Hello, Ex! I Finally Found My Worth! - Chapter 57

Chapter 57: This Isn’t Over

The room fell silent, the weight of Alex’s words landing like a hammer. Mr. Caldwell, adjusting his glasses, scrolled through the document on Alex’s phone. The further he read, the more his expression darkened.

“This… this is serious,” Caldwell murmured.

Claire, her posture straight and unyielding, spoke next. “Serious doesn’t even begin to cover it. Jake has not only betrayed the company but also this family. His actions so far have jeopardized everything we’ve worked for.”

A wave of murmurs spread through the room as the directors exchanged shocked glances. Jake, caught off guard, leaned forward in his chair.

“This is ridiculous!” Jake snapped, trying to sound indignant. “Where did you even get this? Some fabricated nonsense from Alex to save his own skin?”

He turned to look at Alex, his gaze piercing. “Admit it. You’re framing me to cover up your own failures!”

“It’s from the forensic investigation into the scandal you instigated,” Alex said coldly. “The same scandal you hoped would discredit me. But instead, it exposed you.”

Jake’s confident facade faltered, his eyes darting nervously around the room. “You can’t seriously believe this. You think I’d risk my position, my reputation, for… for money?”

Claire leaned forward, her tone icy. “Yes, Jake. Because you’ve proven time and again that loyalty and ethics mean nothing to you.”

“I demand proof,” Jake said, his voice cracking slightly. “This could be anyone’s doing!”

“Mr. Caldwell, if you’d be so kind as to share the details with the board,” Alex said, gesturing to the phone.

Caldwell nodded grimly and began summarizing the findings aloud. “The report outlines a clear trail of transactions from company accounts to shell corporations, all of which are tied back to Mr. Thompson. These activities span over five years, amounting to millions of dollars siphoned away.”

Gasps echoed around the room.

“Shall I continue, or is that sufficient?” Caldwell asked, looking pointedly at Jake.

Jake opened his mouth, but no words came out. His usual smirk had disappeared, replaced by a mask of panic.

“I think we’ve heard enough,” Claire said, standing. Her voice was resolute. “Jake Thompson has not only betrayed this company but has also violated the trust of every person in this room. I move for an immediate vote to remove him from his position and for legal action to be taken.”

The directors murmured their agreement, nodding as they exchanged glances.

Mr. Henshaw, who had earlier proposed Jake as CEO, looked flustered. “If these allegations are true, then, of course, we must act decisively.”

“They’re not allegations,” Alex interjected. “They’re facts, backed by evidence.”

Caldwell cleared his throat. “All those in favor of removing Mr. Jake Thompson from any position of authority within Ling Corp, effective immediately, please raise your hands.”

One by one, hands went up around the table. Even Henshaw reluctantly joined in.

Jake’s face turned pale as he realized the gravity of his situation.

“This isn’t over,” Jake muttered under his breath, glaring at Alex.

“No, it’s not,” Alex replied calmly. “The authorities will take it from here.”

Claire nodded to security at the door, who stepped forward to escort Jake out of the room. “Get him out of here,” she ordered.

Jake tried to protest, but the guards firmly guided him toward the door.

Once he was gone, Claire turned back to the board. “Let this serve as a reminder that no one, not even family, is above accountability. Ling Corp deserves better than this, and we will ensure it gets better.”

Alex nodded and then turned to the directors, his expression resolute.

“I apologize for the damage caused by this scandal,” he said. “But I assure you, this company’s leadership remains strong. We will recover from this, stronger than ever.”

The board members nodded, their newfound respect for Alex evident in their expressions.

Alex, calm but inwardly relieved, leaned back in his chair. The battle was far from over, but this was a victory they desperately needed.

As the meeting continued, Alex allowed himself a small, fleeting thought about Emma as he wondered how she had managed to cope with someone like Jake.

Would she have remained with him if Jake hadn’t given her divorce papers? Now, he was even more thankful for what Jake did.

His actions were what brought Emma his way. He thought before returning his attention to the conversation going on in front of him.

“What do you think Margaret would say when she hears about this?” Alex asked as he and Claire stepped out of the boardroom a short while later.

“I don’t care what she would say. She should’ve tried to caution him earlier. I mean, what was I supposed to do after finding out what he did?” Claire said making up her mind to not let Margaret beg her into releasing Jake.

“I understand, but he’s still…..”

“Didn’t you see the way he threatened us? What guarantee do I have that if I release him, he won’t try to do something stupid again? I understand your concern, and I totally agree. But there’s nothing I can do. Margaret would have to understand that too,” Claire said, and Alex sighed.

Perhaps this was what Jake needed to turn a new leaf. He had caused way too many nuisances to let him off the hook so easily, and it was better to arrest him now than wait until he had done something unforgivable.

“I understand,” Alex said, and Claire sighed.

Although she knew this was the right thing to do, and as much as she hoped Margaret would understand, she couldn’t help feeling sorry for Margaret. Jake was her only child, after all.

Perhaps she would go talk to Margaret on her way out. That way, Margaret wouldn’t find out on her own and create a ruckus.

Claire stepped out of the company, her head high despite the lingering tension from the meeting.

The moment she saw Emma stepping out of a sleek black car parked near the building, a rare smile spread across her face.

After all the tension from earlier, she felt good seeing someone who could ease it, even if for just a moment.