A Woman Worth Billions Dated the Wrong Brother novel Chapter 452

Accountability

Accountability

Amber POV

The press conference was held at Asher Corporation’s main headquarters in River City

By the time I arrived, reporters had already crowded the entrance. Carneras flashed as my car approached, and the moment the door opened, a wave of voices rose around me.

“Miss Asher! Is it true that Mrs. Wyatt has been arrested?

“Are the Asher and Wyatt families officially at war?”

“Miss Asher, will you be taking over the company?”

“Is this connected to the investigation involving the Sun family?”

I stepped out without answering a single question.

There would be time for answers inside.

My grandfather had always taught me that a person who answered every accusation the moment it was shouted at them surrendered control of the conversation before it had even begun.

Today, I wasn’t surrendering anything.

I walked through the entrance with my head held high, my expression calm, and my hand resting lightly on the small handbag at my side.

The reporters followed until security intervened.

Inside, the atmosphere was equally tense.

Executives, department heads, legal advisers, and members of the board had gathered in the conference hall. Several faces turned toward me as I entered, and I recognized the expressions immediately.

Curiosity, anxiety, and, in a few cases, fear.

Good.

They should be worried.

For too long, people had mistaken the Asher name for a shield that could protect them from the consequences of their actions. They had hidden behind our reputation, our wealth, and our influence while making decisions that served their own interests.

That ended today.

My grandfather was already waiting near the podium. He stood straight, dressed impeccably, with the kind of composure that ‘came from decades of dealing with powerful people who believed they were untouchable.

When he saw me, he extended his hand.

I took it, and together we stepped onto the stage.

The room fell quiet.

Grandfather waited until the last camera had been positioned before beginning.

“Thank you for coming.”

His voice carried easily through the hall.

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Accountoby

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“Funderstand that recent events have raised questions about Asher Corporation, the Asher family, and our relationship with the Wyatt family. Today, I intend to answer those questions directly.”

He paused, allowing the reporters to settle.

“Effective immediately, the Asher family and the Wyatt family are officially separated in all family and business matters. We will no longer maintain partnerships, agreements, or arrangements that allow the Wyatt family to use the Asher name or resources to advance its interests.”

The room erupted.

Hands shot into the air. Reporters called over one another, demanding clarification.

Grandfather raised one hand.

Silence returned gradually.

“Let me be clear. This decision is not based on rumors, personal disagreements, or à desire to distance ourselves from an inconvenient scandal. It is based on the principle that no family connection, no financial investment, and no position of authority grants anyone immunity from accountability.”

I felt his fingers tighten briefly around mine.

“This brings me to Asher Corporation itself. We are undergoing a comprehensive internal cleanup, an initiative that began under the direction of my granddaughter, Amber Asher.”

The cameras turned toward me.

I remained still.

“Miss Asher identified serious concerns regarding the company’s internal operations and insisted that those concerns be investigated rather than ignored. Her position was simple: anyone who has acted against the interests of River Country, its citizens, or this company’s legitimate responsibilities will be held accountable.”

Grandfather’s expression hardened.

“The Asher name is not a license to exploit this country. Our resources, our influence, and our businesses exist because of the people who trust us to use them responsibly. We will not support anyone who places personal ambition above the interests of River Country.”

Applause broke out among several of the executives.

I noticed that some of the others remained conspicuously silent.

I made a mental note of their faces.

Grandfather continued, addressing the investigation, the company’s internal review, and the measures being taken to ensure that questionable transactions and conflicts of interest would be examined independently.

He didn’t offer details that could compromise the investigation. He didn’t speculate about Mrs. Wyatt’s guilt or announce conclusions that belonged to the authorities.

Instead, he made one thing unmistakably clear.

The Asher family would not interfere with the law to protect its own.

And anyone who had relied on our influence to escape accountability had made a very expensive mistake.

When he finished, the reporters began raising their hands again.

The first few questions concerned the Wyatts, the company’s internal investigation, and whether the family would cooperate

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Accountability

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with law enforcement.

Grandfather answered each one patiently.

Then a reporter near the front stood.

“Mr. Asher, now that Adrian Asher has officially been declared dead, who will occupy the vice-president position? There has been considerable speculation about a possible succession dispute within the company.”

The atmosphere changed.

This was the question everyone had been waiting to ask.

I turned slightly toward my grandfather.

His expression didn’t change.

“For the moment, Mrs. Clara Vale, Adrian’s wife, will assume the vice-president position.”

A fresh wave of murmurs swept through the room.

Grandfather gestured toward the side of the stage.

“Mrs. Vale, please join us.”

Clara stepped forward.

She looked elegant in a tailored cream suit, her dark hair arranged neatly, her posture composed despite the sudden attention. There was grief in her eyes, but she carried herself with quiet determination.

Adrian’s comatose state had taken enough from her already.

I wasn’t going to let anyone turn her into another casualty of the family’s internal politics.

I reached for her hand as she came to stand beside me and Grandfather.

“Clara,” I said warmly, “I’m glad you’re here.”

She gave me a small, grateful smile.

“Thank you, Amber.”

Grandfather waited until the photographers had taken several pictures before continuing.

“I recognize that this announcement may surprise some of you. However, Mrs. Vale’s appointment is not an emotional decision, nor is it an attempt to fill a vacant position with someone whose only qualification is a family connection.”

He turned toward Clara.

“Mrs. Vale has an established professional record. She has demonstrated sound judgment, management ability, and an understanding of corporate operations through her work with Phoenix Ashers, the company founded and owned by Amber.”

A few reporters immediately began typing.

“Under her involvement with Phoenix Ashers, Mrs. Vale has contributed to the development and management of projects that required strategic planning, financial oversight, and coordination across multiple departments. Her performance has been evaluated, her results documented, and her capabilities reviewed.”

Grandfather’s voice became firmer.

“She is being appointed because she is qualified to perform the work, not because she is Adrian’s wife. Her family connection is a fact, but it is not her qualification.”

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1-felt a surge of pride.

Phoenix Ashers was my personal company, separate from the wider Asher Corporation structure. I had built it to operate on its own merits, and I had never intended it to become a convenient stepping stone for anyone seeking a prestigious title.

Clara had earned her place through her work.

She deserved to have that recognized.

Naturally, one of the reporters decided to make a problem out of it.

“With all due respect, Mr. Asher, isn’t this simply another example of nepotism? Mrs. Vale is Adrian’s wife, and you’re appointing her to a senior executive position in a company controlled by the Asher family. Surely her relationship to the family played a significant role in this decision.”

The room quieted.

Clara’s hand tightened around mine.

I could feel the question settling over her, threatening to turn a professional appointment into a public trial.

Before I could respond, Grandfather leaned slightly toward the microphone.

“Would you like to explain which part of Mrs. Vale’s professional record you believe is inadequate?”

The reporter hesitated.