THE SON THEY BURIED WAS THEIR ONLY HEIR

Chapter Seven: Shadows in the Boardroom

Rain continued to fall over Aurelia City throughout the night.

By morning, the storm had passed, leaving the streets washed clean beneath a pale blue sky.

At exactly seven-thirty, the Ashcroft family gathered for breakfast.

The atmosphere was noticeably lighter than it had been the previous afternoon.

The company's swift response to the leaked documents had reassured investors, and the morning financial reports reflected it.

Victor folded his newspaper.

"Our share price recovered before the market closed."

Sophia smiled.

"That's good news."

"It means people still trust the company," Eleanor added.

Victor nodded once before looking toward Benedict.

"The crisis was handled well."

It wasn't praise.

It was simply a statement.

Benedict inclined his head politely.

"The entire team deserves the credit."

Damian looked at Benedict for a moment before speaking.

"I disagree."

The table fell quiet.

Victor raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

Damian met his father's gaze respectfully.

"Yesterday, everyone waited for Benedict."

"The executives."

"The department heads."

"Even the legal team."

He glanced toward Benedict again.

"They trusted him before anyone else."

An awkward silence settled over the table.

Sophia lowered her eyes.

Eleanor quietly sipped her tea.

Victor looked at Benedict.

"That's because he has experience."

Then he turned back to Damian.

"And one day, you'll have that experience too."

Benedict smiled.

"I'm looking forward to that day."

His words were sincere.

Damian couldn't understand it.

Why did Benedict never seem threatened?

Half an hour later, the two men arrived at Ashcroft Group Headquarters.

The elevators opened directly onto the executive floor.

Today's schedule was filled with meetings.

Investment proposals.

Department reviews.

A presentation from the Engineering Division.

As they walked through the corridor, Damian noticed something unusual.

Employees didn't simply greet Benedict.

They relaxed when they saw him.

A project manager hurried toward them.

"Director Benedict."

"The Northern Expressway budget has a discrepancy."

"I'll come after the board meeting."

"Thank you, sir."

Moments later, another employee approached.

"The supplier from Milan is refusing the revised contract."

"Tell them I'll call personally after lunch."

The woman visibly relaxed.

"Thank you."

Damian leaned closer.

"Does everyone bring their problems to you?"

Benedict smiled.

"Only because they trust I'll help them solve them."

"Doesn't it become exhausting?"

For the briefest moment, Benedict hesitated.

"It can."

Then he smiled again.

"But that's part of the responsibility."

Damian noticed something different this time.

The smile came a heartbeat later than usual.

For the first time...

He wondered whether Benedict was carrying burdens no one else ever saw.

The morning board meeting began promptly at nine.

This time, Victor remained unusually quiet.

Instead of leading the discussion himself, he simply watched.

Department directors presented quarterly reports.

Construction updates.

Investment forecasts.

Everything proceeded smoothly.

Then the Head of International Logistics stood.

"We have one concern."

He displayed a shipment schedule on the large screen.

"Our Singapore partners have delayed delivery."

"If construction materials don't arrive within forty-eight hours, the Harbor Expansion Project will stop."

Several directors exchanged uneasy glances.

A delay of even two days could cost millions.

Victor looked around the table.

"Suggestions?"

Silence.

Then Benedict spoke calmly.

"What time is it in Singapore?"

The logistics director blinked.

"Just after nine in the morning."

"Good."

Benedict stood.

"They're already in the office."

He reached for the conference phone.

"Let's ask them directly."

Several directors looked surprised.

"Now?" one asked.

Benedict smiled.

"Problems don't improve while waiting."

He dialed the number himself.

Within moments, the call connected.

"Good morning, Mr. Tan."

A warm laugh echoed through the speaker.

"Director Benedict! I was just about to call you."

Damian watched the exchange in silence.

The Singapore chairman wasn't merely familiar with Benedict.

He sounded genuinely pleased to hear from him.

Benedict listened for several moments before smiling.

"I understand."

"No, there's no need to apologize."

"We'll adjust the construction schedule on our end."

"Safe travels."

He ended the call.

Then he turned toward the board.

"The shipment isn't delayed."

"The vessel rescued a fishing boat caught in yesterday's storm."

Several directors looked stunned.

"The captain chose to assist before continuing to port."

Benedict smiled.

"I would've made the same decision."

The Logistics Director let out a relieved breath.

"So the cargo will still arrive tomorrow?"

"It will."

Victor quietly observed the room.

Every executive had instinctively turned to Benedict again.

Every problem...

Every solution...

Somewhere deep inside, a thought crossed Victor's mind for the first time.

Had he been relying on Benedict more than he realized?

Before he could dwell on it, the boardroom doors opened.

Victor's executive assistant stepped inside, visibly flustered.

"Chairman..."

"There are officers from the Financial Crimes Bureau downstairs."

"They've requested immediate access to our procurement records."

The room froze.

The boardroom fell into stunned silence.

Victor slowly rose from his seat.

"The Financial Crimes Bureau?"

His executive assistant nodded nervously.

"Yes, Chairman."

"They have an official warrant requesting access to procurement records relating to the East Coast Transit Project."

Several directors exchanged uneasy glances.

Director Lewis spoke first.

