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Chapter 80

Author: Johnel
last update publish date: 2026-01-24 01:24:50

CHAPTER 80

The boardroom felt smaller now, the air denser after Tiana’s entrance. The long glass table reflected the overhead lights in cold, fractured lines. Graphs on the screen behind Ryan pulsed red like warning signals no one could ignore anymore.

Ryan gestured toward the display, his voice calm but edged with finality. “As we were discussing, Sweet Alchemy is underperforming. Significantly. And the supply chain disruptions from Hartwell are a major contributing factor.”

The Hartwell lead,
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  • Tastes Like Damn Chocolate    Chapter 168

    CHAPTER 168 Six Months Later - Velmore Estate Gardens The late spring afternoon was perfect. Tiana stood in the bridal suite of the Velmore Estate's manor house, staring at her reflection in the full-length mirror. The dress was simple but elegant. "You look beautiful," Lyn said from behind her, adjusting the final pins in Tiana's upswept hair. "Absolutely radiant." Tiana smiled at her friend's reflection. Lyn had flown in from New York specifically for the wedding, taking time away from her demanding role at Lancaster Group to be here. Over the past six months, they'd maintained their friendship despite the distance, regular video calls keeping them connected even as their lives had taken different paths. "Thank you for being here," Tiana said, squeezing Lyn's hand. "And for agreeing to carry Georgia during the ceremony. I know wrangling a six-month-old wasn't part of the original bridesmaid duties." "Are you kidding? That baby is an angel." Lyn gestured to where Georgia lay in

  • Tastes Like Damn Chocolate    Chapter 167

    Chapter 167 That Evening - Toriaga Residence Tiana arrived home energized despite her exhaustion, eager to tell Nikolai about her new role. She found him in the nursery, assembling the last pieces of the crib they'd put off finishing until closer to the due date. "How did it go?" he asked, looking up from the instruction manual he'd been scowling at. "Sandy was elected unanimously…well, ten to two, but close enough. She's officially CEO and Chairman." Tiana lowered herself carefully into the rocking chair they'd positioned by the window. "And she offered me a job." Nikolai's hands stilled on the crib rail. "What kind of job?" "CEO of Sandy's Care. Her medical foundation. She wants me to run it, to build it into something that really makes a difference for pregnant women who can't afford proper healthcare." She watched Nikolai's face, trying to gauge his reaction. In the past, he would have objected, would have worried about how it reflected on the Toriaga name, or whether it wa

  • Tastes Like Damn Chocolate    Chapter 166

    CHAPTER 166 One Week After Sentencing - Toriaga Group Headquarters The boardroom on the sixtieth floor had been completely transformed since Nikolai's reign. Gone were the oppressive dark woods and imposing portraits of stern-faced Toriaga ancestors. Sandy had ordered a complete renovation. floor-to-ceiling windows now flooded the space with natural light, the furniture was modern and collaborative rather than intimidating, and the overall atmosphere felt more like a dynamic tech startup than a stuffy corporate empire. Today, the board had assembled for a historic vote. Sandy stood at the head of the table. Around the table sat twelve board members, a combination of longtime Toriaga Industries executives and new appointments Sandy had carefully vetted for their integrity and vision rather than their willingness to maintain the status quo. Tiana sat in the observer section, her pregnancy making the boardroom chairs increasingly uncomfortable at eight months along. Nikolai had want

  • Tastes Like Damn Chocolate    Chapter 165

    CHAPTER 165 Two Weeks Later - Verdict Day The jury deliberated for eight hours. Eight hours during which Tiana, Nikolai, and Sandy sat in a private room adjacent to the courthouse, waiting for word that a decision had been reached. They'd been warned it could take days as murder trials often resulted in lengthy deliberations as jurors worked through complex evidence and legal instructions. But eight hours suggested the jury found the case straightforward. The question was whether that worked in Eva's favor or against her. At 4:47 PM, Amanda Laurie's assistant knocked on the door. "We have a verdict. Judge Andersen is reconvening in fifteen minutes." They filed back into the courtroom which was now even more packed than during the trial, every seat filled with reporters and observers eager to hear the outcome of Velmore's trial of the century. Eva was already at the defense table, looking smaller somehow, as if the weight of the proceedings had physically diminished her. She di

  • Tastes Like Damn Chocolate    Chapter 164

    Chapter 164 "And it's true that your father's will left the majority of his fortune in trust for her and your children?" Nikolai's expression became guarded. "That's correct." "So your wife benefited enormously from George's death and the timing of his will change. Doesn't that give her, and by extension you, motive to want Eva convicted of murder? To ensure she can't contest the will or make any claim to the estate?" "Objection!" Amanda was on her feet. "This is outrageous. Mr. Carlisle is suggesting the witness and his wife conspired to frame the defendant…" "I'm simply exploring potential bias," Carlisle said smoothly. "Approach," Judge Andersen ordered, and both lawyers went to sidebar for a heated whispered discussion Tiana couldn't hear but could easily imagine. Finally, they returned to their positions. "Objection sustained," the judge said. "Mr. Carlisle, you will not imply conspiracy without evidence to support such claims. Move on." Carlisle looked frustrated but nod

  • Tastes Like Damn Chocolate    Chapter 163

    Chapter 163 Amanda pulled out a document. "Mr. Toriaga, I'm showing you what's been marked as Prosecution Exhibit 47. Can you identify this?" "It's the autopsy report on my father. The independent one my sister commissioned after his death." "And what did this autopsy reveal?" "That my father had been poisoned with thallium over an extended period. That his death wasn't natural but was caused by deliberate, repeated administration of a toxic substance." The jury was leaning forward now, attentive despite having heard versions of this information from medical experts. But hearing it from the victim's son carried different weight. "When did you first learn about this report?" Amanda asked. "My sister showed it to me about three months after my father's death. We met at a pier in Velmore, and she presented the evidence which included the toxicology results, the physical indicators of thallium poisoning, everything that proved Dad hadn't died naturally." "And what was your reactio

  • Tastes Like Damn Chocolate    Chapter 147

    Chapter 147 The words swam before his eyes. He flipped through the pages containing legal jargon and clauses and demands, all typed in crisp, impersonal font. Petitioner: Tiana Selma. Respondent: Nikolai Toriaga. "No," Nikolai breathed. The papers slipped from his numb fingers, scattering across

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-04-05
  • Tastes Like Damn Chocolate    Chapter 8

    Chapter 8Tiana gasped, the sound escaping her lips before she could stop it. Her eyes widened in shock, and she immediately looked away, her gaze darting to the floor, the towel rack, anywhere but at him.But it was too late, the image was already burned into her mind.His bare chest, glistening w

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-17
  • Tastes Like Damn Chocolate    Chapter ten

    Chapter 10Tiana woke before dawn, her body moving on autopilot as she dressed in the dark. She chose a navy blue pencil skirt that hugged her curves just right, paired with a crisp white silk blouse and a tailored blazer. Professional. Polished. Perfect for the Hartwell Corporation meeting.The ho

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-17
  • Tastes Like Damn Chocolate    Chapter 12

    Chapter 12Tiana stood at the front of the boardroom and began her presentation. Her voice was calm and professional as she explained Lancaster Group's vision for their new chocolate brand. She pointed at the slides showing the packaging designs, the colors, the target market.Nikolai didn't look a

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-17
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