Chapter 77
RYAN
Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, they did. But I knew I had to push those thoughts aside and focus on the urgent matter at hand.
I think you should discuss this with your father,” Angelo suggested from the driver’s seat, his tone grave. Tim sure you don’t want him to learn about it from the press.”
Pulling into the company’s parking lot, I waited for my father to exit his car anal join me in mine. We had agreed earlier that morning to drive to YAEW together for our meeting.
As my father settled into the passenger seat, his keen gaze immediately senses that something was amiss. His eyes flicked from Angelo to me, searching for answers. “What’s going on?” he inquired, Isis tone tinged with concerni
“Nothing.” I replied quickly, attempting to brush off the tension in the air.
But before I could say more. Angelo interjected with a blunt revelation. “Mr. Ryan is about to be accused of murder,” he slurted out, causing my father’s expression to shift from concern to shock in an instant.
He glanced at me with furrowed brows, his confusion evident. “What is he talking about?” he asked,
Letting out a heavy sigh. I turned to look out the window, gathering my thoughts before responding “I acconipanied the men to question Sophia’s mother about her whereabouts, and they found her dead in her grandmother’s house, I explained.
“Shit!” my father cursed, his frustration evident. “What the heck is wrong with you, Ryan? Why are you working so hard to land yourself in jail” he demanded, his tone sharp with admonishment.
I shot him a glare, feeling defensive. “How is this my fault?” I retorted, my voice rising slightly. Did I look like someone who wanted to leave Lily and the boys alone and rot away in jail? “I didn’t anticipate things would end up like this. Nobody did.”
Running a hand down his face in exasperation, my father sighed heavily. “What did your men do after they found her dead?” he inquired, trying to piece together the situation
“I instructed them to report it
“You did what?!” My father exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air in frustration. “Do you ever consider the repercussions of your actions before you carry them out?” he demanded, his tone laced with anger. “What happened to pretending like you were never there?”
I met his glare with a steely gaze. “I don’t know, probably because I don’t want to have to cover up a crime I didn’t commit.” I retorted, my voice tinged with frustration.
He licked his lips, clearly agitated. “How is that covering up a crime you didn’t commit?” he countered sharply. “It’s more like not concerning yourself with something that isn’t even your business to begin with.”
1 shook my head, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on me. “You and I both know that they’ll find out someone was there. Their footprints alone are enough to lead the police to them, I explained, trying to make him understand. “And what do you think will happen when they find out that I knew she was dead but didn’t report it? Do you think they’ll ever believe that I didn’t do it? And don’t even get me started on Sophia’s mother. The moment she hears that her daughter is dead, my name is going to be the first on her list of suspects.
He shook his head in disagreement, still not seeing eye to eye with me. If it had come to that, I would have known what to do to handle the situation,” he insisted with confidence.
“And that brings us back to my initial point about covering up a crime I didn’t commit, I countered, feeling the frustration mounting.
Exhausted and deeply concerned, he rubbed his hand wearily down his face. “What’s the plan?” he asked, his gaze searching mine. “What’s going through that stubborn head of yours?”
Taking a moment to collect my thoughts. I proposed a course of action. “I’m thinking we should make a public statement explaining that the design we were accused of stealing was actually submitted by Sophia,” I suggested. “We needed her to come clarify what exactly happened, but when we found her, she was lying lifeless in her apartment.”
My father’s brow furrowed. That would mean you’re agreeing to the fact that we stole the designs,” he pointed out.
“I don’t think so,” Angelo chimed in, capturing our attention. We turned to him, eager to hear his perspective. “What it means is that we’re showing consideration for how YAEW feels in all of this,” he explained. “We’re attempting to find out what exactly happened, and we’ll still be able to blackmail YAEW into dropping the case. The public won’t care about the details once they apologize. They’ll assume
Chapter 77
we’ve settled our differences”
My father scoffed mockingly. “And you think the police are going to care about your press release?” he retorted, his skepticism evident. “No matter how you try to spin it, son, this situation is messed up.”
“We’ll just have to let the police do their job and find out who the real murderer is.” I concluded calmly.
“And while they do that, you’ll be named a major suspect, and the public, media, and every enemy you’ve amassed over the years of running this business will drag your name through the mud, my father continued, his frustration boiling over. They’ll tear you apart, Ryan. Stop the damn car!” he snapped at Angelo, who swiftly found a suitable spot and pulled over. My father retrieved his phone with unnecessary aggression, his fingers tapping furiously against the screen.
“Who are you calling” I inquired, but he merely shot me a glare in response.
“The legal team, of course,” he retorted sharply. “I need to inform them that you’ve created an even bigger mess”
As I looked out the window, contemplating the looming storm of accusations and public scrutiny, I knew I had to act quickly. I needed to call Lily and break the news to her in the gentlest, least alarming way possible. If she heard it from the press, she’d be filled with fear and concern, and I couldn’t bear to see her like that.
“Are we still heading to the YAEW Group?” Angelo asked nervously, breaking the tense silence in the car. My father shot him a withering glare in response
“Do you really think that’s what’s important right now?” he retorted sharply, his tone cutting like a knife. Angelo mumbled an apology. shrinking back in his seat.
After concluding his calls with the legal team and a few other important contacts, my father turned to me with a grim expression. “Ant emergency press meeting will be held at our golf club in the next thirty minutes,” he informed me tersely.
Angelo wasted no time in changing course, steering the car towards the golf club
“As soon as this is all over, and by some miracle you don’t end up in jail,” my father continued, “the board will undoubtedly move to oust you from your position. Do you even realize the magnitude of scandals you’ve weathered while in office?”
I met his gaze, noting the weariness etched into his features. He looked older than I’d ever seen him before.
I don’t know why, but deep down, I was glad that he was worrying about me. “If this wasn’t about th company or if it didn’t affect it in any way, would you have cared this much?”
“Get rid of that damn sentiment in your voice,” he chastised. “I did not raise you like that.”
Chuckling. I looked out the window, “that’s more like you.”
We fell silent for a while until he chose to speak again. “To answer your question, that won’t even be possible because everything about you involves and affects the company, from the clothes you wear, to the air you breathe and the words you speak. That was why I always tell you to tread with caution”
Reflecting on my life, I couldn’t help but wonder how different things might have been if I hadn’t been burdened with such immense responsibilities. What if my parents hadn’t treated my sister as though she were invisible, leaving me to bear the brunt of their attention and pressure?
As we approached the gates of the golf club, I noticed news vans already arriving, their cameras poised to capture every moment. We had informed the security at the club about the emergency press meeting, so they waved the vans through with practiced ease. I also spotted our legal team pulling in, ready to handle whatever legal battles lay ahead.
My father let out a weary sigh, his exhaustion obvious. “I just hope this ends in your favor, he muttered.
At that moment, I realized that I, too, had no idea what the future held for me. All I could do was face the challenges ahead with courage, hoping for the best possible outcome-
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