Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Andrian hadn't slept all night. After the scandalous video went viral and countless articles painted him as a husband who betrayed his wife on their wedding night, he remained at the Titan Group office, not once returning to the mansion. Media swarmed outside the building, emergency emails piled up, and dozens of messages from board members flooded his phone. At , the Titan Group's executive boardroom was filled with tension. Every director was present-some wore furious expressions, others remained stiff with unease. On the large screen, two bold headlines glared: "Titan Group's Reputation on the Brink: Family Scandal Shakes the Market" "Shocking Footage: Wedding Night Ends in Scandal" Titan Group's stock had plummeted since the market opened. Investors from Singapore and London had pulled nearly $800 million in mere hours. Two international strategic partners had postponed the MoU for a merger scheduled the following week. Andrian stood before them all, face worn and eyes bloodshot. "I know this crisis is massive. But I will resolve it," he said, his voice low but firm. A senior director slammed the table. "This scandal hasn't just damaged your reputation, Mr. Velor. It's dragged down the company's credibility! You took another woman to a hotel room on your wedding night, and now the company faces public collapse!" Andrian said nothing. Charlotte Delacroix, clearly incensed by the unfolding scandal, turned to Bianca with a sharp glare. "And we all know who the woman in that video is-even if her face is blurred. We're not fools. Isn't that you, Miss Bianca?" Bianca froze, feeling all eyes on her. Reflexively, she glanced at Andrian, hoping he'd defend her. But Andrian remained silent-his face cold and unreadable. Earlier, Bianca had explained the hotel's security system had been hacked, and the footage leaked due to a cyberattack, not internal betrayal. But even then, Andrian had only nodded blankly without comment. Now, as every gaze bore down on her, Bianca understood-Andrian hadn't forgiven her. And he had no intention of protecting her. He was truly angry. "I... I don't know how the video got out. But this is a private matter between me and-" "There is no such thing as 'private' in Titan Group's public sphere!" Charlotte snapped. "You're the Vice CEO. Not some disposable assistant we can quietly dismiss. You have responsibilities." Another director chimed in immediately, "We propose the temporary dismissal of Miss Bianca from her position, and a reassessment of Mr. Andrian's executive authority." 1/6 3:17 pm S Chapter 28 "Agreed," said another. "Until the situation stabilizes, all key roles should be delegated to interim leaders not involved in the scandal" Andrian slowly stood. His face remained icy, but his eyes flashed with fury, "Enough." The room fell silent. No one dared to speak. "You think you can restructure Titan Group's leadership over a single video? Have you all forgotten who grew this company from a regional division into one of Asia's top five holdings?" He stepped closer to the table, voice lowering-but thick with pressure. "Bianca stays in her role. Anyone who tries to take her down-goes against me. And I will not go easy on anyone who dares betray me." One by one, heads began to bow. Andrian's presence was overwhelming. His fury wasn't loud-it was cold, strategic, and laced with threat. "I know the company's reputation has taken a hit. And I know you're all afraid. But I will fix this-my way. Give me two days. If there's no significant progress by then, I'll step down myself." Bianca lowered her head, eyes glistening. Relieved and touched that Andrian had finally defended her. But she didn't dare say a word. Andrian scanned the room with a piercing gaze before turning and leaving without another word. The boardroom door shut firmly behind him. Silence lingered. What remained in the air was only tension and fear Everyone now understood-Andrian Velor might be under pressure, but he wouldn't fall without a fight. He would protect his position-even if it meant taking dangerous steps. When Andrian entered his office, he was startled to find a man casually seated on the sofa. "Nathan?" he muttered. Nathan Velor stood and offered a faint smile. He wore a pale gray suit with a light scarf at his neck-his modern style a stark contrast to his older brother's rigid demeanor. "Hello, brother. Sorry for letting myself in," Nathan greeted cheerfully as he approached. "Your secretary said you were still in a board meeting." Andrian gave a brief snort and walked toward his desk. "Cut to the point, Nathan. I know you didn't come here just to make small talk." Nathan's smile tightened, his eyes now serious. "Grandmother sent me. There's a message she wants me to deliver." Andrian looked up. His hands clenched tightly, though his face remained unreadable. He already knew-nothing good ever came from his grandmother's messages. Especially not the last one, when she ordered him to marry the Zavier daughter, following the final will of Lucian Velor- 2/6 8:17 pm Chapter 28 Andrian's late father. vouchers "Grandmother wants you to fix this. Immediately," said Nathan. "She knows everything about the video About Aliana Abou Bianca." Andrian shook his head and let out a bitter laugh. "Of course she knows. The whole world knows-and plenty of people would've gladly rushed to tell her." Nathan didn't laugh. He understood the bitterness behind Andrian's words. His own mother-Lucian Velor's third wife-was always looking to gain favor with Genevra Velor, Andrian's grandmother, by constantly undermining Andrian. She never missed a chance to report even the smallest scandal that might hurt him. Nathan pulled a gold-embossed invitation card from his blazer and placed it on Andrian's desk. "Tomorrow night is the Velor family's Charity Gala. All the key figures will be there-including board members and representatives from Zavier Corporation. Grandmother wants you to attend... with Aliana." Andrian stared coldly at the card. "Forget it. I won't share a room with that woman, let alone pretend to hold her hand." Nathan let out a long sigh, his tone now grave. "If you don't attend, brother... it won't just be the board's trust you'll lose. Grandmother says you could lose the company Andrian's gaze sharpened. Nathan continued, "You know the