The CEO's Regret: Darling, Don’t Leave Me novel Chapter 337

<Chapter 247 How I’ll be the problem

Chapter 247: Now I’ll be the problem.

Alexander

Richard Hale isn’t a man who wastes time. He knew I wouldn’t leave with what I wanted or needed to he … but I wasn’t ready to hear what he had to say

Hale didn’t speak immediately. He went to the bar, poured two drinks without asking if I wanted one, and placed one in front of the chair.

“Sit down, Alexander.”

I didn’t sit down instantly. I observed him. I assessed his posture, his tone, the way he avoided looking directly at me. That wasn’t negotiation; it was preparation.

I took the glass and sat down.

“I want you to calm down so we can talk,” he finally said.

I took a small sip… Whiskey, dry, right.

“Speak.”

Hale exhaled…

“Clara wants to make changes after the expansion.”

I already knew it. Or, at least, I suspected it. But hearing it out loud made it… concrete.

“What kind of changes?”I asked without moving.

His fingers interlaced on the desk.

“Structural changes.”

“Be clearer.”

He paused. Long enough to gauge whether he should say it.

“She wants to renegotiate the shareholding structure of… you know, this place.”

My gaze didn’t leave his.

“Explain it properly.”

“She wants to reduce your operating stake.”

That was interesting.

“Reduce?”

“Or eliminate it from direct management.”

Silence… Not long. But enough for my mind to connect the dots.

<Chapter 247 How I’ll be the problem “Buy me?” I asked.

Hale barely nodded.

“It’s one of the options she’s considered.”-

I let out a short, humorless laugh

“And the other one?”

“Restructuring decision-making so you’re not involved in the direction of the…”

I raised my hand to stop him; I needed a damn second.

I placed the glass on the table, slowly, deliberately.

“And how did she justify that?”

“She said the company needs a more… aligned line.”

I almost smiled.

“Aligned with whom?”

Hale didn’t answer; there was no need.

“She wants operational independence,” he added. “To separate strategic execution from… certain internal dynamics.”

“Internal dynamics?”

“Relationships.”

Ah… Now I get it.

I looked at him straight on.

“Say it properly, Richard.”

He held my gaze.

“She wants to stop working with you.”

Direct. No embellishment. I respected that, even now. I didn’t say anything immediately. Because when a piece of news is absurd enough… the first thing you do is check if you didn’t misunderstand it.

“Since when?” I finally asked.

“She didn’t specify.”

“And why now?”

“Because expansion requires care, and this, this can take time and destabilize things

That was true; Boston was changing the game.

<Chapter 247 Now I’ll be the problem

“Is this approved?” I asked, frowning, knowing this wasn’t as easy as she thought.

“No.”

“Is it under discussion?”

“Maybe…”

“Is there support?”

Hale hesitated. That was enough.

“There’s interest in hearing from her.”

+25 Po

I nodded slowly, very slowly. As if each movement needed to pierce a new layer of understanding. Clara Wanting to get rid of me, not reduce risks, not reorganize. Get rid of me. After everything invested, after New York, after the contacts. After opening doors for her that don’t open with talent alone. They open w power, and I gave her power.

Buy?

I closed my eyes for a second, not out of weakness. For precision. To organize what I was feeling, and when I opened them, there was no surprise left. Only structure.

“What else did she say?”

“That she’s willing to negotiate.”

“She always is.”

“Not in this way.”

That made me look at him more closely.

“What does that mean?”

“That she’s not presenting it as an idea… but as a goal.”

Silence, heavier now. Clearer.

I picked up the glass again, took a longer drink. The alcohol went down burning Good… That helped

“Interesting,” I murmured.

Hale didn’t smile.

“Alexander…”

I raised my hand, I didn’t want any warnings. I didn’t need advice

“Let me get this straight.”

Lleaned slightly forward

“She comes in, brings this up…and you expect me to accept (like it’s a normal estructuring

<Chapter 247- How I’ll be the problem “I don’t expect anything.”

“Yes, you do.”

My voice didn’t rise but it hardened.

“You expect me to accept it.”

Hale shook his head.

“I expect you to handle it intelligently.”

I smiled. Now I did.

“I always do.”

I leaned back in my chair, the picture becoming clear. Too clear. Efhan fires Vanessa, Clara supports hin Clara promises changes, Clara makes moves in the meeting. And now… this. The sequence was perfect Orderly… Convenient.

“This has to do with him,” I said to myself.

“What?” Hale asked, not listening or understanding. I didn’t clarify; he doesn’t need to understand. It was already clear to me… Confirmation enough.

I shook my head and laughed through my nose.

“Of course.”

I stood up and walked a few steps across the office. Not out of nerves, but out of energy. Because this wasn’t information anymore; it was an attack.

“You give someone access,” I murmured, “you give them structure, you give them support… and when the find a more comfortable version of themselves… they decide you’re the problem.”

I turned to Hale.

“That’s what’s happening.”

“Don’t oversimplify.”

“I’m making it perfectly clear.” I placed both hands on the desk. “You know what’s most interesting?”

Hale remained silent

“She thinks she can do it.”

I straightened up, looked at her in my head. Clara…. her, impeccable. Deciding that I no longer belonged here, out of nowhere… Part of me wanted to laugh, another… another didn’t Ungrateful, I thought.

I didn’t say it, but I thought it with an uncomfortable clarity. Because it wasn’t just business. It was history, it was investment. It was time… And now… it was discard.

“This isn’t as simple as she thinks,” I finally said

<Chapter 247 How I’ll be the problem

“It never is.”

“No.”

I looked at him straight in the eye.

“And this is where everyone goes wrong.”

I picked up the glass and placed the empty one on the table. –

“She may have decided to stop working with me. paused. “But that doesn’t mean she can.”

Hale frowned slightly.

“Alexander…”

“I’m not just anyone here…”

The silence fell.

“I’m not Clara’s employee,” I continued. “I’m not expendable. I’m not a piece to be moved because someone feels more comfortable on another board.”

My voice was still low… But it was no longer conversation, it was a declaration.

“I’m the investor who made this possible.” I gestured toward the building, toward the city, toward everything that our expansion represented. “And I’m not going to let them make me an obstacle just because the personal dynamics have changed.”

Hale held my gaze.

“Then you’ll have to negotiate.”

I smiled.

“No.”

I shook my head.

“They think this is a negotiation.”

I picked up my jacket and calmly adjusted it.

“But what they just did… started a conflict.”

I headed for the door.

“And I don’t lose conflicts, Richard.”

I opened the door, and before leaving, I paused for a second. Without turning around.

“Tell Clara something from me… say it after Boston, if you want.”

Hale didn’t answer

25 Po

“Tell her to be careful with the decisions she makes when she thinks she’s already won.” Pause. Because

<Chapter 247-Now I’ll be the problem

that’s precisely when she loses.

I left the office; the hallway was empty. Silent, but inside… everything had fallen into place.

I wouldn’t make it easy for her, even if it hurts me too.

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<Chapter 24B-Breaking the Board, Part 1