"This can't be a coincidence."

"The media attack happened yesterday."

"And today, government investigators arrive."

Someone was clearly trying to tighten the noose around Ashcroft Group.

Victor turned to Benedict.

"What do you think?"

Benedict remained calm.

"They're doing their job."

A few directors looked at him in disbelief.

"They think we're under investigation," one muttered.

Benedict shook his head.

"No."

"They're verifying information after receiving a complaint."

"There is a difference."

Victor studied him for a moment.

"So?"

"We cooperate fully."

Director Patel frowned.

"What if they seize confidential documents?"

"They won't."

Benedict answered confidently.

"Because we have nothing to hide."

The confidence in his voice settled the room.

Victor nodded.

"Very well."

"Bring them up."

Five minutes later, three officers entered the boardroom.

Leading them was a woman in her late thirties.

Her navy suit was immaculate, and the identification badge clipped to her jacket read:

Chief Investigator Naomi Carter

She offered a professional nod.

"Chairman Ashcroft."

Victor returned the greeting.

"Chief Investigator."

"Please, have a seat."

She remained standing.

"This won't take long if everything is in order."

"It will be."

Victor gestured toward Benedict.

"Our Executive Director will assist you."

Naomi's eyes shifted toward Benedict.

For a brief moment...

Recognition flickered across her face.

"So you're Benedict Vandross."

Benedict inclined his head politely.

"I am."

"I've heard your name more than once."

"I hope for good reasons."

A faint smile appeared on Naomi's lips.

"Mostly."

The tension in the room eased ever so slightly.

For the next hour, Benedict personally guided the investigators through every requested document.

Purchase orders.

Supplier contracts.

Government approvals.

Audit reports.

Every file was already indexed.

Every signature properly recorded.

Every payment traceable.

Naomi carefully reviewed each document.

The more she read...

The more surprised she became.

Finally, she closed the last folder.

"I have to admit..."

She looked directly at Victor.

"This is one of the most organized corporate records I've ever inspected."

Victor glanced toward Benedict.

"He insists on documenting everything."

Benedict smiled modestly.

"It prevents misunderstandings."

Naomi looked at him thoughtfully.

"No."

"It prevents disasters."

As the investigators prepared to leave, one of the younger officers approached Naomi quietly.

She listened before turning back to Benedict.

"Director Benedict..."

"We've encountered something unusual."

"What is it?"

The officer handed her a printed document.

"It appears the anonymous complaint wasn't submitted through the normal government reporting system."

Naomi frowned.

"It was routed through three foreign servers before reaching us."

Benedict's expression remained calm, but his eyes sharpened.

"So..."

"They wanted to hide their identity."

Naomi nodded.

"And they knew enough about your company to sound convincing."

She slipped the report into her briefcase.

"This is no longer a routine verification."

"It's beginning to look deliberate."

After the investigators left, the boardroom remained unusually quiet.

No one spoke for several moments.

Finally, Victor looked toward Benedict.

"You were right."

"This wasn't about the documents."

Benedict nodded.

"No."

"They wanted investigators walking through our headquarters."

"They wanted people asking questions."

"They wanted our employees to become nervous."

Damian folded his arms.

"So this is psychological."

Benedict looked at him with approval.

"Exactly."

"When people lose confidence..."

"They begin making mistakes."

Victor slowly nodded.

"And that's exactly what our enemy wants."

Late that evening, long after most employees had gone home, Benedict remained alone in his office.

Stacks of reports covered his desk.

He carefully compared access logs from the leaked contract with employee schedules.

Something didn't fit.

One executive's security card had entered the archives...

Yet surveillance footage showed no one entering.

He checked again.

The records matched.

Impossible.

Unless...

Someone had cloned an access card.

A soft knock interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in."

Damian stepped inside, carrying two cups of coffee.

"I thought you could use this."

Benedict accepted the cup with a grateful smile.

"Thank you."

Damian looked around the office.

"You're still working?"

"There are a few things I want to understand."

Damian placed his own cup on the desk.

"You know..."

He hesitated.

"I've been here only a few days."

"But I've noticed something."

Benedict looked up.

"Everyone depends on you."

Benedict smiled faintly.

"They depend on the team."

"No."

Damian shook his head.

"They depend on you."

For the first time, Benedict didn't answer.

He simply looked out through the office window at the lights stretching across Aurelia City.

Quietly, he said,

"If one person becomes indispensable..."

"...then the organization has already failed."

Damian stared at him.

He wasn't protecting his position.

He was trying to build a company that could survive without him.

That thought left Damian with an unexpected sense of admiration.

Across the city...

Inside the same dimly lit penthouse...

The elderly man sat alone before a massive chessboard.

He calmly picked up a black bishop and moved it forward one square.

A younger man stood nearby.

"The investigation found nothing."

The old man smiled.

"I expected that."

"They're becoming more cautious."

"They're following Benedict's instructions."

The younger man frowned.

"Then aren't we losing?"

The old man slowly looked up.

"No."

His fingers rested on another chess piece.

"We've only been attacking the company."

He gently pushed the piece forward.

"It's time..."

"...to attack the family."

A slow smile spread across his face.

"Because when the heart of a family begins to crack..."

"...even the strongest empire eventually falls."