บททั้งหมดของ Waiting in the shadows : บทที่ 71 - บทที่ 80

The day everyone had been waiting for finally arrived.By early morning, the conference hall in central London was already packed with journalists, cameras, and flashing lights. News channels had set up their equipment, reporters whispered among themselves, and photographers waited impatiently for the main figures of the scandal to arrive.The story had exploded across the internet for days."Hidden Son of Thoreau.""Illegitimate Heir Challenges the Empire."Every media outlet wanted a piece of it.Inside the hall, the long conference table stood at the front of the room with microphones placed neatly in front of each chair.One by one, the people involved in the scandal began arriving.Henri Thoreau walked in first, his expression rigid and unreadable. Beside him was Margaret, her face perfectly composed despite the storm surrounding the family.Lucas followed shortly after.His jaw was tight and his posture stiff. He barely acknowledged the journalists shouting his name.Across the

The scandal surrounding the Thoreau family had now lasted for weeks.Every major financial newspaper in London had covered the story. Television analysts debated endlessly about the possibility of a hidden heir. Investors whispered in boardrooms, and competitors watched the situation closely like vultures waiting for weakness.For the first time in decades, Thoreau Systems looked unstable.Inside the company headquarters, the board members had finally concluded.Something had to be done.Not to solve the family conflict.But to protect the business.That morning, a formal invitation had been sent to both Lucas and Damein.A round-table discussion with the board of directors.The goal was simple: stabilise the company before the scandal damaged the market any further.The meeting took place in the main executive boardroom on the top floor of Thoreau Systems.The long polished table reflected the bright city skyline through the glass walls. Around it sat the senior board members of the

Sophie arrived at the Thoreau mansion late in the evening.The long driveway was quiet, the lights of the house glowing softly against the dark London sky. Usually, the house felt busy with staff moving around or Margaret giving instructions, but tonight it was strangely silent.Sophie stepped inside and paused.No voices.No footsteps.No movement.She looked around the living room briefly before realising something.No one is home.A slow smile formed on her lips."Perfect," she murmured quietly.She removed her heels and walked deeper into the house, her steps careful and deliberate.Instead of heading upstairs toward her room, she turned toward a different corridor.Henri Thoreau's office.The heavy wooden door stood closed as always. Sophie glanced down the hallway once more to confirm that no staff members were nearby.Then she gently pushed the door open.The office smelled faintly of leather and old paper. Bookshelves lined the walls, and the large desk in the centre was neatl

The television was still running when Mrs Bergström finished watching the press conference.Henri Thoreau's voice echoed in her mind long after the broadcast ended."That child is not mine.""I am officially requesting a DNA test."Her hands trembled slightly as she lowered the remote.For years she had believed something different.She had believed Damein was Henri's son.She had believed Henri had simply abandoned them to protect his reputation and marriage.But now... hearing Henri explain the timeline publicly... something she had ignored for years began to return to her mind.That moment.That day long ago when Margaret had demanded a DNA test during her pregnancy.At the time, she had refused.She had been angry.Humiliated.Margaret had spoken to her like she was nothing more than a mistake, like the child in her womb was a threat to their perfect family.So she ran.She left London before the child was born.She convinced herself she didn't need them.But now...Now she finall

The city lights of London blurred outside the large glass windows of the bar. It was one of those high-end lounges where powerful businessmen came to escape the noise of their own lives. Soft jazz music played in the background while bartenders moved quietly behind the counter. Damein sat alone at the far end of the bar. A half-empty glass of whiskey rested in front of him. Another sat beside it. His tie was loose, the top buttons of his shirt undone. His eyes were slightly red, and his posture carried the heaviness of someone who had been drinking far longer than he should have. The bartender hesitated before pouring him another drink. "You sure about that, sir?" Damein didn't even look up. "Just pour it." The glass was filled again. He picked it up immediately and swallowed a large mouthful. His mind was spinning with everything that had happened. Henri's press conference. The humiliation. The DNA test. And worse than that... his own mother is doubting him. For year