Part 71:

Lucy dried off the tear that almost escaped from her eyes and then walked away.

The meeting, led by Mr. Smith, began with the announcement of the share distribution.

Canary held 30 shares, while Joel held 33 shares. The room fell silent as the voting process commenced, with each board member and administrator openly declaring their choice for the next President of Andersons Group.

Mr. Smith and a few others voiced their support for Canary, while Mr. Williams and Mrs. Daniel's sided with Joel.

The votes were cast, and the tally stood at 25 for Canary and 25 for Joel, with Lucy being the sole remaining voter.

The room was thick with tension as all eyes turned to Lucy, whose single vote would determine the winner. The weight of the decision hung heavy in the air, and Lucy's expression betrayed her inner turmoil.

As she pondered, Joel's words echoed in her mind: "Vote carefully today, Lucy. The outcome will determine whether I reconsider forgiving you for what you did to me, to Belinder, and to our unborn child."

Canary looked at his mother 100% sure that she was going to vote for him but deep inside Lucy had many thoughts.

She didn't want to betray Canary but she realized she had been choosing him over Joel from the beginning.

With a deep breath, Lucy made her decision. "I vote for Joel," she announced, her voice barely above a whisper.

The room erupted into a mixture of reactions, with some members nodding in approval and others looking on in dismay.

Joel's expression remained stoic, while Canary's face fell, his eyes fixed on Lucy with a mix of shock and disappointment.

Canary's eyes widened in shock and disappointment as he stared at his mother, Lucy. He couldn't believe that she had chosen to vote for Joel, her own brother, over him, her own son. The pain and betrayal he felt were palpable, and he struggled to comprehend why his mother would make such a choice.

"How could you, Mother?" Canary asked himself woth lack of credence.

Lucy's expression was etched with guilt and regret, but she remained silent, unable to meet her son's accusatory gaze.

The tension in the room was oppressive, and the other board members looked on uncomfortably, unsure of how to intervene.

Canary's calm demeanor shattered the moment Mr. Smith declared Joel the official President of Andersons Group.

His face darkened, and his eyes blazed with anger and hurt. Without a word, he stormed out of the conference room, leaving the stunned board members and Lucy in his wake.

Lucy, overcome with guilt and concern, quickly followed Canary to the parking lot. She called out to him, but he ignored her, his long strides eating up the distance.

"Canary, please wait!" Lucy cried, her voice trembling. "I need to talk to you!"

Canary spun around, his eyes flashing with anger. "What is there to talk about, Mother?" he spat, his voice venomous. "You made your choice clear. You chose him over me."

Lucy's face crumpled, and she took a step forward, her hands outstretched. "Canary, please understand—"

But Canary cut her off, his voice cold and detached. "No, Mother. I don't want to hear it. You've made it clear where your loyalties lie. I don't need you anymore."

With that, he turned and strode away, leaving Lucy standing alone in the parking lot, tears streaming down her face.

" Dear..I'm sorry.." Lucy cried as she watched him drive off in anger.

Wilson, who had discreetly followed Lucy to the parking lot, found her standing alone, overcome with emotion. He approached her quietly, concern etched on his face.

" Why did you do that ? " Wilson asked, his voice soft and gentle.

Lucy's body shook with sobs as she struggled to speak. "…I…I did it for Joel," she stammered, her words barely audible through her tears. "I wanted to do something for him, just once. He's always been so hurt, so angry... I thought that if I voted for him, it would bring him some peace."

Wilson's expression was one of compassion and understanding.

He opened his arms, and Lucy collapsed into them, her tears soaking into his shoulder.

"It's okay, " Wilson whispered, holding her close.

"Canary will understand. He loves you, and he'll see that you did what you thought was best."

As Wilson spoke, he gently stroked Lucy's hair, offering what comfort he could. Lucy's sobs slowly subsided, replaced by sniffles and quiet tears.

Wilson held her for a long moment, letting her cry, letting her process her emotions.