriend—his responsibility—even though her parents could easily afford everything."2487 Oakridge Drive," he muttered to himself, checking his phone again. The address
Chapter 100
Ethan chuckled. "Mercy? As how?""Ever since the scandal, the stock of my company has been in freefall," Mr. Hayes explained, words tumbling out faster now. "Crisis has been happening behind the scenes that the public doesn't know about yet. It's only a matter of time before everyone realizes we're worth nothing."He ran a trembling hand over his face. "I've spent every remaining resource and penny the family has to try to make the charges against the company go away. Just disowning Damian wasn't enough. And to make things worse, investors have been pulling out one by one, and the board of directors is losing trust and hope in my leadership."His voice cracked. "Only Chairman Aurelius can help me and my family now because I know he has the resources, influences, and power to make it happen.""And since you’re obviously close to him, maybe you could get him to help me and forget what my stupid, estranged son did with his greedy attitude."Ethan let the silence linger, watching the des
Chapter Ninety-nine
Ethan tilted his head slightly, his expression shifting to one of innocent confusion—a perfect mask that hid the satisfaction bubbling underneath."Why are you on your knees again, Mr. Hayes? Please, there's no need for that anymore."Mr. Hayes remained where he was, his hands clasped together as if in prayer. His voice trembled with desperate sincerity. "It's because my family and I need your forgiveness and mercy. We need it desperately."Ethan's eyebrows rose slightly, his performance flawless. "Forgiveness? Mercy? I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about.""Please," Mr. Hayes continued, his eyes never leaving Ethan's face. "I had no idea until today about the connection between my son and you. I swear it.”"Please, on behalf of my family, forgive us. Please."A smirk played on Ethan's lips as he tilted his head thoughtfully. "Your son?" He paused, as if something had just occurred to him. "Oh, you mean Damian? Your ex-son, the one you've now disowned?"Mr. Hayes nodded
Chapter Ninety-eight
Seated across from each other in leather chairs in the living room, Mr. Hayes couldn’t contain himself any longer; his words tumbled out like water breaking through a dam.“Ethan, seriously, thank you. You have no idea how much it means to me that you actually want to listen when Chairman—”Ethan laughed. “Come on, don’t even start. Honestly, I should be the one apologizing for the way those idiots treated you. It was embarrassing.”Mr. Hayes shook his head. "No.""They were just doing their job. No need to apologize.”Ethan watched the Mr. Hayes with a relaxed smile, enjoying the desperation that seemed to pour from every pore. "So, about—""Before we get to business, Mr. Hayes..." Ethan cut in. "What would you like to drink? We have an excellent scotch that I think you'd appreciate. Or perhaps something softer?"Mr. Hayes shook his head, his eyes darting nervously. "No, no, I don't need anything. Please, I just want to discuss the situation. Time is running out for me."Ethan's sm
Chapter Ninety-seven
The sound of commotion broke through the peaceful night at the Aurelius castle as angry voices and desperate pleas bounced off the high walls and slipped through the slightly open window of Ethan's bedroom.After all of Magnus’ begging and pressure because he was scared there might be another attack and that the ring might not protect Ethan next time, Ethan finally agreed to stay in the castle until he was crowned King of the World. Magnus had even begged him to stay inside the castle the whole time until then."Please! I need to see him! It's a matter of life and death!""Sir, we have strict orders from Chairman Aurelius. You need to leave now!""You don't understand! I need to see him... Please!"Ethan looked up from his phone, eyebrows lifting with mild interest because the desperate voice sounded oddly familiar. He put his phone down on the bedside table and walked to the window, peering out to catch a glimpse of the scene unfolding at the front gate.Two security guards in bla
Chapter Ninety-six
Later in the day, as Vanessa and her family were still celebrating, a sudden news report interrupted the air.“Breaking news,” the anchor’s voice was grim, grabbing everyone’s attention."New evidence has emerged in the Callum Construction scandal, directly implicating Jonathan Callum and his daughter, Vanessa Callum, along with other executives, in what authorities are now calling one of the largest fraud schemes in the city’s history.”Vanessa’s heart skipped a beat, and so did the rest of her family’s.Then, the screen flickered to show emails—dozens of them—between Jonathan and other directors, discussing ways to cut costs by using cheap materials and bribing inspectors. Then came documents with their signatures at the bottom.“What?!” The words escaped their mouths in unison, their faces paling.The anchor continued, “These emails and documents, provided to us by senior vice president Richard Callum, directly contradict Ms. Callum’s statements from the media briefing earlier, whe
Chapter Ninety-five
"I know you're aware that the evidence used against James Harry and the other supervisors is false," Ethan revealed, his voice surprisingly calm. "Vanessa and her father used it to throw them under the bus and save themselves, isn't it?"Richard's eyes widened. He glanced over his shoulder, then scanned the coffee shop as if looking for hidden cameras or eavesdroppers. When he turned back to Ethan, his face had lost all its arrogance."How do you know about that?" Richard whispered, leaning closer. "That information isn't public. Nobody outside the inner circle knows what really happened."Ethan chuckled. "Have you already forgotten what I told you about the Copper Group deal? You can say I'm... well-informed." He tapped his fingers lightly on the table. "I have my ways of knowing things people think are hidden.""What are you, some kind of hacker?" Richard asked, his eyes narrowing."Does it matter?" Ethan shrugged. "Do I have your undivided attention now?"Richard shifted in h
Chapter Ninety-four
Richard rushed back to the table, nearly knocking over his chair. His composure had been replaced by wide eyes and a pale face because he knew that if the words got out, he would be doomed."How do you know about that?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. "Tell me right now!"Ethan said nothing, just calmly took another sip of his coffee.The silence stretched between them until Richard couldn’t take it anymore. He decided to mask his panic and fear by intimidating Ethan, convinced that people like Ethan always give in eventually, no matter their initial arrogance and boldness."It was Lara, wasn't it?" Richard chuckled."Though I can't understand how she found out..." He ran a hand through his hair, messing it up. "I can’t believe she was so blinded by love that she actually told you something like that,” he said, narrowing his eyes at Ethan and leaning forward. "Now, tell me—what do you want from me? Why are you saying this to my face?”Ethan just stared back at him,
