He Cheated I Rose Making Him Regret Everything (Chloe and Arthur) novel Chapter 274

**A Promise Hidden in the Quiet Rain by Adrian Hale**
**Chapter 274: The Illegitimate Heir**

“Mr. Lewis would never resort to such tactics,” a voice echoed through the room, laced with disbelief. “When the Lewis Group was established, we made a pact—no leveraging our power for personal gain. As chairman, he would never stoop so low.”

Chloe’s lips curled into a gentle, knowing smile, a glint of mischief dancing in her eyes. She pivoted to face Scott, her expression still radiating warmth, though her words were anything but. “Oh, is that your stance? Then enlighten me—why on earth did you bring Carolyn to the shareholders’ meeting? Was it merely to hand over the remainder of your shares? To elevate her to a major shareholder status just like that?”

Scott’s countenance darkened, a tempest of fury and anxiety swirling within him.

Once, he had held a commanding sixty percent stake in the company. But Monique had cunningly siphoned off ten percent, leaving him with a mere twenty. And now, with Chloe’s thirty percent, he couldn’t afford to part with even a fraction of his shares—not to Carolyn, not to anyone.

Chloe’s piercing words had effectively quashed Carolyn’s aspirations of stepping into a management role. No matter how Scott maneuvered from this point forward, the path for Carolyn to ascend to a senior executive position was irrevocably blocked.

“Carolyn is my daughter,” Scott defended himself, desperation creeping into his voice. “The company is expanding, and I brought her here to gain experience. I intend to carve out a role for her so she can familiarize herself with the business. I trust you will all extend your support to her.”

“Naturally,” Chloe replied with an airy nonchalance. “The Lewis Group thrives on professionalism, and it would be wise for the company to find a fitting position for Ms. Carolyn Lewis.” She turned her gaze to Carolyn, a hint of a smile lingering on her lips. “But before we proceed, Ms. Carolyn Lewis, please take your leave. We are about to commence the shareholders’ meeting.”

“You—” Carolyn shot Chloe a venomous glare, her indignation bubbling just beneath the surface. She yearned to counter Chloe’s assertion, yet she felt utterly powerless.

The shareholders’ meetings were exclusive to shareholders and top executives. That ten percent belonged to Monique—not her. If those shares had truly been hers, would she be sitting here, allowing Chloe to belittle her?

Absolutely not.

Grinding her teeth, she suppressed the fiery rage threatening to engulf her, casting one last scathing look at Scott before she stormed out of the conference room, her heels clicking defiantly against the polished floor.

As soon as Carolyn exited, Chloe’s smile morphed into something more calculated. “Very well, let’s get started. Oh, and Mr. Lewis, kindly instruct your secretary to send out the necessary notifications. It appears two shareholders are absent today—Mrs. Monique Lewis and Mr. Ernesto Mason. They both hold shares, and it’s rather unbecoming for them to miss a meeting where the future of the company is on the table, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Certainly,” Scott replied through gritted teeth, forcing the words out as he swallowed down his mounting frustration. This girl was behaving as if she already owned the Lewis Group.

Monique’s expression turned icy, annoyance flashing in her eyes as she attempted to rise from the bed.

Anticipating her move, he swiftly pulled her back into his embrace.

“What’s the matter, my little darling? Upset over something so trivial?”

Monique turned her face away, a scoff escaping her lips. “He’ll find out eventually. But not now.”

The man’s lips curled into a sly grin. “Scott has been raising my wife and daughter all these years. I really ought to express my gratitude. Once the Lewis Group is under my control, I’ll send him a grand gift. He’ll surely appreciate it.”

“Ernesto, I don’t want this arrangement to be our forever. Carolyn is growing up. Soon enough, she’ll step into senior management. And with Chloe now the largest shareholder, we can’t let her roam unchecked and create chaos. We need to accelerate our plan to rebrand the Lewis Group.”

Ernesto Mason—one of the shareholders of Lewis Group. Scott would never have fathomed that Ernesto, the seemingly amicable shareholder, had been entangled in a secretive relationship with Monique for years.