Alpha's Abandoned Daughter is the Secret Heiress novel Chapter 425

Chapter 425: Zane’s Conspiracy

Chapter 425: Zane’s Conspiracy

(Author’s POV)

Jaxon’s assistant stepped forward.

His voice was calm and clear, carrying to every corner of the room.

“Miss Stone is correct. As of last month, Alpha Alaric transferred his entire shareholding in Stone

Botanicals to her. She is now the company’s largest controlling shareholder. If anyone has doubts, you’re

welcome to check the company’s official registry right now.”

He paused for a single beat.

“And one more thing. The gentleman seated beside Miss Stone is Theodore Crimson of the Crimson

Moon Pack.”

The room went still.

Not the restless, uncertain stillness from before. This was different – the kind that settled over people

when a name landed with real weight.

The Engineering Director’s eyes moved to Theodore.

Theodore sat with the easy, unhurried posture of someone who had never needed to prove anything to

anyone in a room. He didn’t speak. He didn’t have to.

The Engineering Director had spent thirty years in this industry. He knew exactly who Theodore Crimson was. Everyone in Northgate City’s business world did – the young heir who had built commercial empires before most men his age had learned to manage a quarterly report.

He had not expected to find him here tonight, in this office, at this hour.

He swallowed once.

His gaze moved back to Amelia. Something in his expression shifted – the hard skepticism softening into something more careful, more considered.

He turned to face his team.

“You heard Miss Stone,” he said, his voice dropping back into its natural command. “Get back to work.

Follow her instructions. I want the fault isolated before morning.”

Chairs scraped. Keyboards clicked. The low hum of focused work filled the room again.

Amelia watched the team settle back into motion.

The tight knot in her chest loosened, just slightly.

176

“It would have been,” Simon said, “if Theodore hadn’t been first.”

Luke went next, leaning back with the ease of someone who’d told this story before.

$25 Paints

“First year at university. I made some bad decisions, ended up with a group of people who took it personally.” He shrugged. “They cornered me on my way back one evening. Theodore happened to be

walking past.”

“He helped you get away?” I asked.

“He didn’t even take off his jacket,” Luke said. “Five minutes. Every single one of them on the ground. Then he called the police and walked away like nothing had happened.”

I turned to look at Theodore.

“I’d practiced a bit,” he said simply.

“A bit,” Luke repeated, in a tone that made it clear he found this description inadequate.

Chris didn’t wait to be asked. He launched straight in, practically vibrating with the energy of someone who

had been waiting to tell this particular story.

“Right after I took over the family business – I was twenty–three, I had no idea what I was doing – I nearly signed a contract that would have destroyed us. I’m talking clauses buried so deep you’d need a legal team a month just to find them.” He shook his head. “I met Theodore at a commercial summit. He looked at the contract for maybe ten minutes, pointed out every single problem, and then helped me redraft the

whole thing.”

“He didn’t know you at that point?” I asked.

“Never met me before in my life.” Chris grinned. “That was the day I decided he was my idol.”

Theodore looked like he wanted to change the subject.

Lewis spoke last, his voice measured and even.

“There was a cross–border acquisition. The other side had set a financial trap – the kind that looks clean until it’s too late. Everyone on our team was stuck. We couldn’t find a way through it.” He paused. “Theodore reversed the entire approach. Not only did we avoid the loss – we came out with three times the expected return.”

He looked at Theodore with something quiet and genuine in his expression.

“That was the moment I understood that Theodore operates on a completely different level from the rest

of us.”

The table was quiet for a beat after that.

I looked at Theodore.

Chapter 425 Zane’s Conspiracy

Griffin said nothing.

+25)

Because there was nothing to say. The man was right. The explosion had happened on his watch. That

failure belonged to him.

Zane raised his hand, a slow, deliberate gesture that silenced his subordinate.

He wasn’t ready to burn this bridge. Not yet. Griffin was still useful.

Griffin took the opening immediately.

“I’ve already moved against her. Jaxon Stone has been taken in by the police. Amelia has her hands full

right now – she won’t have time to keep digging.”

Zane’s expression didn’t warm.

“The posts she put out online,” he said. “The wording was very deliberate. She’s pointing in my direction.”

“She won’t be able to do any real damage,” Griffin said. “I made sure of that. After I was released from the

station, I activated everything I’d been holding in reserve at Stone Botanicals. Months ago, I paid off the

leadership at a competing medical company. The plan was always to use them – damage Stone

Botanicals‘ reputation, create chaos, then move in and acquire at a low price. That plan is running now.”

Zane studied him in silence.

When he spoke again, his voice was quiet and very even.

“This is your last chance, Griffin. If you fail again – if she keeps moving and I am exposed – I will not come

out to protect the Drake family. Not again.”

Griffin held his gaze and nodded.

He left the estate not long after.

The car moved through the dark mountain road, and Griffin stared out the window without seeing

anything.

Wade was in the hospital. His most capable man, out of commission. The person sitting in the driver’s

seat now was someone new – younger, less steady, unfamiliar with how Griffin operated.

“What’s the latest on Lance Drake?” Griffin asked.

The new assistant’s hands tightened on the wheel.

“We – we haven’t been able to locate him, sir. There’s no information at all.”

Griffin’s jaw set.

“Useless,” he said, his voice low and sharp.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify