Chapter Fifty
Author: Lamina
last update2025-04-01 13:31:43

Vanessa slammed the door behind her, her breath coming in sharp, uneven bursts. The humiliation burned hotter than the anger, wrapping around her like a noose.

She pressed her back against the door, sliding to the floor as tears stung her eyes.

"Me? Held up in a holding cell for almost twelve hours… all because of Ethan?!" The thought alone sent another wave of anger crashing through her, making the tears spill faster.

She clenched her fists, her nails biting into her palms. It didn’t matter that it was late when they detained her—she could have been released last night, but no, they kept her there until the morning. Like a criminal. Like she had done something wrong.

And when she finally got home that morning? Her family had tried to calm her, speaking in measured tones, trying to act like this wasn’t a big deal.

“All I need to do right now is get back at Ethan for the disgrace he’s done to me.” The words had left her mouth before she even thought about them, raw and full of fury.

He
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  • Cheated & Despised, now the Billionaire Heir   Chapter Fifty-one

    The moment Vanessa cracked the door open just enough to see Damian's face, he flashed a grin, holding out a flower. "Hey, babe."Relief washed over her instantly—he wasn’t here for what she had feared.Still, she forced a frown, narrowing her eyes as she asked coldly, "What do you want?”Despite the anger still simmering inside her, his presence somehow made it less sharp—but she refused to let it show, not after what happened last time.He sighed, his shoulders sagging. "I expected this reaction from you, Vanessa. And honestly, I deserve it.""But can you at least let me in first? Let me explain," he said gently.She hesitated for a long moment, locking eyes with him, before stepping aside."Make it quick,” she muttered, crossing her arms as he entered.He stood in the middle of the room, meeting her feigned burning gaze.“I owe you an apology, Vanessa," he began, his voice low."For how I treated you the last time… I was out of line.”She scoffed. “Out of line? That’s putting it lig

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    At the head of the table in the Aurelius Group boardroom sat Magnus. To his right was Lara, while to his left sat the Vice President of Aurelius Group, Mr. Lorenzo.On the right flank, the directors of Aurelius Imprint Conglomerate sat in crisp suits, while on the left, Aurelius Company’s top executives sat.At the far end, opposite Magnus, a group of individuals sat in composed silence—Damian and his team, awaiting their moment to shape the future of their company.Magnus let out a slow breath, his gaze sweeping over everyone as he tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest.After a brief pause, he gave Damian a small nod. "You may begin.”Damian, exuding the same confidence as the tailored suit he wore, rose to his feet with effortless ease.He straightened his tie and cast a glance around the room.His voice then cut through the air. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is both an honor and a privilege to stand before you today as we unveil a partnership proposal that is not just lucrative but

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    Every director and executive widened their eyes in shock and confusion the moment Ethan walked in with Lara."Wait... isn’t that—?" One of the senior board members of Aurelius Imprint Conglomerate stopped mid-sentence, his expression shifting from curiosity to unease.Damian stiffened.However, no one dared to acknowledge the storm that had just walked in, with Magnus' warning from the other day still fresh in their minds.Despite their efforts to stay composed, most of them couldn’t help but lean in and whisper to each other, wondering why Ethan was there."This has to be a mistake," another whispered, glancing nervously at Magnus.However, with a confident stride, Ethan walked straight to the empty chair Magnus had reserved for him near Lara—which he had been instructing people not to sit in since the meeting began.Then, he acknowledged Magnus with a slight nod before letting his gaze sweep the room.When Damian’s eyes met Ethan’s, his face twisted with a mix of disbelief and disgu

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    Damian blinked, clearly confused. “Focus on what?”Ethan laughed softly and shot a glance at Magnus. “Has he not been told?”“I’m here to make sure your presentation is on point,” Ethan replied.Mr. Richard, looking lost, turned to Magnus.“I… honestly don’t get it.” He shrugged slightly. “Is he a legal consultant or what? Our legal teams have already checked everything and given the green light, so…”“It’s just a bit confusing, and I think others feel the same way,” he said, glancing around the room.People nodded in agreement.Magnus didn’t even look at him as he said, “You all know I don’t sign anything unless I’m sure. Think of this as one last check.”Mr. Richard swallowed hard and nodded.Damian shot him a disbelieving look. As his father’s right-hand man, he expected Mr. Richard to fight tooth and nail to get the deal signed, not giving up like this.Then, Magnus shifted his gaze to Ethan, leaning back on his chair. "Go on. Let's get this over with real quick."Ethan shifted,

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    Ethan's voice dropped slightly. "You’ve requested a substantial upfront investment from Aurelius Group—more than necessary for operational expansion.”He leaned back slightly. “But that’s not the real issue. The real issue is where that money is going because it's not indicated in the proposal and if I'm not mistaken, you didn't mention it in your presentation."The room went deathly still.He looked directly at Magnus now. “Where do you think it would be going to, Mr. Aurelius?"He tilted his head slightly. "A shell company?"The words rang out, sinking into every person in the room. Even the most indifferent directors were now leaning forward, their intrigue replaced with concern.Magnus’s expression darkened slightly as anger surged within him, realizing that Damian and his father were trying to outsmart him.Damian took a slow breath, forcing a tight smile. “That… that’s probably just an oversight.”“A mistake? You actually call that a mistake?!” Magnus scoffed, his voice heavy wi

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    The tablet’s speakers crackled slightly before an audio played.“Mr. Copper,” a worker’s voice rang out."The chemical compound used in the production of Lurexorin—it’s dangerous. I’ve done my research, and it’s linked to pancreatic cancer.”“I believe the team responsible might not have known about the danger, which is why I told Mr. Gareth. If we continue this production, sir, we could be held responsible for endangering thousands of lives.”Damian exhaled."A multi-billion-dollar anti-inflammatory drug. And now, a potential PR disaster linked to pancreatic cancer... interesting," he chuckled.He tapped the side of his glass. “John, you said you did your research. What’s the compound?”John swallowed hard. “Perchloroacetate, sir.”A sharp silence followed.Are you sure?" Damian asked.“I triple-checked, sir. Studies from independent labs show a direct correlation between prolonged exposure and aggressive tumor growth.”Damian sighed. “And how many people know about this?”John hesit

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