The Heiress's Comeback-Chapter 293: [ Volume 1] Chaper - Fat

After half an hour, a red sports car screeched to a halt outside the towering Valhale building. Esme kicked the door open, her heels hitting the pavement with an assertive click. She tugged her sleeve upward, baring her wrist, the edges of her watch catching the sunlight. One hand rested confidently on her waist as she took in the familiar sight. Her eyes gleamed with a mix of mischief and determination. The last time she had been here, she’d dealt with hooligans. Today, it was the shareholders’ turn.

With a purposeful stride, she pushed open the glass doors and stepped inside. The hum of activity instantly shifted; a wave of silence followed her entrance. Faces turned pale, some lit with fleeting joy, while others stiffened with fear. In Esme’s absence, the office had slipped into a lax rhythm. Where she had once been a strict, commanding force, Diana had been a lax, indifferent substitute, more like a corrupted schoolteacher who looked the other way. The employees now braced themselves, the aura of discipline returning like a thundercloud over their heads.

The security guard at the front desk jumped to attention, nearly knocking over her chair. Esme’s gaze landed on her, and she offered a smile that carried a quiet warning. "So, auntie, how have you been?" she asked, her voice deceptively warm as she adjusted her hat with a flick of her wrist.

The guard stammered, "F-Fine, ma’am."

Esme’s smile widened. "No, not ma’am. Not anymore." With that cryptic remark, she strolled past, leaving the guard staring after her with wide, wary eyes. This woman’s going to make my life hell again, the guard thought, groaning inwardly. In Esme’s absence, she had grown accustomed to frequent breaks. But now, with Esme back, she could practically feel the overtime hours looming.

Esme continued her march through the building, her gaze sweeping over the employees who froze like deer in headlights. Some managed faint smiles; most could barely meet her eyes. Her beauty only sharpened the edge of her presence. "Good morning," she said sweetly, her tone as sharp as a blade. Today, you’re all in for it, her smile seemed to say.

The moment she passed, whispers broke out among the employees.

"Doesn’t she seem... different?" one murmured.

Another glanced nervously at Esme’s retreating figure. "Yeah. But whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing, I don’t know."

Slam!

Esme pushed open the door to the boardroom, the sound echoing through the space like a gavel strike. Every pair of eyes snapped to her. The board members were seated in their usual places, alongside Diana and Madam Valhale herself. Not to mention the heads of the Florence family and Noah’s mother, who sat poised like statues.

Esme stepped inside, her heels clicking against the polished floor as she surveyed the room. Her smile returned, deceptively soft. "So," she began, her voice slicing through the tension. "How are you all?"

She moved to the table, placing both hands on its surface as she leaned forward. The directors exchanged uneasy glances, the sight of her smile unsettling them more than her scowl ever had. One of them managed to stammer, "W-We’re fine."

Esme’s smile sharpened. "Not anymore," she said, her voice laced with promise. The directors stiffened, understanding the full weight of those words.

At that moment, Aron entered the room, his arrival marked by an easy confidence. "Hello, everyone," he greeted, his tone light and playful. The directors’ faces fell further.

If Esme was a tiger, Aron was the cunning fox at her side. Together, they were an unstoppable force, like the tiger and jackal from old stories. Aron had always been the quiet enabler, the one who lent Esme just enough rope to pull her enemies down.

"Oh my," Aron remarked, feigning surprise. "Why does it look like no one’s happy to see me?"

Before anyone could respond, Diana’s voice cut through the tension. "Esme, what kind of behavior is this? This is not how—"

Esme turned sharply, her smile vanishing as her gaze locked onto Diana. Her tone was strong, commanding. "My dear sister," she said, her words slow and deliberate. "Just because I took a little walk, don’t think for a second that you’ve forgotten who the leader is."

Diana stood there, dumbfounded. Her face flushed a subtle shade of red, a mix of anger and humiliation crossing her features. She clenched her fist tightly, nails digging into her palm. She knew Esme wouldn’t let her off easily—she had always known that. But who could have predicted that Esme would challenge her so boldly, in front of so many people? Her mind raced, trying to come up with a response, but she remained silent.

Esme’s smile lingered, cold and calculating. "Now, let’s move on, shall we?" she said, her voice smooth but edged with a quiet power. "So, what are you all waiting for? Start speaking."

She was right. The shareholders never convened without an agenda. Esme knew they weren’t here to work out some new company initiative. No, this was about getting rid of her.

One of the directors cleared his throat, his gaze darting nervously to the others before speaking. "As we all know, what happened last time was wrong. And what we did was wrong, too. But, you see..." He trailed off and looked at the others for support, his voice faltering before he continued, "What we did was for your own good."

Esme fixed her gaze on him, her eyes narrowing slightly. Her smile didn’t falter, but the air around her grew heavier, more dangerous. "For my own good?" she repeated, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Can you explain?"

The director shifted uncomfortably. Another director, more confident in her stance, stood up to take the floor.

"You were charged with impersonation and murder. It was only fair that you were removed from your position, Esme."

Esme tilted her head, the smile never leaving her lips.

"Oh, is that so?" she asked, her voice light, yet there was something dangerous simmering beneath the surface.