Chapter 722
“My teddy bear, my little teddy bear.”
In the suffocating darkness, Mari clung to the icy wall, her body trembling as she hugged her knees to her chest.
That man had taken her teddy bear, and it felt as if he had shattered her soul, and ripped the spine from her body. Her mind was
nk, cold sweat cascading down her pale, pretty cheeks like rain.
*Jareth, where are you, pleasee save me.”
Suddenly, every light in the room zed on. Beams of harsh fluorescent light assaulted Mari’s pallid face, the interrogation—
like brightness pushing her already fragile psyche to the brink.
“Jareth, I’m so scared. Jareth,” tears streamed endlessly from Mari’s tightly shut eyes..
She couldn’t remember anything; even the loving, tender moments she had shared with Jareth seemed to twist and fade into the
distance.
The massive screen on the wall, like a dark curtain, flickered to life.
Mari forced her swollen eyes open, the tears turning her vision red as they flooded her sockets.
And when she saw the woman on the screen, bound, beaten, and blindfolded, unmistakably Lily.
Athunderous crash, her mental fortress crumbledpletely.
In the boardroom of the Fairhaven Group, the directors‘ meetingmenced as scheduled.
Chairman Barry sat at the center of the table, a king among his loyal subjects. He had built this empire through ordeal from the
ground up, and now, his presence in the Fairhaven Group was nothing short of imperial.
Although Barry was gradually handing over the reins to Jareth, there were a few old-timers who resisted the young heir, pledging
allegiance only to the patriarch.
It wasn’t just about respect — they feared that with Jareth’s ascent, their own power and profit would diminish, which would
prevent them from seeking benefit.
They knew supporting Gary would lead thepany into decline, but not everyone was interested in the grand future of the
Fairhaven Group. Some were only concerned with maximizing their current benefits.
This was the main reason Gary, despite hisck ofpetence, could stand toe-to-toe with Jareth.
Barry cleared his throat with pomp and surveyed the room with an authoritative gaze.
“| believe you all know what I’m about to announce at today’s meeting.”
Jareth’s noble brow furrowed slightly, a sense of disquiet pricking at his heart, making it flutter uncontrobly.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.
Since the meeting began, he had been ncing at his phone every minute or two. He didn’t know what made him so anxious,
but his heart wouldn''t settle.
All eyes turned to Jareth. Gary, sitting across from him, red with icy hostility, but a few secondster, a subtle, malicious smile
crept across his lips.
“And now, | dere that my grandson Jareth will assume the role of CEO of the Fairhaven Group and officially join the board of
directors!”
Barry''s deration had barely ended and the people present were about to apud when Gary slowly stood up, his voice
dripping with dissent.
“| object!”
The room fell into stunned silence.
Jareth’s eyes fixed on Gary’s treacherous face with a barely concealed threat, a tempest brewing in his piercing gaze. That look
was enough to strike fear.
For a moment, Gary felt a vice tighten around his heart. But then he thought, why should he fear this young wolf? He was the
elder, the sole son of the patriarch! He was determined to fight this battle to the end, at any cost.
Barry pondered for a moment, then spoke solemnly, “Gary, over this long period of time, Jareth has proven himself with his
reputation and business acumen — he’s the obvious choice for CEO of the Fairhaven Group. You''ll need to provide a reason for
your objection.”
Gary puffed out his chest, shooting a venomous look at Jareth’s frosty features before addressing Barry.
“Dad.”
“On this table, we use titles,” Barry’s disdain for Gary''s flippancy was clear. It was a stark contrast to histe eldest son, Jareth’s
father, who was beyondpare.
“Mr. Barry Fairhaven.” Gary corrected begrudgingly, “By promoting Jareth to CEO, you''re effectively naming him the heir to the
Fairhaven family, right?”
Barry nodded in affirmation.
“If that’s the case, then Jareth’s position is of utmost importance.”
Gary''s face feigned shock as hevishly praised Jareth, “He’s not just the CEO of the Fairhaven Group; as your only grandson,
he’s the future of the entire Fairhaven family. That''s akin to a crown prince!”
“What are you getting at?” Jareth, sensing no good will, stared him down, his eyes darkening.
“I''m saying that your every action affects the reputation of the Fairhaven Group, and your marriage is crucial to thepany’s
future.”
Asly gleam crossed Gary’s eyes, “This is no child’s y.”
“Whom | marry is my own business.” Jareth’s fist was clenched on the table, his eyes a terrifying shade of red, “No one has any
say in it.”
Without a single shot fired, everyone in the room felt the tension cut like a knife.
“I''m just your uncle; | naturally can’t control everything. But Mr. Barry Fairhaven, your grandfather, the head of the Fairhaven
family, with his final say in all matters — surely he has a say in this, doesn’t he?”
Gary snorted with a mix of humor and resentment, then his face twisted into a mask of indignant injustice, “Mr. Barry Fairhaven,
Our Fairhaven Group might be fourth among the top families, but we’re still a force to be reckoned with, a distinguished lineage.
With Jareth’s looks and abilities, he might not snag a blue—blooded heiress like Ms. Ashbourne, but does he have to bring home
a nutcase? Is our family really that desperate?!”
The room was a storm of shocked faces and gasps. A nutcase?!
Mr. Jareth Fairhaven’s fiancée, the Abernathy family’s darling daughter, was she mentally ill? Was this a match of equals or
some kind of misdirected charity work?
“Gary.”
Jareth remained seated, an aura of fury around him that seemed capable of consuming the world. His voice was a raspy warning
of impending doom, “You publicly insult my fiancée. Have you considered the consequences?”
The murmurings ceased abruptly. A born leader sat still as a mountain but carried the power to intimidate all wrongdoing.
“Insult? I’m merely stating the facts. Where’s the insult in that?”
Gary smirked coldly, and then with a flourish, scattered a stack of papers across the table. They slid from one end to the other,
“Come on now, take one each -— let’s all have a look! This is Ms. Mari Abernathy’s psychological assessment report! Jareth, if
I''m fabricating even half a word, may | be struck down!”