Chapter Twenty

At RX Hotels, the board meeting room was thick with tension. The room was filled with shareholders and board members, all of them seething with frustration and anger. The discussion had been ongoing for some time, but the mood remained volatile as everyone voiced their opinions about Michael's actions.

"When is Caleb getting here?" one shareholder muttered, tapping his fingers impatiently on the table.

"I can't believe he can't even keep his house under control," another said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Let's not jump to conclusions just yet," someone else interjected, trying to calm the storm brewing in the room.

"Do you have a reasonable explanation for all of this?" another shareholder demanded, his voice sharp.

"No, but…" someone else started, but was quickly cut off.

"Just mind your own business," the first shareholder snapped, waving him off.

At that moment, the door to the room swung open, and Caleb walked in, flanked by his allies: Alex, Shaun, Ethan, Ella, and Brooke. The room fell silent as they took their seats.

"Good day, everyone," Caleb said, his voice measured but firm.

"Are you mocking us, Caleb?" one of the shareholders spat. "What's good about today when your son has stolen hundreds of millions?"

"That hasn't been proven yet," Caleb responded, his tone calm but unwavering.

"He gave approval for the transaction," another shareholder countered, leaning forward.

"That doesn't mean he took the money," Caleb shot back.

"Stop covering for him," another shareholder sneered.

"Yeah, you always take the fall for your children's mistakes," someone else added.

"Excuse me?" Caleb's voice hardened.

"Gentlemen, we aren't here to fight," Alex interjected, his presence commanding. "Let's keep this civil."

"Stay out of this, Alex," a shareholder snapped, not appreciating Alex's interruption.

"Just because I'm not as powerful as I once was doesn't mean I can't have any of you thrown out of here," Alex said, his tone suddenly cold. The room went deathly quiet, the weight of his words settling over everyone. "Now, if you don't mind, they're all yours," he added, gesturing toward Caleb.

Caleb nodded, taking control of the room again. "Michael might have run away, but I assure you, he had nothing to do with the missing money."

"And why should we believe you?" a shareholder demanded.

"I don't need you to believe me," Caleb replied, his voice steady. "I only need you to give me time to prove my son's innocence."

"How much time do you need?" another shareholder asked skeptically.

"Give me till the end of this week," Caleb said firmly.

"Are you sure?" the shareholder pressed.

"That's more than enough time," Caleb assured them.

The room fell silent, the tension thick in the air. Finally, one of the shareholders spoke up.

"Okay, then," he said reluctantly. "But starting tomorrow, Mae will be the new CEO of RX Hotels."

"Mae? I thought she quit," someone muttered, incredulity in their voice.

"She was working on a personal project, so she took some time off," Caleb explained smoothly.

"Four months isn't just 'some time off,'" one of the shareholders pointed out.

"She's going to do great," Caleb said, his voice confident.

"Yeah, let's give the young lady another chance," Alex chimed in, nodding approvingly.

"Fine, we'll give Mae another chance. But she'll have to prove herself," a shareholder conceded.

"She won't disappoint any of us," Caleb replied firmly.

"For your sake, that better be true," another shareholder warned.

After the meeting, Caleb turned to Ethan, his expression hardening.

"Ethan, I want you to tell Mae to resume work tomorrow."

Ethan hesitated, a knot forming in his stomach. "What if she doesn't want to come back?"

Caleb's gaze was icy. "Then find a way to convince her. Just like you convinced her to kick her family out of her life," he said with a cold smile.

Ethan swallowed, his jaw tightening. "But—"

"Tell Mae it's not a request, Ethan. It's an order from her father. I want her to fix this mess and find out who's really behind this," Caleb continued, his voice steely.

"I'll tell her, sir," Ethan said, his voice resigned.

Caleb gave a curt nod. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yes, sir," Ethan replied, watching Caleb walk away. He let out a frustrated sigh. "What am I going to do now? Mae's going to ruin my plans if she comes back here."

Meanwhile, Brooke, pacing nervously in her office, grabbed her phone and called Bella. The idea of Mae returning to the office was a nightmare. What if Mae found out the truth? The consequences would be catastrophic.

"Hey, Bella," Brooke said quickly, her voice tight with panic. "We're in serious trouble."

"What's going on now?" Bella asked, her voice calm despite the urgency.

