novelxo Chapter Gud Wife 318
Chapter 0318
Serenity was devastated. She had never felt such betrayal in her life, and what crushed her the most was that it came from her own home-from her mother. The realization tore her apart.
Valerie tried to approach her daughter again, but Serenity rejected her. Laura, calm and patient, stepped
in.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of her. She'll be fine, I won't leave her alone. You should go get your hand checked out
look, it's swollen and turning purple," Laura sald gently,
Lucius's cyes followed Valerie as she left, and a smirk crept across his face. He had to admit, his father had good taste. While he had always thought his own mother was beautiful, Valerie's elegance and strength outshone her completely. "If she were a few years younger, I'd definitely enjoy an interesting night with her,' he mused.
"Lucius! You must be pleased with yourself, aren't you? You came here just to cause chaos!" Maximus shouted angrily.
Valerie rushed out of the boardroom, her emotions a storm of guilt and humiliation. What made it worse was seeing Alexia, of all people, tending to Marcus's injuries. Marcus hadn't even allowed Valerie, his own wife, to help him.
All Valerie wanted was to escape that wretched place. Laura's words gave her a sliver of peace-at least Serenity was with her sister for now, even if she wasn't ready to talk Valerie left the building as quickly as she could, hailing a taxi like any ordinary person. She disappeared down the highway, leaving the chaos behind.
Back in the boardroom, Leonardo's voice cut through the tension.
"Maximus, this entire uproar is your doing. If Lucius hadn't had the foresight that I lack, you would've handed over 16.5% of the company to your daughter without question. Doesn't that strike you as selfish? Not just because she's your daughter, but because you're shouting and blaming Lucius for something you yourself caused."
"Father, I think the clauses need to be revised," Lucius interjected confidently. "Since there's no male heir from Uncle Peter, the shares should be distributed differently. And I'm not just anyone, as you well know." Lucius's words were calculated, but his arrogance betrayed him. He couldn't resist pushing the conversation further. He knew that Leonardo was about to suggest dividing the shares among the five children and their father, giving each of them 5.5%. But Lucius had his sights on more-if Leonardo acknowledged him as a direct heir, he'd claim Peter's full 11%.
"Shut your damn mouth!" Maximus bellowed, trying to silence his son.
"Listen, Maximus, you're no one to shut me up! Just because you've supported me doesn't mean you're my father. My father is Leonardo! Everything I am and everything I have is because of him!" Lucius retorted defiantly.
"Ha! You're a fool, aren't you? He's your grandfather. He no longer makes decisions for this company-l do. And if I decide to withdraw my support, that's exactly what will happen," Maximus said, seething with anger.
Leonardo felt a wave of heat rise through his body. At 73, he could still see that Maximus lacked the charisma and cunning of Lucius, yet he tried to intimidate him nonetheless.
"Maximus, I'm going to ask you to control your temper with Lucius. You two aren't so different," Leonardo said calmly.
"Father! You're the root of all of this!" Maximus snapped. "You've always made Lucius believe the world belongs to him, that he can step on anyone to get what he wants-just like today! I guarantee you he didn't even consider the weight or the consequences of the bombshell he just dropped."
Chapter 0319