Everything Taken I Left to Become CEO (Darcy and Zane) novel Chapter 100

**TITLE: Pain Refines the Soul — Jason Brooks 100**
**Chapter 100: Blind Faith**

Darcy and Cindy exchanged a knowing glance, a silent conversation passing between them.

What is she doing? Playing the victim card already and throwing Darcy under the bus like that?

Cindy had always been the type to stand up against injustice, her spirit unyielding. In a heartbeat, she rolled up her sleeves, ready to storm in and confront the situation head-on.

But Darcy was quicker on the draw.

With a swift motion, she kicked the door open, the sound echoing like a gunshot in the tense air.

Cindy’s eyes widened in disbelief, her mouth slightly agape.

Jethro stood there, his expression as inscrutable as ever, a mask of neutrality that betrayed nothing.

Zane, on the other hand, felt a tumult of emotions swirling within him the moment he recognized Darcy as the one who had forcefully opened the door. Memories of the stable flooded back, memories that he had tried to suppress. He had chosen not to save her then, and now guilt gnawed at him like a persistent ache.

Yet, despite that guilt, she shouldn’t have kicked the door.

Zane rose to his feet, brow furrowed in concern. “Darcy, please don’t create a scene,” he urged, his voice low but firm.

Darcy responded with a sharp, almost mocking laugh.

When people are left utterly speechless, laughter often fills the void.

Create a scene? That was Zane’s go-to phrase.

But when had she ever been the one to cause a scene?

“Mr. Vance, I have never been one to create a scene,” Darcy retorted, her tone frigid. “That’s merely a figment of your overactive imagination.”

With a defiant lift of her chin, she directed a piercing gaze at Zora. “Dr. Moss, I would appreciate it if you could clarify your statement. What do you mean by ‘Mrs. Gale doesn’t know how to ride’? It sounds as if you’re implying that this entire accident is my fault.”

Zora felt a surge of panic, but she quickly masked it, biting her lip to regain her composure. “Ms. Gale, it seems you have a penchant for eavesdropping on private conversations,” she shot back, her tone laced with irritation.

Zane’s expression grew even colder, the tension in the room thickening.

“Darcy,” he said, attempting to adopt a soothing tone, “since neither you nor Zora sustained serious injuries, let’s just put this behind us. Who is right or wrong doesn’t matter at this point.”

In his mind, he wrestled with the implications. If they dug deeper and all signs pointed toward Darcy, what would Brandon think of her? What would everyone else say?

Zane genuinely believed that letting the matter rest was the best course of action for Darcy.

Yet, hearing his words made Darcy feel as if she had swallowed a fly, a sickening sensation that settled in her stomach.

His statement indicated he genuinely believed Zora’s version of events.

Blind faith.

She fixed Zane with a cold stare. “I will not accept being falsely accused. If no one else is willing to speak the truth, then I shall do it myself.”

Her gaze shifted to Zora, and she enunciated each word with deliberate clarity. “Your horse lost control first. You failed to manage it, and your incompetence caused a chain reaction that put my safety at risk. You are the root cause of this incident.”

“I’m so sorry,” he apologized repeatedly, his voice laced with urgency. “Really, I’m sorry, both of you. Today’s incident is not Dr. Moss’s fault.

The responsibility lies with me. To rectify this, I’ve decided that the ProsperLink Fund project will be a joint endeavor between Summit Core and Stratagem. Each of you will take on a portion of the work.”

Zora hadn’t anticipated such a pleasant turn of events. “Thank you, Mr. Cole,” she said, her voice filled with gratitude.

If Darcy pursued the matter further now, she would be openly contradicting Brandon.

It was evident he wanted to bury the issue, likely concerned about the reputation of his stable.

After a moment’s contemplation, Darcy said, “Thank you, Mr. Cole. We’ll consider the matter resolved. And you have our assurance, nothing about today will leave this group.”

Brandon visibly relaxed, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

As they drove away from the stables, Cindy turned to Darcy, her curiosity piqued. “Do you really think Zora won that equestrian competition?”

“I can’t say for sure,” Darcy replied, her voice contemplative.

A mischievous grin spread across Cindy’s face, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “What do you think would happen if that scumbag Zane found out that his precious ‘perfect one’ is nothing but a complete fraud? How would he react?”

Having witnessed Zane’s blind favoritism towards Zora firsthand, Darcy suspected that even if he learned about any falsified documents, Zora would still appear flawless in his eyes.

“Probably nothing would change,” she said, her voice tinged with resignation.

Cindy’s shoulders slumped in disappointment, but then she clenched her teeth, determination sparking in her eyes. “Then we won’t tell him just yet. Let him enjoy his little fantasy a while longer. The higher you climb, the harder you fall!”