Chapter 223

One morning, the board of directors demanded Vincent's immediate presence at the company.His secretary relayed the news-there was a major acquisition on the table, and the board needed everyone present to weigh in and approve the deal.

Not sensing anything amiss, Vincent simply told the butler to watch over Hannah and then swept out of the villa without another word.

Hidden in the shadows, someone clocked Vincent's departure and wasted no time passing the update along.

Meanwhile, at Jones Group's headquarters, the board of directors had gathered on the top floor.

Sunlight spilled in through the soaring windows, but it did nothing to ease the underlying tension. Board members sat in rigid silence around the sprawling mahogany table, a hush hanging thick in the air.

At the head of the table, Vincent held himself with crisp, unyielding poise, the platinum wedding ring on his finger flashing beneath the icy overhead lights.

For ten minutes, he combed through the stack of documents, his brow gradually knitting in displeasure. "Is this acquisition really worth all this fuss?" he asked at last, voice smooth but edged with irritation.

A billion-dollar deal, mapped out with risks and rewards as clear as daylight-he hardly needed anyone's opinion to make the call. It was apparent that the board's intention in summoning him back was not focused on this acquisition.

To his right, Erica sat perfectly composed, every detail of her makeup flawless as she leaned in and spoke in a quiet, deferential tone. "Vincent..."

"Address me properly in this setting," he interjected his words carrying a frosty weight that prickled the skin.

The words sliced through the tension. Erica didn't miss a beat, immediately correcting herself. "Yes, Mr.Jones." Her voice carried a deliberate regret."I called this meeting because we need to address a matter that threatens both the company's future and your reputation."

Vincent leaned back slightly in his chair, resting his elbow on the armrest and pressing his fingers to his temple. His frosty stare bored into Erica, the tension in the room spiking with his silent authority.

Just days earlier, Erica had uncovered Vincent's secret: his plan to travel overseas was for Hannah.He'd quietly undergone a medical evaluation for retina donation, and the results suggest his retina matched. He'd intended to give Hannah his sight.The CEO of Jones Group couldn't afford to be blind,so he planned to vanish overseas post-surgery.What a calculated plan!

But Erica refused to accept it. The idea of Vincent sacrificing his vision for Hannah was intolerable.There was no way she'd let him go through with it.She had already tried, more than once, to talk to him out of it, but he'd stonewalled her every time.Seeing no other way forward, she'd resolved to let the board force his hand.

"Mr. Jones, if you've really made up your mind,then the board deserves an explanation." Erica's voice cut through the air, rising in pitch and bristling with accusation. "Everyone, let's be clear-Mr. Jones intends to abandon the group's core business just so he can be overseas for at least three years-for the sake of his ex-wife, Hannah, who is now blind! He's risking the stability of the group's vast assets and the jobs of countless employees."

Still, Erica chose not to expose Vincent's plan to donate his retina. She wasn't ready to turn the meeting into an all-out war.

The moment her words landed, the meeting room erupted into a storm of shouting and outrage.

"Three years? Are you out of your mind, Mr. Jones? This isn't some child's game!" Keenan Castillo, one of the board members, shot to his feet, his palm striking the table with a force that echoed through the tense conference room.

The silver in his hair glinted under the overhead lights as he glared at Vincent, every word sharp and deliberate. "Our group is knee-deep in critical ventures-the Al city, the overseas acquisitions-none of them can move an inch without you at the helm. Running off overseas now is

Before Vincent could respond, Mayer Ramsey,another one of the board members, surged forward in his seat, his temper flaring as crimson crept up his neck. "If you're about to tank the entire company over a woman, then what's the point of this board,huh? We're not here to watch you throw everything away!"

His voice thundered over the clamor, shaking the nerves of the quieter directors. "We demand an explanation right now! If you refuse, don't think we won't start the process to remove you as CEO!" The rest of the board erupted in support, voices overlapping in a wave of outrage.

"We deserve an explanation!"

"This is completely irresponsible!"

Vincent remained unruffled at the head of the table.He slowly lifted his gaze, his voice slicing cleanly through the uproar. "Are you all finished?"

The uproar collapsed into uneasy silence.

Vincent leaned forward silently, his tone glacial. "Mr.Castillo, that champion racehorse you bought with the three hundred million in misappropriated funds-just snapped its leg in Prirpool. Would you like to explain that?"

Without pausing, he flicked his phone, casting a damning video onto the wall.

Vincent's gaze shifted. "And Mr. Ramsey, should I congratulate you? Your mistress just booked a VIP maternity appointment this morning. Want me to pass that along to your wife?" His thumb slid across his phone, swapping the evidence on display yet again.

Vincent spoke quietly, his voice carrying a subtle warning. "Should I go on?"

The board members he'd called out stiffened, their throats tight with fear.

Vincent rose from his seat, every inch of him radiating an unshakable authority that pressed down on the room. He surveyed the table and then asked in a tone that brooked no dissent, "So, anyone still interested in challenging my position as CEO?"

No one dared to respond; a tense silence swallowed the room.

Without another glance at the board, Vincent turned to leave.

Just then, his phone buzzed with a message from the butler. "Mrs. Jones has fled away."

A cold shadow flickered across Vincent's face.