Forced Marriage: My Wife, My Redemption by Lilyheart

Chapter 304: Stand-in President?

Hearing the question, Desmond glared at him, wishing he could shoot arrows from his eyes and send him

straight to join his parents in the world beyond.

Among all the worst-case scenarios he had imagined for today, meeting a walking Davis was not one of them. He

had expected the setup on the road to bring back good news—perhaps that Davis was in the hospital again, just

like before.

And if that plan failed, he had been prepared to convince the board to vote in his favor, presenting Davis's

incapacity as a major setback. But now, seeing him standing here in the flesh—alive, composed, and very much

in control—there was no way Desmond would let him win easily.

His lips curled into a mocking smirk.

"Dear nephew... don’t be in such a hurry to oustfrom the seat," he sneered, a challenging glint flashing in his

eyes.

Davis raised a brow at him, silently granting his uncle the permission to speak.

He wasn’t in a rush. Let him speak. He was curious to see how far Desmond would stretch his narrative.

He was ready to see where this would end. Desmond returned his gaze, the tension between them thick

as smoke.

The board members exchanged glances amongst themselves. The atmosphere was charged and the tension

palpable. No one interrupted. They all knew what this was. This was no ordinary boardroom discussion—it was a

standoff. A battle of titans.

Desmond straightened his back and spoke with the practiced authority of someone who had held the reins.

"Ever since your accident last year, I've single-handedly handled the affairs of this group," Desmond began,

pacing slightly, his voice calm but charged with authority.

"Several major projects were left hanging and incomplete after your... unfortunate incident and | was forced to

step in. With the Old man hospitalized, it fell onto complete the deals." | negotiated, signed, and delivered

on those deals. Right here. From this very chair."

He paused, he let the words hang in the air, the weight of his words settling in heavy with implications.

He didn’t need to say more. The insinuation was clear:

You abandoned the company. | saved it.

| carried this company when you couldn’t.

Davis gave a slow nod.

"Uncle," he said, voice calm, cool, deliberate and sharp, "having been in the business world for so long, I trust

you understand the meaning of the word ’stand-in’—in both professional tone and corporate terminology."

The word hit like a slap.

Desmond stiffened. His heart clenched involuntarily. The calm mask slipped ever so slightly. The word struck

deeper than he expected.

His eyes blazed with fury, and his fists clenched at his sides. That word. That term. He had spent years resenting

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It had followed him like a shadow—always temporary, always second-best. The very injustice and humiliation he

had long suppressed now echoed again in front of the board.

"Davis Allen, don’t be presumptuous," he growled without flinching,

"Uncle," Davis continued coolly, "after my father died, you stood in for him for a few months until my

grandfather took over."

"So?" Desmond challenged, voice rising.

"Well, the sapplies here," Davis continued icily. "You've worked in my stead to ensure the company remains

stable. | acknowledge that. But now that I've returned—healthy, able, and willing—it’s only right that I reclaim

my position."

Their eyes locked. A silent war waged between them.

Just then, the doors to the conference room burst open.

Reporters swarmed in like a wave—camera flashes going off, microphones of every size shoved toward their lips,

the media frenzy erupting without restraint.

Davis instinctively stepped back. His two shadow guards moved in front of him, forming a human barrier. Their

expressions were cold, menacing, daring anyone to ccloser and risk their lives.

Desmond froze. He stood at a loss, his gaze sweeping across the room, taking in the wave of renowned

reporters.

Faces he recognized from major networks, journalists known for hard-hitting truth, swith badges gleaming

with awards and recognition globally and across Country Y.

His stomach churned.These were not amateur reporters. This was top-tier media.

He turned toward the door, eyes searching desperately for his assistant. But he was nowhere in sight.

Desmond had personally instructed him to bring in the press the moment Davis arrived. But this wasn’t the

glorious moment he had planned to capture.

Snapping out of his daze, he tried to control the situation. "We're in the middle of a private meeting! This isn’t

the time—please cback later!"

He raised his voice, motioning them away, but it was futile. The reporters ignored him, microphones still shoved

into his face.

"Mr. Desmond, have you only been a stand-in for the former president?"

"Mr. Allen," one asked Davis, "if your role was temporary, why attempt to permanently take over?"

"Mr. Allen, hasn't the company been progressing under Davis's leadership?"

"Mr. Desmond, there are reports that Davis personally appointed you as vice president—was this a plot to usurp

him?"

Desmond was flustered. He could

hardly speak, his throat dry apd mind

spinning, Tig wholesodrie he had

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chrdfully planned out. And it wasn't

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for himself. It was Davis's. The

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the latest chapter there!

How had it gone so wrong? he wondered in a haze. His gaze flicked again toward the entrance. Still no sign of his

assistant.

The hammer of betrayal hit him hard, and he cursed internally for not securing this moment tighter. Everything

was slipping from his grip.

After several minutes of chaos and media probing, Davis finally spoke, voice calm and composed.

I" : :

To our esteemed media friends and

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colleagues," he said, “I know you are

lovers of credible reporting and m

journalistic integrityHokever, this

medting Ts still in progress, and

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seeking news at this moment doesn't

reflect professional ethics. | kindly

implore you to leave the hall. A

scheduled twill be set shortly to

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brief you." The content is on

novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

His voice held power. Control. Authority.

The reporters nodded and, surprisingly, complied. One by one, they exited the room with poise.

A wave of relief swept over the seated board members, their tension easing ever so slightly. But even with their

exit, the damage was done.

Despite the control regained,

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Desmond's flustered, Sas fage

had alread bees babtlired roadcast

IiVe Bhd circulated across the

internet. The content is on

novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!