When Love Finds Its Way Back (Cassienne and Dreston) novel Chapter 235

Chapter Two Hundred And Thirty–Five: What Are You Not Telling Me?

The drive from Auralink to the Tremont residence was a blur of static and half–formed thoughts. Dreston barely remembered getting into the car, and the familiar streets passing by were nothing more than a smear of light and shadow. His hands were braced firmly against his thighs, his jaw set so tight it ached as he replayed a single, impossible list in his mind: forty–five percent of the shares, Tina’s parents, and

the foundation of Auralink itself.

None of it made sense, yet his father’s lack of a denial during their brief call was a weight in his gut that wouldn’t settle. By the time the car turned into the driveway, Dreston was out the door before the tires had even stopped rolling. He bypassed the staff’s greetings, his stride heavy with an urgency that bordered on aggression.

“Where is my father?” he demanded.

“In his study, sir,” a maid replied, but Dreston was already halfway up the stairs.

Joseph Tremont was exactly where he expected him to be: seated behind his desk, looking as immovable and composed as a monument. Dreston pushed the door open without the courtesy of a knock, his entrance jarring the heavy silence of the room. Their eyes met, and for a long, suffocating second, neither man spoke.

“You got here quickly,” Joseph noted, his voice devoid of surprise.

Dreston slammed the door shut behind him. “Tell me it isn’t true,” he said, skipping any pretense of a greeting. “Just say the words.”

Joseph studied his son, taking in the frayed edges of Dreston’s composure. He didn’t rush to defend

himself. “Sit down, Dreston.”

“I’m not here to sit.”

“I know you’re not,” Joseph said, leaning back slightly. “But if you want the truth, you’re going to have to listen, and you can’t do that while you’re vibrating with a need to hit something.”

The sheer authority in his father’s voice forced Dreston to concede. He moved forward and sat, though his body remained poised to bolt. Joseph folded his hands on the desk, his expression unreadable.” What Tina showed you is a carefully curated version of the facts. It is not the whole truth.”

Dreston’s brow furrowed. “So there is truth in it? The claim isn’t entirely fabricated?”

“There was an incident,” Joseph admitted, his voice dropping an octave. “Years ago, before you were even old enough to walk the halls of this company.”

Dreston felt the air in the room grow thin. “What kind of incident?”

Joseph exhaled slowly, the sound weary. “There was an explosion in one of the primary research labs. It was a catastrophic failure of the safety protocols during a high–stakes experiment.”

“And Tina’s parents?” Dreston pressed.

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Chapter Two Hundred And Thirty–Five What Are You Not Telling Mal

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“They were in the lab when it happened.” Joseph’s words were measured, devoid of the defensive edge Dreston had expected. “They were gone before the fire was even out.”

Dreston leaned forward, his heart hammering against his ribs. “She’s claiming they owned nearly half the company, Dad. That’s a massive stake to just disappear from the books.”

“It’s an inaccurate claim,” Joseph countered firmly. “But it isn’t entirely baseless. Tina’s parents were part of the original development team. They contributed a series of patents and intellectual property that eventually became the bedrock of Auralink’s success.”

“That makes them employees or even early partners, but it doesn’t give their daughter forty–five percent of my firm.”

Joseph’s jaw tightened. “She is taking fragments of the truth–old contracts, early drafts of partnership agreements and weaving a narrative that serves her greed. She has documents, yes, but they aren’t the legal finality she thinks they are.”

Dreston let out a jagged breath, but it didn’t ease the pressure in his chest. “She walked into my office with a confidence I’ve never seen. You don’t seem surprised at all.”

“I’m not,” Joseph said, his eyes sharpening. “I knew the past wasn’t as buried as people wanted to believe. But this is no longer about history, Dreston. It’s about what she intends to do with those documents now.”

“She’s trying to dismantle everything we’ve built!” Dreston snapped, his frustration finally boiling over. ” And you’re sitting there like we’re discussing the weather.”

“I am reacting,” Joseph said quietly. “I am simply not panicking. There is a difference. Tina isn’t acting alone. To get those specific files, someone either helped her or failed to protect what should have been kept under lock and key.”

The implication of a mole or a breach shifted Dreston’s focus from anger to calculation. “So what’s the move? How do we handle her?”

Joseph didn’t answer immediately. He looked at his son with a flicker of something resembling concern. “You’re still recovering from the accident, Dreston.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re functioning. That isn’t the same as being fine. This situation requires patience and a steady

hand, not a reactive strike.”

Dreston ran a hand through his hair, the pressure behind his eyes building. “She isn’t going to wait for me to feel better. She’s already moving.”

“Then let her move,” Joseph replied. “The faster she moves, the more likely she is to trip.”

Dreston looked at his father, a sudden, chilling thought crossing his mind. “And Cassienne? If this is all tied to the company’s roots… Does it touch her? Is she involved in this mess without knowing it?”

Chapter Two Hundred And Thiny–Five What Are You Not Telling Me?

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