The Wife he threw Away (Claire and Lucian) novel Chapter 298

The boardroom was already full when I arrived.

Directors, directors executives, senior shareholders.

People who had been making decisions in my absence.

People who had quickly begun discussing what Dhark Holdings would look like without me while I was incapacitated.

The conversations stopped the moment I walked through the doors.

Every head turned.

I didn’t acknowledge them.

Instead, I walked toward the head of the table and took my seat.

A few seconds passed, and no one spoke.

I looked around the room. It was almost amusing.

These were the same men who had been so confident while I was lying unconscious in a hospital bed.

Now they couldn’t even look me in the eye.

I placed my hands on the table and spoke into the microphone. “I assume everyone here knows why we’re meeting.”

Silence.

“Good.” I leaned back. “I’ve been informed of what happened while I was away.”

A few people shifted in their seats.

I noticed—I always noticed.

“I won’t waste this meeting discussing the decisions some of you made regarding my position.”

My gaze moved slowly around the room. “I already know who was involved.”

Nobody moved.

“And I know exactly what each and everyone one of you seated here said.”

The silence grew even heavier—and I let it.

There was no need to raise my voice—there never had been.

“While I was incapacitated, some of you apparently believed that my absence created an opportunity.” I paused.

“It didn’t.”

Several of the directors seated there lowered their eyes.

I continued. “Business aside, what happened tells me something far more important.”

I looked directly at them. “Character.”

Nobody interrupted. Nobody even breathed loud enough for me to notice.

“A man’s character is easiest to see when he believes the person above him is no longer capable of watching.” I said.

I let the words settle for several seconds.

“I’ve watched every one of you for years. I know what you bring to this company. I also know what you do when you think there are no consequences.”

The room remained completely silent.

But I wasn’t interested in revenge—not today.

I had something far more important to accomplish. The wellbeing of Dhark Holdings would always come first.

I opened the file in front of me. “Now let’s talk about the company.”

That obviously got their attention.

“Since Eva Sterling’s exposure, our stock has risen.” I turned a page. “Investor confidence has increased immensely.”

Another page. “Our existing partners have shown renewed interest, and several associates who had previously distanced themselves are already approaching us again for business.”

I looked up. “Dhark Holdings isn’t recovering,” I paused briefly. “We’re growing.”

That was the truth.

The scandal had significantly damaged the company, but it hadn’t destroyed us.

If anything, it had cleared away the rot. And the market had noticed.

“We have a window.” I folded my hands. “Public confidence is high. Investor interest is high. Our competitors are watching us, and our partners are willing to negotiate.”

I looked around the table. “We are going to use that.”

One director shifted forward.

I continued before he could speak.

“I want the expansion proposals brought forward.”

My secretary who seated near the side of the room, immediately began taking notes.

But they knew me.

They knew what I was capable of.

Every single one of them knew I wasn’t a man to make empty statements.

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

Then Director Whitmore finally cleared his throat.

The chairman looked at me from across the table. There was something different in his expression.

Respect, perhaps.

Or relief.

I could’ve had him removed, since he was at the forefront of the fight to replace me.

He gave me a small nod. “Welcome back, Mr. Dhark.”

I returned the nod. “Thank you, Director Whitmore.”

He opened the first file. “Let’s begin.”

The meeting finally started.

And just like that, Dhark Holdings was mine again.

Not because anyone had given it back to me, but because it had never truly belonged to anyone else.

I glanced briefly toward the windows.

The city stretched beneath us.

Somewhere out there was Claire—my wife. My family.

And of course, our future.

And for the first time in my life, I knew I had something waiting for me outside this building that mattered more than the empire I had spent years building.

A child. Our child.

I allowed myself one small smile before turning back to the table.

Business first.

The rest of my life could wait until I got home.