Chapter 4
Several more Elders rose to their feet.
The Director of Commerce—Darren’s cousin—stepped forward, his expression dark as pitch.
“Scarlett, stop struggling.” His voice was cold, clipped. “You were once my cousin too, through Darren. But after all this chaos, do you think you can walk away clean, without paying? You’ve driven us to the edge of ruin.”
I stared at him, my lips curving into a bitter smile.
How laughable.
Years ago, because of Darren, I broke myself in half, pulling strings, maneuvering, pushing him step by step into power.
And now? He was the first to leap forward, spitting baseless accusations.
Looking at the faces before me, I finally understood—
This was survival of the fittest.
If I didn’t fight, I’d be devoured alive.
“Scarlett, don’t be stubborn.” He shifted to the patronizing tone of an elder, sighing with false concern. “Your father is gone. It’s my duty to look after you. Go home, rest. The company will be fine in our hands.”
I said nothing.
Silence felt thick, so heavy you could hear every breath in the room.
They waited.
For me to bow.
For me to break.
For me to walk out in disgrace.
Suddenly—the shrill ring of a phone shattered the stillness.
All eyes whipped toward me.
I lifted my phone slowly. Darren’s name glowed across the screen.
With one press, I switched to speaker.
His voice slashed through the air, dripping with superiority:
“Well? Do you admit you were wrong?”
My lashes lowered. I pressed record, softened my tone, let a tremor crack my words like a whimper.
“I was wrong. Tell me… what do you want so you’ll forgive me? I’m scared…”
Wrong? Was I truly wrong?
Yes. I was wrong.
Wrong to give my heart to a man unworthy of it.
Wrong to believe in his love even when his eyes screamed disgust.
“Scarlett, there you go. Much better.” His satisfied chuckle bled through the line. “Compensate Elden Pack. Six hundred million in cash. Do that, and I’ll forget this mess.”
My chest seized. The edges of my vision blurred black.
So, this was him.
The man I once thought I’d share a lifetime with.
Beneath the perfect shell, only rot and stench.
I leaned back in my chair, fingers tapping slow, deliberate against the armrest.
“Leave if you want. But think carefully about the cost.”
The room froze.
Then, like a thunderclap, a voice broke the silence.
From the Project Division, an Elder slammed a palm down, his words ringing:
“Princess Scarlett, this is a frame-up. If anyone forces you out, our entire division walks.”
His declaration rolled across the room, sparking a chain reaction.
“R&D stands with Miss Scarlett!”
“Finance stands with Miss Scarlett!”
“Administration takes orders only from Miss Scarlett!”
One voice after another, sharp and unwavering.
The long boardroom table split into two camps. The air grew taut, ready to snap.
On the other side, three elders’ faces turned so dark they dripped with venom.
At that moment, the doors burst open.
Darren strode in, several suited men flanking him—outsiders, brought to enforce his “takeover.”
“Scarlett, must you drag this out?”
His smile looked polished, but arrogance bled through his eyes.
“Sign the papers, and we can all walk away with dignity. It’s better for you—and for the company.”
As his words fell, Paisley stepped forward, her heels clicking sharp, and shoved a thick contract onto the table before me.
I glanced down, skimmed the first page—then laughed.
“So eager?”
Darren’s smile froze, irritation leaking through the cracks.
“Scarlett, don’t be foolish. Look around you. Do you really think you still have a choice? Sign it. It’s for your own good—for the good of Elden Pack.”
The air pressure in the boardroom plummeted.
Like the silence before a storm.
