His Ex-Wife Is A Billionaire (Evadne and Thaddeus) novel Chapter 1319

"We will table the discussion on the new pharmaceutical institute for now. Meeting adjourned."

Chad's elegant, pale face was as cold as frost. Unable to maintain his composure to run the meeting, he dismissed the board. He stood alone against the backlight of the window, staring at the dark screen of his phone with a sharp, chilling glare.

A few minutes later, the private number called again.

His jawline tightened like a drawn blade. Swiping the screen, he slowly brought the phone to his ear.

"Nephew, I thought you were too scared to answer your uncle's call." Mason Austin's voice dripped with mockery.

The stiff smile that curled on Chad's lips looked as if it had been carved into cold, white plaster with a jagged knife. "How could that be, Uncle? You are my mother's only remaining relative in this world.

I was just leading a meeting at the company. It wasn't convenient to answer."

"You're a very busy man now, juggling a million things a day. It's just that your uncle is quite worried. Can you really hold onto a stolen empire?"

A suffocating darkness pooled in Chad's eyes, an ocean of murderous intent threatening to spill over.

"I stole it with my own abilities, and I will hold onto it with my own abilities. You don't need to worry about that, Uncle."

"Good, good, good. You truly are my sister's son. The Austin bloodline is certainly not to be underestimated."

Mason's tone remained playfully ambiguous. "At this very moment, sitting on a sofa in the ground-floor lobby of your Abernathy group headquarters, is a man. He's a generous gift from your uncle."

The man's brow twitched. "Who is it?"

"An old friend of yours. You'll know when you go down and see him."

Before Chad could respond, Mason abruptly ended the call.

Shortly after, Alexia was summoned to the CEO's office.

"Sir, what are your orders?" Alexia kept her head bowed, as submissive and deferential as a dutiful servant.

Following the exposure of the Genesis Lab, her terror of Chad had vastly eclipsed any lingering sense of guilt. In the past, she had faced this man with ambitious drive, idolizing him, wanting to repay his kindness, and eager to prove her worth.

Now, all those foolish, naive thoughts had vanished into thin air.

She was trembling, walking on eggshells, focused solely on keeping herself alive.

"What do you mean by parading that man right under my nose?"

Chad's expression was carved from stone, his throat tight. "I'm still young. My memory is perfectly fine. You didn't need to go out of your way."

"Ever since you returned to Elmsworth, your plans have moved at a glacial pace. You know I'm not a patient man. I'm tired of waiting."

The amusement vanished from Mason's voice, replaced by a sinister chill. "Don't forget the promise you made me. You swore to completely devour the Abernathy group, eliminate that old man Hamilton, destroy Frederic—the scumbag who killed my sister and your mother—and get rid of Thaddeus, the bastard he had with that whore. Then, you were supposed to hand over the chairman's seat and control of the board to me.

It's been so long. Look at what you've actually accomplished. You haven't even managed to deal with that Ashbourne girl. I'm starting to seriously doubt your competence.

Or have you just been stringing me along this whole time, planning to cut ties with your uncle?"

"How could that be possible, Uncle? If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be where I am today." Chad offered a stiff smile, his chest feeling so tight he wanted to vomit.

"If you really care about your uncle so much, then show me some genuine sincerity."

Chad's gaze was ice-cold, though his verbal response was prompt. "Whatever you need, just say the word. I will do everything in my power to make it happen."