Chapter 6 - THE POISONED PATRIARCH
The fallout was swift and brutal. Arthur Cross was not a man to be humiliated and discarded. As a senior board member, he initiated an emergency shareholder meeting, intending to vote Nathan out as CEO, citing "erratic behavior" and "mental instability" for breaking the engagement and making wild accusations.
The night before the vote, disaster struck. Elias collapsed during dinner, violently ill. The doctors at the hospital confirmed it was a slow-acting poison, likely administered over several weeks.
Claire sat in the waiting room, her hands folded in her lap, entering the deep meditative state of Stillwater to keep her panic at bay. Nathan paced the floor like a caged tiger.
“It was Vivienne,” Nathan snarled. “She had access to his tea. She’s been poisoning him to weaken my position and ensure her father’s takeover.”
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“We need proof,” Claire said, opening her eyes. Her gaze was sharp, clear, and deadly calm. “And we need to secure your grandfather’s voting shares before the meeting tomorrow at noon. If Arthur takes the company, he’ll destroy the evidence of what he did to my grandfather.”
Nathan stopped pacing and looked at her. In that moment, the billionaire and the housekeeper were entirely equals—partners in a war they hadn't started but were determined to finish. “Then we break into Arthur’s private office,” Nathan said. “Tonight.”
