Chapter 4 Four

Jacob sat on the edge of his bed, his head buried in his hands, as the pale morning light filtered through the curtains. He hadn’t closed his eyes all night, haunted by the doctor’s damning words: “You’re infertile, Mr. Winfrey. There’s absolutely no chance you can father a child.”

The statement echoed relentlessly in his mind, each repetition another jab to his pride. His life was unraveling faster than he could grasp. Sheila, his once-loyal wife had been his greatest ally, but he’d reduced her to a mere instrument in his ambition. Now, the realization of his betrayal and her loyalty pressed down on him like a vice.

Elena had been the greatest deceit of all. He’d loved her unconditionally, blind to the fact that he was raising a child who wasn’t even his.

A bitter laugh escaped his lips, sharp and hollow. “Sheila may leave,” he muttered to the empty room, “but her properties are mine.”

That was the card he still held, the one tether keeping him from spiraling completely. Sheila’s wealth would ensure her compliance. She had stayed this long, hadn’t she? She wouldn’t walk away so easily.

Or would she?

The thought of losing everything. His status, the company, the facade of control sent a fresh wave of panic crashing over him. What would he do if she knew the truth?

His phone buzzed sharply, breaking his spiraling thoughts. Groaning, he grabbed it off the nightstand and squinted at the screen. Andrew’s name flashed insistently.

“What is it?” he barked, his voice raw from exhaustion.

“Mr. Winfrey, you need to be at the office immediately,” Andrew said, his tone clipped. “The board is meeting this morning. Your presence is required.”

Jacob pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to push back the pounding headache threatening to split his skull. “Cancel the meeting. I’m not in the mood.”

“Sir, you can’t,” Andrew replied firmly. “The board is aligning against you. If you don’t show up, things will escalate.”

Jacob swore under his breath. Trouble was piling up faster than he could deal with, but Andrew’s urgency left him no choice. “Fine. I’ll be there,” he growled, ending the call.

---

It took far longer than expected to leave the house. None of the cars would start, as if the universe itself was mocking him. Frustrated and seething, he resorted to ordering a ride. By the time he arrived at the office, he looked disheveled—worlds away from his usual polished image.

The moment he stepped through the doors, an unsettling tension gripped the air. Employees who once fawned over him barely glanced his way. Whispers followed him down the hallway like an ominous chorus. He was too annoyed to notice, though the shift gnawed at his nerves.

As he entered the boardroom, the murmur of voices ceased abruptly. His gaze swept across the table, narrowing when he saw a familiar figure seated confidently at the head.

“Sheila?” he demanded, his voice a mix of confusion and disbelief. “What are you doing here?”

Sheila leaned back in her chair, her lips curling into a cold, practiced smile. “What kind of question is that, Jacob? What would I be doing in my company?”

Her words landed like a slap. The icy confidence in her tone, the way she didn’t bother standing to greet him—it was a side of Sheila he had never seen before.

Before he could respond, a board member cleared their throat. “Mr. Winfrey, please take your seat. We have much to discuss.”

Reluctantly, Jacob sat, his eyes darting between the board members and Sheila. Something was deeply wrong.

Sheila rose to her feet, commanding the room in a way Jacob had never witnessed. “Let’s get straight to the point,” she began, her tone sharp as glass. “We’re here to address the issues plaguing this company, most of which stem from Mr. Winfrey’s gross incompetence.”

“What are you talking about?” Jacob snapped, his voice rising defensively.

Ignoring him, Sheila gestured to Andrew, who distributed thick files to the board. “These documents contain evidence of embezzlement, money laundering, and blatant mismanagement under Jacob’s leadership,” Sheila continued coolly. “The board has reviewed them thoroughly.”

Jacob’s hands trembled as he flipped through the damning evidence. His voice cracked with desperation. “This is a setup!”

The room remained silent. Then Sheila’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. “The board has decided to terminate your position as CEO, effective immediately.”

Jacob shot to his feet, his chair screeching against the floor. “You can’t fire me! This company is mine!”

Sheila’s eyes glittered with amusement. “Yours? That’s an interesting claim, Jacob. Care to elaborate?”

Hands shaking, he yanked a file from his briefcase and slammed it onto the table. “This is the will Sheila signed before our wedding. It transfers all her properties, including this company, to me.”

The board members exchanged skeptical glances as the document was passed around. Expressions of disbelief grew sharper with each set of eyes that scanned the file.

Finally, one member spoke, his tone dripping with disdain. “Mr. Winfrey, this is a poorly fabricated document. Did you truly think this would hold up in any legal setting?”

Jacob’s confidence shattered. “It’s not fake!” he insisted, his voice cracking.

Sheila chuckled, a cold sound devoid of warmth. “Oh, Jacob. Did you really think I’d trust someone like you with everything I’ve built?” Her voice turned razor-sharp. “Five years ago, I had a lawyer draft a fake will to test your intentions. Seems I was right to do so.”

The words hit like a sledgehammer. Jacob’s world tilted as reality came crashing down.

“Why are you doing this?” he hissed, his voice shaking with humiliation and rage. “Why are you humiliating me like this?”

Sheila stepped closer, her expression unreadable. “You humiliated yourself the moment you pulled that file out,” she said softly. “I could have you arrested for forgery, you know.”

Before he could respond, the boardroom doors swung open, and two security guards entered. “Escort Mr. Winfrey off the premises,” Sheila ordered coolly.

Jacob turned to the board, desperation in his eyes. “You can’t do this! I’m the rightful owner of this company!”

But no one spoke for him.

As the guards seized him, dragging him toward the door, Sheila’s smirk widened. “Funny how you never saw this coming. You really are as foolish as you look. We’ll settle this at home, dear.”

Jacob’s protests faded as the doors shut behind him.

Unbeknownst to Sheila, a pair of eyes lingered on her, impressed.