The Heiress's Comeback-Chapter 350: [ Volume 1] Chaper - Protected.

But the truth of the situation still stung, and Jay was determined to prove himself.

Esme looked at him fondly, her expression softening just a touch despite her laughter. She could see the fire in his eyes, the same determination that made him who he was. She knew he hated being treated like a child, especially in front of her. But there was a reason they did it.

In their eyes, Jay was still so pure, so untainted by the world’s harsher realities. While the rest of them had been molded by the struggles and darkness of their world, Jay had remained untouched by the dirty politics, the greed, and the ruthless tactics that ran through their family. It was a part of him they desperately wanted to protect.

They all knew that the world could be unforgiving, especially to someone as innocent as Jay. The stronger ones, like Kai, Esme, and the others, could withstand the weight of corruption and manipulation, but Jay... they couldn’t bear to see him fall into the same traps.

No matter what, they would keep his purity intact. He would be shielded from the darkness that had tainted the rest of them. They’d protect him, even if it meant teasing him like a child. Because, in their eyes, Jay was more precious than anything they could ever gain. And they would guard that purity with their lives.

As Esme wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes, she caught Jay’s gaze once more, her smile softening. She knew he’d eventually understand why they did it, but for now, she would continue to let him be the innocent, untainted genius he was. He didn’t need to shoulder the burdens they carried, not yet.

And as she looked at him, she whispered softly under her breath, almost as if speaking to herself, "You’ll never be corrupted, Jay. Not on my watch."

Ryan had been sitting in silence, his movements precise as he cut into his steak, the quiet clink of silverware against porcelain the only sound he made. But as he set his cutlery down deliberately, the air around him seemed to shift. His gaze, sharp as the knife he’d been holding moments before, locked onto Esme.

"Esme," he said, his tone calm yet unsettling in its lack of warmth.

She didn’t look up right away, instead taking her time to swirl her wine in her glass, savoring the moment before raising her eyes to meet his. Her lips curved into a sweet smile. "Yes, honey?"

Ryan’s expression didn’t change, but his jaw tightened slightly. "Don’t call me that," he said flatly.

Esme’s smile widened, the playfulness in her eyes turning mischievous. She set her glass down with deliberate grace, then raised a hand, feigning innocence. "Oh, forgive me," she said, her voice dripping with mock respect. "Mr. Physician, Mr. Doctor, Mr. Director—your grace, your eminence. What is it you wish to say?"

The tension in the room thickened as Ryan leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. His tone remained even, but there was steel beneath it. "Why did you set up Officer Katrina?"

Esme froze for the briefest moment, her fork pausing midair. Ryan noticed, and so did everyone else at the table.

"She’s not a bad officer," he continued, his voice cutting through the silence. "So why go to such lengths to ruin her?"

Esme didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, her fork now tracing idle patterns in the sauce on her plate. The others exchanged uneasy glances, their curiosity mingling with discomfort. They all remembered her ominous words from earlier: "This Katrina is going to lose not just her job, but something far worse."

"Esme?" Ryan pressed, his voice firm.

Finally, she looked up, her lips curling into a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Slowly, she leaned back in her chair, tapping her fork lightly against her plate.

"Well," she began, her tone breezy, as though they were discussing the weather. She glanced at her wristwatch with calculated nonchalance. "In five days, you’ll understand, everything."

The cryptic remark hung in the air like a loaded gun.

Ryan’s eyes narrowed. "What’s happening in five days?"

Esme didn’t respond immediately. She picked up her fork again, stabbing it into her steak with deliberate force. "Patience," she said lightly, taking a slow bite. "You’ll see soon enough."

Her calmness was unnerving, and the others shifted uneasily in their seats. Ryan’s gaze didn’t waver, though his jaw clenched as if bracing for impact.

The room fell into a tense silence, the ticking of the clock on the wall suddenly deafening. Whatever Esme had planned, it was already in motion. And as the seconds ticked by, an ominous feeling settled over the table.

---

Once the old man and his so-called subordinate were gone, it was time for Esme to begin her long-awaited purge of the Aron Group—from the inside out. She didn’t care about playing it safe or being cautious. Esme wasn’t the kind of woman who bowed to the whims of five shareholders or allowed anyone to dictate her decisions. She wasn’t her mother-in-law, nor her mother, to repeat their mistakes.

For Esme, control was everything. Total, undeniable control.

The idea of trusting shareholders was laughable to her. If they got angry with her now or even after she grew old, what of it? When her child eventually took over, no one would dare challenge their authority. Yes, she’d changed her mind over the years. Once, when she was young and carefree, before marriage had tethered her to a world of corporate politics, she questioned the need for children to inherit businesses like kings and queens claiming a throne. But now? Now, it was different.

Esme had built her empire brick by brick, with sweat and precision. If anyone was going to enjoy the fruits of that labor, it would be her child. Her child would not grow up fearful, like her husbands had, perpetually looking over their shoulder, afraid of betrayal. Anyone attempting to take what belonged to her family would think a hundred times before trying.