Semua Bab Satisfying the billionaire (mxm): Bab 91 - Bab 100

Weeks passed, and life settled into a rhythm I hadn’t known I could actually enjoy.The kids had school, the foundation had grown, and Carter Industries continued to thrive under my quiet leadership. But just when I thought I could breathe, the unexpected arrived.It was a Thursday morning. I was in the home office, reviewing some expansion proposals, when my phone buzzed. A number I didn’t recognize flashed on the screen.“Hello?” I said cautiously.A deep, calm voice answered.“Mr. Carter-Knight?”“Yes.”“This is Julian Whitman.”I froze. The last I had heard, Whitman had been removed in disgrace.“I thought you were out of the company,” I said slowly.“I am,” Julian replied smoothly. “But there are things that didn’t come to light during the investigation. Things you need to know.”I frowned. “Why now?”“Because some of your board allies might not be as loyal as you think. And your foundation, your so-called empire of goodwill, might be in jeopardy if you’re not careful.”My hand

The following morning, I woke to an eerie calm. Even the usual chaos of Aria’s early morning chatter and pillow battles was absent.I frowned and walked down the hall. Grayson was still asleep, tangled in the covers, and the kids’ rooms were dark. Only the faint glow of Patricia’s office at the end of the hall caught my attention.Something was wrong.I crept closer. From beneath the door, I heard whispers. Low voices. Tense.I pressed my ear to the door.“He'll never notice until it’s too late,” Patricia’s voice said.“The foundation is vulnerable,” Julian’s voice replied.My heart skipped a beat. I had known something felt off, but hearing their names together plotting made my stomach turn.Patricia continued, “Once the documents go out, there’s no turning back. Leo will have no choice but to approve the expansion blindly. Then the leak starts.”Julian’s voice was calm, chilling. “Exactly. By the time he realizes, his credibility will be shattered. His foundation, his empire, all min

The scandal broke three days later.I didn’t even see it at first.Grayson did.He was in the kitchen making coffee when his phone started vibrating nonstop on the counter. Notifications stacked on the screen faster than he could read them.News alerts.Business media.Social media mentions.Grayson picked up the phone slowly.And his stomach dropped.BREAKING: Carter Industries CEO Leo Carter-Knight accused of misusing foundation funds.Another headline followed.INVESTIGATION CLAIMS FAMILY FOUNDATION USED FOR CORPORATE TAX SHIELD.Grayson’s jaw tightened.“Julian ” he muttered.I walked into the kitchen a moment later, still half dressed for work.“Why does my phone look like it’s exploding?” I asked.Grayson turned the screen toward me.I read the headline.For a long moment, I said nothing.Then I sighed.“Well,” I said quietly, “that didn’t take long.”Grayson stared at me.“You’re way too calm right now.”I poured myself coffee.“Because I expected this.”Grayson blinked.“You wh

I didn’t move for a full second after the call ended.Grayson saw it immediately.The calm strategist in me was gone.Now there was only a father.“What did he say?” Grayson asked quietly.My jaw tightened.“He asked if the kids were safe at school.”Grayson’s expression changed instantly.Something weird.“Call the school,” he said.I was already dialing.The phone rang twice before the school receptionist answered.“Riverside Academy, how may I help ”“This is Leo Carter-Knight,” I cut in, my voice controlled but urgent. “My children, Aria and Miles Knight, are they in class right now?”The woman paused.“Yes, Mr. Carter-Knight. They arrived this morning.”I exhaled slightly.“But ” My stomach started again.“But what?” I asked.“There was a man here earlier asking about pickup authorization,” she said.Grayson stepped closer.“What man?” I demanded.“He said he was a family representative,” she explained. “But the paperwork didn’t match your file, so we refused.”I closed my eyes

I barely slept that night. The letter from my father sat on the desk in the study. It was light at the same time, meaning heavy enough to shake everything I thought I knew.Across the room, Grayson leaned against the window, watching the quiet street.“You’re thinking too much,” he said softly.I gave a tired laugh. “I think I’m thinking just enough.”I picked up the letter again.“My father betrayed Julian’s father,” I said quietly. “That means Julian didn’t invent this war. He inherited it.”Grayson turned from the window. “That still doesn’t justify everything he’s doing.”“I know,” I replied. “But it explains why he won’t stop.”Before he could answer, my phone buzzed on the desk.It wasn’t a call. It was a notification from Carter Industries’ legal department.I frowned and opened the message.As I read, the color drained from my face.Grayson noticed immediately. “What is it?”I turned the screen toward him.He read the headline of the legal document.Emergency Shareholder Actio