Forced Marriage: My Wife, My Redemption by Lilyheart

Chapter 304: Stand-in President?

Hearing the question, Desmond glared at him, wishing he could shoot arrows from his eyes and send him straight to join his parents in the world beyond.

Among all the worst-case scenarios he had imagined for today, meeting a walking Davis was not one of them. He had expected the setup on the road to bring back good news—perhaps that Davis was in the hospital again, just like before.

And if that plan failed, he had been prepared to convince the board to vote in his favor, presenting Davis’s incapacity as a major setback. But now, seeing him standing here in the flesh—alive, composed, and very much in control—there was no way Desmond would let him win easily.

His lips curled into a mocking smirk.

"Dear nephew... don’t be in such a hurry to oust me from the seat," he sneered, a challenging glint flashing in his eyes.

Davis raised a brow at him, silently granting his uncle the permission to speak.

He wasn’t in a rush. Let him speak. He was curious to see how far Desmond would stretch his narrative.

He was ready to see where this drama would end. Desmond returned his gaze, the tension between them thick as smoke.

The board members exchanged glances amongst themselves. The atmosphere was charged and the tension palpable. No one interrupted. They all knew what this was. This was no ordinary boardroom discussion—it was a standoff. A battle of titans.

Desmond straightened his back and spoke with the practiced authority of someone who had held the reins.

"Ever since your accident last year, I’ve single-handedly handled the affairs of this group," Desmond began, pacing slightly, his voice calm but charged with authority.

"Several major projects were left hanging and incomplete after your... unfortunate incident and I was forced to step in. With the Old man hospitalized, it fell on me to complete the deals." I negotiated, signed, and delivered on those deals. Right here. From this very chair."

He paused, he let the words hang in the air, the weight of his words settling in heavy with implications.

need to say more. The insinuation was

the company. I

carried this company

a slow

world for so long, I trust you understand the meaning of

hit like

His heart clenched involuntarily. The calm mask slipped ever

at his sides. That

like a shadow—always temporary, always second-best. The very injustice and humiliation he had long suppressed now echoed

presumptuous," he growled without

continued coolly, "after my father died, you stood in for him for a few months until

Desmond challenged, voice

the same applies here," Davis continued icily. "You’ve worked in my stead to ensure the company remains stable. I acknowledge that. But now that I’ve returned—healthy, able, and

eyes locked. A silent war

to the

flashes going off, microphones of every size shoved toward their lips, the media

guards moved in front of him, forming a human barrier. Their expressions were cold, menacing, daring anyone to

at a loss, his gaze sweeping across the room, taking in the wave

some with badges gleaming with awards and recognition globally and

were not amateur reporters. This was top-tier

searching desperately for his

personally instructed him to bring in the press the moment Davis arrived. But this wasn’t the glorious moment he had planned

control the situation. "We’re in the middle of a private meeting! This isn’t the time—please