"Mae's coming back to work at the office," Brooke blurted out. "She's going to find out that I'm behind the money that went missing."

"Can't you just pin it on someone else?" Bella asked, trying to think of a solution.

"I already blamed it on Michael, and that was a huge mistake. Mae isn't going to stop until she uncovers the truth. She's relentless," Brooke said, her voice cracking with anxiety.

"Shaun told me they only have till the end of the week to prove Michael's innocence. You need to make sure you don't blow your cover before then," Bella advised. "If they can't clear Michael, the shareholders won't allow Mae to come back."

"That's a smart idea, Bella. Thanks," Brooke said, relieved for the advice.

"If you run into any more problems, call me immediately," Bella added.

"I will. Thanks again, Bella," Brooke replied.

"Good luck, Brooke. Bye," Bella said before hanging up.

Brooke let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She was lucky to have Bella on her side. The only thing she had to do now was make sure Michael stayed guilty in everyone's eyes. If she could pull that off, Mae would be out of the picture for good, and Brooke would be back in Bella's good graces. No mercy this time.

The next morning, 7:00 AM.

Mae was fast asleep in her room when the knocking began. It started off light, but as it continued, it grew louder and more insistent. Mae groggily opened her eyes, wondering who would be knocking at her door at this early hour.

"Come in," she called, irritated.

The door swung open, and Ethan entered, his expression serious.

"So, you finally decided to learn how to knock?" Mae teased, though she had no intention of letting him off easy.

"Can we not do this so early?" Ethan replied, his tone clipped.

"What are you doing here?" Mae asked, sitting up and staring at him, her brow furrowed.

"Why aren't you dressed yet?" Ethan asked, his voice impatient.

"Dressed for what?" Mae shot back, her eyes narrowing.

"Didn't you get my text yesterday?"

"Why would I want to read a text from you?" Mae asked, sarcastic.

"Well, your father wants you back at the hotel after what Michael did," Ethan explained.

"I told you yesterday that none of this is my business," Mae retorted, rolling her eyes.

"Your father said I should tell you it's an order, not a choice," Ethan said, his voice taking on a more commanding tone.

"I can't believe my own father would threaten me just to get me back," Mae muttered, disbelief in her voice.

"You're going to be late if we don't leave now," Ethan urged, glancing at the clock.

"Ethan, I'm four months pregnant. I'm not supposed to be stressing myself out, so please, just leave. You're good at that," Mae said, trying to push him away.

"Mae, this is serious," Ethan insisted.

"Fine, I'll go and see what my father wants," she said reluctantly.

"Sure," Ethan replied, relief in his voice.

An hour later, at the lobby of RX Hotels, Mae and Ethan stood in front of the elevator. Mae's arms were crossed as she stared at the elevator doors.

"Mae, if your father asks you to be the new CEO, what will you say?" Ethan asked, his tone cautious.

"I'll say he's crazy," Mae replied. "He knows I deserve better than that."

"Are you going to accept it?" Ethan pressed.

"Why the sudden interest in my personal life?" Mae raised an eyebrow, her gaze cool.

"I just want to know," Ethan said quietly.

"I'll accept," Mae said after a moment, surprising Ethan with her sudden decision.

"Why?" Ethan asked, genuinely curious.

"They're my family, Ethan. They need my help. I can't turn my back on them. I don't expect you to understand that," Mae explained.

"I don't want you to come back here," Ethan said, his voice strained.

"Just because we're married doesn't mean you have any control over me," Mae snapped, her eyes flashing.

"Mae, you cannot work in your condition," Ethan said, his concern evident.

"I was in this condition when you had my bodyguard torture me for a month. I don't need your concern, Ethan," Mae shot back.

"I'm serious, Mae. I want you to decline your father's offer," Ethan demanded.

"I'm not abandoning my father," Mae replied firmly.

"If you do this, someone in your family will pay for it," Ethan threatened, his voice low.

Mae met his gaze steadily. "I only have three words for you," she said with quiet defiance. "I dare you."

The elevator doors opened, and Mae stepped in, pressing the button for the eighth floor.

"Mae, don't do this," Ethan called after her, frustration in his voice.

As the doors closed, Mae glanced back at him, her expression unreadable. Ethan stood there, fists clenched, muttering under his breath. "Why is she so difficult to deal with?" he grumbled, punching the wall in frustration.