Fredrick's Betrayal

Chapter Three: The Boardroom Serpents

Sonia stared at her phone, her breath shallow, her chest rising and falling in disbelief.

“No… this can’t be real.”

The headline glared at her again, the bold letters burning into her mind: “Frederick Corbin Named President of Corbin Holdings.”

Her fingers trembled as she tapped the screen, scrolling through dozens of articles. Each one repeated the same impossible truth: her husband, the man she had mocked, belittled, and nearly abandoned, was now the heir to one of the world’s most powerful empires. She sank onto the bed, clutching the phone as though it might explain itself.

“Frederick… how? When?”

Her mother’s voice sliced through the silence. “Sonia! What’s this nonsense I’m hearing? Reporters are calling me, your husband, President of Corbin Holdings?”

Mrs. Kingston stormed into the room, her eyes wide with fury and disbelief. “It’s true,” Sonia whispered. “It’s all over the news.”

Her mother snatched the phone and scanned the screen, her lips curling. “Impossible. He’s a beggar. A disgrace. How could he”

Sonia’s voice broke. “Mother… what if it’s true? What if he’s been hiding this all along?”

Mrs. Kingston’s face hardened. “Then you’re a fool. You humiliated him, spat on him, and practically threw him into another woman’s arms in front of the entire city. If he really is who they claim, do you think he’ll forgive you? No, Sonia. He’ll destroy you.”

Sonia’s nails dug into her palms. “No… I can fix this. He’s still my husband. I can win him back. I have to.”

Her mother shook her head. “You’ll crawl to him, and he’ll slam the door in your face. Mark my words.”

Across the city, Frederick stood in the towering glass building of Corbin Holdings, his reflection staring back at him in the polished marble floor.

He had traded humiliation for reverence overnight, yet the weight of it pressed heavy on his shoulders.

Harold Whitmore walked beside him, his cane tapping softly. “They’re waiting for you in the boardroom. Be prepared. These men and women have tasted power for years. They won’t surrender it easily.”

Frederick inhaled deeply. “Let them come. I’ve been underestimated my entire life. I won’t bend now.”

The heavy oak doors creaked open, revealing a long mahogany table surrounded by suited figures. Their eyes turned toward him, sharp and calculating.

At the head of the table sat a man with slicked-back hair and a predatory smile, Richard Corbin, Frederick’s uncle.

“So,” Richard drawled, his voice dripping with mockery, “the prodigal grandson finally arrives. The newspapers are buzzing, but let’s get one thing straight: this company has thrived under our guidance. You may carry the Corbin name, but don’t think for a second we’ll hand you the reins without a fight.”

Frederick met his gaze evenly. “I’m not here to ask. I’m here because my grandfather entrusted me with everything. His will is final.”

Murmurs rippled through the room. A woman in a navy suit leaned forward. Claudia Vale, head of finance, known for her ruthless pragmatism.

“The will may name you, but leadership is more than inheritance. What experience do you have running a conglomerate of this size?”

Frederick’s jaw tightened. “Experience? No. But I’ve endured hunger, humiliation, betrayal. That teaches more about survival than any boardroom. You’ll see soon enough, I’m not here to play the weakling you think I am.”

Richard laughed coldly. “Big words. Let’s see if you can back them up. We’ll put it to a vote, whether to accept you as President or appoint an interim leader until you ‘learn the ropes.’”

Harold rose from his seat, voice firm. “The will is legally binding. Alexander Corbin explicitly named Frederick as sole heir and President. Any attempt to overrule it is a direct violation of corporate law.”

Claudia smirked. “Laws can be bent. Votes can be swayed. Don’t think loyalty comes cheap in this room.”

The boardroom buzzed with tension, the air thick with unspoken threats. Frederick leaned forward, his voice low but sharp.

“If any of you think you can strip me of what’s mine, try. But know this, I may have been poor yesterday, but today I am the head of Corbin Holdings. And I don’t forgive betrayal.”

Silence fell. For the first time, unease flickered across their faces. Meanwhile, Sonia sat in a café across from Leonel Cruz, her hands wrapped tightly around her coffee cup.

“So it’s true,” Leonel said, scanning the news on his tablet. “Your husband is suddenly one of the richest men in the world. Quite the twist.”

Sonia forced a laugh. “It changes nothing between us.”

Leonel’s eyes narrowed. “Doesn’t it? Last night, you practically begged for my attention. Today, your husband is a billionaire. Tell me, Sonia, are you still so eager to leave him?”

Her cheeks flushed. “Leonel, you don’t understand. He’s my husband. I can’t just”

Leonel leaned in, his voice a silken threat. “Be careful. Don’t play both sides. If you crawl back to him, don’t expect me to be waiting. Choose, Sonia. Fame with me, or fortune with him. You can’t have both.”

Her heart pounded. “I… I just need time.”

Leonel’s smile was cold. “Time is a luxury, darling. And soon, your husband will know exactly where your loyalties lie.”

Back in the boardroom, Richard slammed his hand against the table. “Enough talk. If you want to lead, prove yourself. The company faces a billion-dollar merger with Titan Industries. Seal the deal, and maybe we’ll respect you. Fail, and you’ll be remembered as nothing but a spoiled heir.”

Frederick’s eyes blazed. “Consider it done.”

Richard smirked. “Good. The meeting with Titan’s CEO is tonight. Let’s see if you can swim with sharks without drowning.”

Harold leaned close, whispering as the board members filed out. “This is a test, Frederick. They want you to fail. Titan Industries is notorious for ruthless negotiations.”

Frederick straightened his tie. “Then I’ll give them a reason to remember my name.”

Hours later, Frederick stood in the lavish office of Titan Industries, the skyline glittering beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Across the table sat Victor Kane, Titan’s CEO, a man with steel-gray eyes and the air of a predator sizing up prey.

Victor smiled thinly. “So you’re the new President of Corbin Holdings. Young. Inexperienced. Some would say… vulnerable.”

Frederick held his gaze. “And some would say opportunity lies in the underestimated.”

Victor chuckled. “Bold. I like that. But boldness won’t save you when the numbers don’t add up. I’ll make this simple. Sign over thirty percent of your overseas holdings, and Titan will agree to merge. Otherwise, I walk, and your own board will bury you.”

Frederick’s pulse quickened, but he kept his voice calm. “You think I’ll hand you thirty percent of my empire on my first day? You’re mistaking me for the man they mocked yesterday. I’m not here to crawl. I’m here to conquer.”

Victor’s smile faded. “Careful, boy. One wrong move, and your so-called allies will turn on you.”

Frederick leaned forward, eyes burning. “Let them. I’ve been alone before. I survived. And now, I have something none of you expected, nothing left to lose, and everything to gain.”

The tension thickened, silence stretching like a blade between them. Victor studied him for a long moment, then smirked. “Interesting. Perhaps you’re not as easy to break as they hoped. Very well. Let’s see how much fight you truly have.”

Back at the café, Sonia scrolled through live updates of the meeting, her stomach twisting with dread. “Frederick…” she whispered.

Her mother’s words echoed in her mind: He’ll destroy you. And for the first time, Sonia wondered if she had already lost the one thing she thought she could always control, her husband’s love.

Inside Titan’s office, Victor Kane stood and extended his hand slowly. “One last chance, Frederick. Sign the deal my way… or I’ll crush you and your company before you even begin.”

Frederick stared at the hand, then back into Victor’s eyes, a dangerous smile tugging at his lips.

“Then I guess tonight we find out who the real predator is.”