The air in the boardroom was thick with tension, a three-way standoff that had been brewing for years now.


    Clyde, with his years of running the show, had a solid base of support. People respected his hustle, admired how he''d turned the family business into a powerhouse.


    York, on the other hand, was a force of his own. His faction was loud, their presence undeniable, a testament to his charisma and knack for rallying the troops.


    And then there were the fence-sitters, the ones whose loyalty could be bought with the promise of profit. To them, it didn''t matter who sat in the driver''s seat, as long as the money kept rolling in.


    But amidst this power y, a peculiar silence loomed over Clyde''s recent troubles. No one dared mention his ident, the whispers of amnesia. In the grand scheme of things, personal woes were trivial, so long as they didn''t rock the boat.


    I found myself cornered at a table near the exit with Fenton, both of us silent observers to the unfolding drama. Fenton''s worried nce met my resigned shake of the head. Speaking up now would only paint targets on our backs.


    The argument reached its boiling point when Clyde mmed his hand down on the table, the sound echoing through the tension.


    "Enough! My personal life is exactly that personal! It has nothing to do with the board!" His gaze, filled with bitterness, locked onto me. "Mnie, this is all your fault! If it wasn''t for your relentless pursuit back then..."


    "Enough!" Merritt''s voice cut through, his cane rapping against the floor for emphasis, a clear sign of his displeasure.


    York''s snicker from the sidelines just added fuel to the fire.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "ming others now? Weren''t you the one chasing after her?" "Shut it!" Merritt''s re silenced York instantly.


    It was clear Merritt''s intention was to maintain the family''s facade of dignity. Clyde could be a yboy,


    even despised for his fickle heart et


    but madness, amnesia? That wa


    off the table. Merritt was still


    weighing who was best to lead, ensuring Clyde remained


    untarnished was paramount.


    Taking a deep breath, Clyde bowed deeply towards Merritt. "Grandfather, I apologize for any damage my personal matters have caused thepany. I''ll take full responsibility."


    "How exactly?" York''s right-hand man was quick to challenge. "With losses in the millions, do you n to reimburse us personally? Money aside, what about thepany''s reputation?"


    The room buzzed with concern over thepany''s tarnished image and its future prospects.


    Clyde''s eyes briefly met mine before he dropped the bombshell. "I''ll divorce Mnie."


    The deration stunned the room into silence. My heart sank, my grip tightening on my hands beneath the table, a futile attempt to steady myself.


    I reminded myself this wasn''t the first heartbreak, but the public humiliation, his cold resolve it all made my resolve crumble, my body tremble uncontrobly.


    Ignoring the shocked stares, Clyde''s


    gaze returned to Merritt.


    "Grandfather, marrying the woman love doesn''t make me a scoundrel Proving Mnie''s child isn''t mine gives me a reason for my actions, diverting the public''s me away from both me and thepany..."


    "What?" I couldn''t hide my shock, my voice barely a whisper.


    There was a fleeting moment of struggle in his eyes, a hint of guilt, but it was quickly overshadowed by determination.


    "I never wanted to marry her; she forced herself on me."


    "Since you''ve enjoyed the privileges of being Mrs. Patterson, living a life of luxury, it''s only fair you contribute something to thepany, isn''t it?"


    His gaze, devoid of any warmth,


    filled only with disdain. "Mnie,


    besides, the child in your womb isn''t


    mine. Why else would you schedule an abortion? Let''s not y innocent; this was a transaction, nothing more."