Forced Marriage: My Wife, My Redemption by Lilyheart

Chapter 256: Davis and his wife just returned...

While Davis and his wife were having a good rest after a long journey and work time, Desmond’s case was a stark contrast to their situation.

The morning sun filtered through the floor to ceiling glass windows and walls of the Allen Corporation’s executive conference room, casting cold shadows across the polished marble floor.

The air was sterile, perfumed faintly with fresh lavender fragrance and fresh coffee, but the tension beneath it was palpable.

Desmond Allen walked in, his tailored suit immaculate, his steps deliberate. His eyes swept over the seated board members made up of fifteen men and women whose loyalty he’d secured through years of careful manipulation, favors, and intimidation.

He took his seat at the head the table without greeting anyone. His assistant silently slid a stack of documents in front of him with the morning’s agenda tucked behind layers of reports.

Desmond’s fingers tapped against the glass desk, each beat calculated, his composure that of an emperor as his icy eyes scanned the faces of the members in silent appraisal.

"Let’s begin," he said curtly.

The COO, a slender man with sharp glasses and sharper instincts, cleared his throat. "Before we proceed to the quarterly review, there’s an item that’s come to our attention regarding project expenditures under Division 4C."

Desmond’s stern eyes settled on the man, his chest tightened, his hand paused briefly before resuming its action.

That division was one of his shadow budgets—used for siphoning funds under R&D cover and had long being concealed but bringing it up at this point is a clear indication that something had gone wrong.

Desmond’s lips curved into a thin smile. "4C is a confidential defense tech initiative in early-phase prototyping. We’ve used black-budget methods to protect IP. If you’re unfamiliar with the protocol, perhaps we can schedule a separate briefing."

He let the statement hang, daring them to question further. But this time he underestimated the reasons and positions of the board members.

Ms. Dexter, a fierce blonde lady from the Audit Committee leaned forward, a cold smirk playing on her lips.

found a discrepancy of over 4.2 million Dollars routed through a shell contractor that has

took a deep breath. "Like I said we

of black-budget operations. But those are usually signed off by a secondary authority. This one wasn’t. And our crosscheck shows no official briefing with Legal, nor oversight from

Silence followed.

questioning my authority to protect Allen Corp’s intellectual

gaze. "No. I’m questioning whether

were locked in the air, the tension settling in the room

next. "I think, for clarity and board confidence, we should request a

the transparency," Desmond growled, his mask slipping

years plus is because I

discrediting that," the COO said quickly, trying to diffuse the mood yet it

as he glanced around the board room, it was the usual agendas, familiar voices, but

in the reports being presented, the questions, the usual vagueness he instils seem to have

clarity as department heads now came armed with

it a coincidence? Or were they preparing for something? Or is someone

cleared his throat, half-rising from his seat in greeting which also eased the

from the R&D department was just circulated. There are... other anomalies

brow twitching

an accounting error but in

the financial review."Desmond replied

and the possible cause of the anomaly in the board

an irregularity in the marketing budget as well. One of the campaigns listed hasn’t been verifiably executed. Yet over 3.5 million was