situation. The board is split. Half want to appoint an external leader. The other half still support you-bui their loyalty is fragile. They're waiting for one more misstep. Just one, and they'll vote you out." Andrian didn't respond. He stared blankly at the window, jaw clenched. Nathan lowered his voice. "You don't have a choice. Whatever it takes, you need to show up at that Gala with your wife. Prove to everyone that your marriage is intact." A tense silence followed. Andrian clenched his fist, eyes fixed on the invitation card, and muttered, "I won't promise anything." Nathan looked at his brother with quiet sympathy. His expression softened. "I know it's not easy for you," he said gently. "If there's anything I can do to help, I will. I came to deliver this message-and to stand by you." Andrian said nothing. Nathan took a breath, adjusted his scarf, and walked to the door. Before leaving, he turned once more. "Take care of yourself, brother. I know you're not one to give up." 3/6 Chapter 28 10 vouchera He left calmly-not hurried, but with clear intention not to linger in a room filled with pressure. Nathan knew the limits of interfering in Andrian's affairs. Andrian remained seated, eyes locked on the closing door. He was silent. His eyes were heavy-not from exhaustion, but from the weight of everything pressing down on him. He thought about Nathan's words. Even though his brother didn't seem like an enemy, Andrian couldn't trust him completely. Nathan wasn't like the other relatives who openly tried to steal his seat of power-he always appeared supportive. But in the Velor family, loyalty was a myth. Andrian knew that better than anyone. He glanced at the gold-embossed invitation still lying on his desk. "Attend... with Aliana?" Andrian scoffed quietly. The irony was unbearable. Amid all the threats against him, the one person he most wanted to destroy... was now the only person who could save his name tomorrow night. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He wanted to rest, even just for a moment. But his mind refused to be still. There was no time for sleep or peace-one wrong move, and he could lose everything. Meanwhile, at Zavier Corporation, Aliana's father-Ethan Zavier-was also under pressure from many sides. The boardroom felt scorching hot with tension. Every member of the Zavier family seated at the table looked grave. Ethan sat at the head, his face cold, though his eyes revealed the crushing pressure. "What's happened with Aliana has gone too far," said a distant cousin of Ethan, now Director of Operations "We've received over twenty calls from international partners. The company's reputation is at stake." "You need to act fast, Ethan," another board member chimed in. "Your daughter didn't just bring scandal to the Velor family-she dragged Zavier Corporation into the mud. We should immediately clarify that we're not involved in any of this." Ethan clenched his fists. "Aliana is still my blood. I won't cast her aside just to please the media or public opinion." "This isn't about personal sentiment," another family board member shot back. "This is about our position in the market-about the Zavier family's name and reputation." The tension escalated. The meeting ended with a harsh ultimatum: disown Aliana from the family line, or Ethan would lose the board's support. As evening approached, Ethan arrived home earlier than usual. His face was drawn, tie loosened, and his steps heavy. Upon entering, his wife Olivia was already waiting in the sitting room. "You're home early," Olivia greeted softly. But Ethan threw his blazer onto the sofa and snapped, 4/6 Chapter 28 "I've had enough! Look what your daughter has done!" Olivia froze but remained calm, even as her eyes filled with tears. "She didn't just humiliate the Velor family," Ethan continued, "she embarrassed me in front of everyone. My own relarves attacked me in that boardroom!" "Don't put all the blame on Aliana," Olivia replied softly. "Have you forgotten? The video of Andrian also spread. Everyone saw who started the humiliation in that marriage. He even had the heart to leave our daughter during the wedding reception." As a mother, Olivia would never forget the insult Andrian inflicted. She still remembered the shame etched into that moment-Andrian walking out on Aliana during their own wedding celebration. Ethan narrowed his eyes. "You're too naive. Haven't you even considered the possibility that Aliana was the one who leaked the video about her husband?" Olivia's eyes widened. Her voice caught in her throat. She had never thought that far. And more than that, she wasn't sure her daughter would dare take such a dangerous step. Ethan stepped closer. "If Aliana really was behind that leak, and Andrian finds out-we'll lose everything. No titles, no inheritance, no positions." Olivia began to weep quietly, her shoulders trembling. Her thoughts turned to Aliana, who might be in far deeper trouble than she had imagined. "Olivia... try to talk to your daughter," Ethan urged. "Get her to soften toward Andrian. Maybe then, he fuc "Why should Aliana show softness to a man who humiliated her?" Olivia sobbed, lifting her face to finally meer Ethan's eyes with rare defiance. "This is your fault. Don't blame our daughter. From the very beginning, I wasn't even allowed to raise her. You and your family severed me from her since she was a baby... and now you want me to persuade her? As if we were ever close?" Ethan paused for a moment. But his gaze remained hard. "A bond between mother and daughter is stronger than anything," Ethan said slowly. "Even if you were separated by distance all these years, you're still her mother. And right now, you're the only one who can get through to her. You must convince her, before this situation escalates further." Olivia wiped away her tears. "She won't listen to me." "You have to try," Ethan insisted. "If we want to survive this, you must get her to reconcile with Andrian. No matter what it takes." Silence fell over the room. Olivia bit her lower lip. She knew she had no choice. Finally, Olivia gave a small nod. 5/6 8:17 pm F Chapter 28 "Fine. I'll talk to her." 16 Gochers Freelance photographer Violet Beck is forced into an engagement with CEO Roy Payne. He is everything her wild heart rebels against: proper, predictable, and painfully kind. But love has a way of devel...