The board members, stunned, all rose from their seats and bowed respectfully to Mr. Hamilton. In the world of the Abernathy Group, he was a figure of legendary status. Though he no longer had a day-to-day role, his influence was immense, and he held honorary board seats at several major corporations. His sudden appearance, and his immediate, forceful opposition, spoke volumes about his devotion to his younger grandson.


    "Father, what are you doing here?!" Frederic eximed, rushing to support the old man, who was trembling slightly.


    Chad narrowed his inscrutable eyes and slowly rose to his feet, thest one to do so. His gaze, always holding a faint, ambiguous smile, was like a dark, bottomless cave; one could never guess what kind of vicious beast lurked within.


    "What am I doing here? If I didn''te, thispany would be thrown into chaos!" Hamilton shot Frederic a venomous re, wishing he could undo the man''s very existence. "Who gave you permission to convene a board meeting behind my back to rece Thaddeus? Without him, the Abernathy Group wouldn''t have its glory today, and none of you would be enjoying these incredible profits! How could you lead the charge to oust him? Are you his father? Have you no heart?!"


    Frederic was speechless, his cheeks trembling, his face flushed with anger and humiliation. He was the chairman of the board, a man of immense power, yet his father was berating him in front of everyone as if he were a child. The resentment was a bitter pill he couldn''t swallow.


    "Grandfather," Chad said, his handsome face calm as he walked over to Hamilton. "You''ve misunderstood Father. Thaddeus''s achievements are known to everyone in thispany. But right now, our stock is in a freefall. There''s a real risk of a hostile takeover. Morale is low, our public image has suffered, and negotiating the A5 Project with the mayor''s office will be an uphill battle. These are the facts before us."


    “Thaddeus... was framed!” Hamilton roared, his eyes welling with tears of anguish. His voice was unsteady, a sign of his failing strength.


    The room erupted in whispers.<fn2e16> Checktest chapters at find{n}ovel</fn2e16>


    Frederic''s eyes went wide. "Father! What do you mean he was framed? By whom?!"


    A sheen of sweat had formed on Hamilton''s brow. He squeezed his reddened eyes shut, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the room before finallynding on Chad''sposed face. Their eyes met, and for a moment, an invisible storm of sparks flew between them. But Hamilton had no proof and couldn''t air the family''s dirtyundry in a board meeting. All he could do was grit his teeth and say, his voice raw, "Thaddeus is a good, honorable man. I will never believe he would use drugs!"


    Chad''s expression remained cid. “Grandfather, I know Thaddeus''s arrest has been a great blow to you. But his hair follicle test dide back positive. The police have confirmed it."


    Hamilton, who had been kept in the dark, felt his blood pressure skyrocket at the news. The world went ck for a moment. "What... what did you say?! Positive?!"


    "And that''s not all." Chad pped his hands, and a secretary entered, respectfully handing him a file. "This is Thaddeus''s blood test report. The result are clear: his blood contains toxins from a new type of synthetic drug. The police also found the drug tself in his office. You can have someone confirm this with the police department, Grandfather."


    A wave of shock went through the room. With all the evidence in, it was only a matter of time before it became public. Thaddeus''s drug use was a done deal.


    Hamilton trembled, snatching the report and staring at it, his eyes wide with disbelief as he read it over and over. Mr. Murray, looking over his shoulder, was equally horrified.


    "Grandfather, know you love


    Thaddeus. But the Abernathy Group is more than just our family''s legacy, it provides for tens of thousands of employees across the country. Have you considered how many lives will be affected it thepany as thrown into turmoil?" Chad''s gaze was fixed on his grandfather, who was now struggling to stay on his feet. "The Abernathy Group doesn''t belong to Thaddeus alone. As the one at the top of the pyramid, you must put thepany first."