Chapter 198
“Sterling, what’s the meaning of this? How could you accuse your own brother?” Graham spat, slamming his hand against the table’s surface. “And kidnapping? That’s too much p>
“We are not making this up,” Sterling said, pushing Melvin away. “It’s the truth p>
“No, Sterling, it was Charles and Stella. They paid the kidnappers!” Melvin tried to divert the blame.
“No, they did not!” Sterling shot back. “We made you believe that. The truth is, we were onto you p>
Nathaniel stepped forward, his gaze shifting from Melvin to the board members. “After Serena’s recent kidnapping, Melvin and his wife had been under military surveillance. He was the one who colluded with an escaped criminal to have Serena abducted p>
“This is Nathaniel Thorne, Serena’s ex-husband and the father of my grandkids. He is the grandson of former General Norman Collins,” Sterling introduced. “He was the one who helped us with this investigation p>
Murmurs echoed through the room, drowned out by the heavy footsteps of soldiers entering.
“During the investigation, we found out who among my executives and board members was trying to sabotage my company!” Sterling raised his voice. He turned to the nearby soldier and said, “Arrest Melvin and the others p>
“Mr. Jonathan Pierce, Mr. Graham Whitlock, and Miss Miriam Rhodes, you are under arrest for corporate espionage,” one soldier declared while others presented the warrants of arrest.
The room was immediately in chaos, but the board members who were conspiring with Melvin refused to admit their involvement.
“We have no part in this!” Jonathan screamed. “Don’t you dare touch me p>
“You have no part in it? We have all your conversations recorded. We have all the evidence against you, including two of our directors, Cassandra Vale and Rahul Khanna!” Sterling declared.
With a flick of his finger, the speakers within the conference room crackled to life. They replayed the conversation Melvin had with the board members and executives just last night.
Melvin’s voice came through loud and clear. “Let’s not pretend neutrality exists anymore. I’m telling you, Sterling and his family are going down! And you all helped me get this far, so there is no backing out now p>
Miriam gasped.
Cassandra’s voice echoed next, then Rahul’s, then Miriam’s.
The recording from Melvin’s meeting laid bare for everyone to hear, including his deep jealousy and hatred toward Sterling, and his plans to drug him into a heart attack!
“Oh, my Lord!” Ethan Rowe murmured. “Sterling, I had no idea! I swear I wasn’t part of their plans p>
“That’s why you’re not under arrest,” Sterling said through gritted teeth. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll overlook how easily you switched sides with the enemy. Loyalty is not a coat you change when the weather shifts, Ethan p>
“No, this can’t be happening,” Miriam cried. “Please, Sterling, forgive us. We didn’t know p>
“Save it for your lawyers,” Silas said evenly. “My family is done listening to lies p>
Silas barked at Melvin, “We know everything, Melvin, including how you paid Janice Bennet seven years ago. You and your wife will be spending the rest of your lives in jail p>
Melvin was still in shock, processing everything. He was being held down by soldiers, his face turning ghostly white.
Celine stepped forward and slapped him, the crack echoing across the room.
“We treated you like blood,” she said, her voice trembling with fury. “And you tore my daughter from me for twenty-four years p>
Her eyes burned. “You didn’t just betray us. You destroyed us p>
Celine slapped him again. “Victor is alive. And he told us everything! You weren’t
just involved — you were the one who ordered it p>
“What?” Melvin’s voice cracked. “Victor p>
“Victor is alive,” Nathaniel said calmly. “You helped him that night on the expressway. Don’t pretend you didn’t p>
“We captured him. He talked. And once he gave us your name, we decided not to
act. We let you believe you were safe… so you would expose everyone p>
“Every conversation. Every transfer. Every whisper,” Nathaniel said, his eyes narrowing. “We’ve been listening p>
This time, Serena stepped forward her voice shaking. “You sat at our table You watched my mother cry my father
for me. You watched encry
break p>
Her eyes burned. “And all along, it was you p>
She swallowed hard. “You and Victor stole my childhood. And when I finally found
my way back… you tried to take me again p>
“No.” Melvin’s lips trembled. “No! This can’t be happening p>
“Mr. Melvin Vander, you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent,” one soldier began reading his rights, along with the other board members who were presented with warrants and being cuffed.
Cries and panic filled the room. Even outside the conference room, Sterling could
hear the cries of the two directors who were being arrested.
“Mr. Vander, I am innocent!” Cassandra screamed through the open door. Rahul said the same thing.
But Sterling only had eyes on Melvin’s frantic denial.
“So, that time we had lunch at your house, you you were all pretending?” Melvin
asked, trying to free himself from the soldier’s hold.
“You really thought you outsmarted us?” Silas let out a humorless laugh. “We handed you the illusion of freedom. You ran with it p>
Melvin looked at everyone in Sterling’s family. “Why? How? How did you do it? How did you obtain recordings of us p>
Nathaniel stepped closer. He grabbed Melvin’s coat and said, “You can only blame yourself for accepting my gifts p>
Melvin’s gaze landed on his watch.
Then a look of horror flashed across his face.
“Yes,” Nathaniel said, shoving him back. “We recorded everything — the rehearsal speech, the fake humility p>
“And the cosmetic consultation you labeled ‘Executive Upgrade.’ Botox, jaw sculpting, posture therapy,” Nathaniel looked revolted. ” Apparently, power wasn’t the only thing you were trying to enhance p>
Nathaniel’s revelation caught Sterling off guard. His entire family had the same reaction. Serena, in particular, sneered.
But Sterling had enough drama. He ordered the soldiers, “Take them away p>
Just as Melvin had been escorted to the door, Sterling remembered something something he had kept all these years.
“Melvin.” Sterling turned to him slowly. “All these years, you thought I was favored. You thought my father chose me over you p>
His jaw tightened. “You were wrong p>
“I was favored because I was his son. His legitimate son. This company was a
Vander legacy p>
His voice dropped.
“And as for you p>
“You think this was about preference?” Sterling said coldly. “It was about blood p>
“I was his heir p>
“You were just a mistake p>
“Your mother deceived my father into believing you were his child p>
Lifting his chin, Sterling added, “Melvin, the truth is… You are not my brother, nor are
you my father’s son p>
“You were never a Vander p>