Chapter 115
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Cecil stood and adjusted her blazer, addressing the room calmly “As I was saying, this conduct is something the Asian market wouldn’t tolerate. Monica may be a mistress, but she’s also a mother. You did not just harm her–you ended her child’s life. I strongly suggest that Miss Rossi not only relinquish control of the Macau project but also be placed on suspension while we conduct a full investigation.”
Murmurs broke out around the table. Mr. Lund immediately raised his hand, silencing the room. He turned his sharp gaze on Cecil. “Mrs. Weiss, those are serious allegations. Do you have any evidence to substantiate them?”
“We have Monica’s account of the incident,” Cecil said, straightening, clearly prepared. “As well as the fact that all cameras near the scene malfunctioned at the time. That is highly suspicious, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Suspicious, yes,” Jørgen agreed. “But circumstantial at best. We need more than speculation to justify suspending a key executive.”
“Mrs. Weiss, with all due respect… I believe you are dragging the entire company down just because you are a bit emotional,” Izzy interjected. Her calm demeanor only made Madam Weiss more irritated. Cecil didn’t know where Izzy got her confidence from, but she was sure as hell Izzy wouldn’t be walking with that same confidence out of this room. “I understand that losing a grandchild can make one emotional, but Madam Weiss, this is a multimillion–dollar project. How about we use logic instead of letting our anger rule our minds?”
Before Cecil could respond, Mr. Nielsen nodded in agreement. “Macau’s investors would want solid evidence if we’re to take drastic action like removing Miss Rossi from the project. Without it, this looks like internal politics.”
“Thank you, Mr. Nielsen,” Izzy said. “As you’ve pointed out, this is purely a personal matter, with no credible evidence to support the accusations. Monica’s story is just that–a story. And let’s not forget, my professional record is spotless. I have never cheated investors, mishandled a project, or acted with questionable behavior. My performance speaks for itself.”
Several board members exchanged glances, murmuring their agreement. One of them, a younger member named Eric Dalton, leaned forward. “Miss Rossi raises a good point. This is hearsay. Without concrete evidence, it sets a dangerous precedent if we act on rumors alone.”
Cecil’s face tightened. “Are you implying Monica is lying? The woman just lost her child. Why would she lie about something like this?”
Izzy met her gaze head–on. “I’m implying that personal grievances have no place in a boardroom discussion. If you want to pursue this further, Mrs. Weiss, I suggest you take it through proper legal channels. Until then, I ask the board to focus on business.”
Just as she expected, Cecil’s face turned even uglier. “This meeting was called to address this issue, Miss Rossi. Just like most people here, I, too, own shares in the company. I believe I have the right to be heard.”
“No one is telling you to close your mouth, Madam Weiss. I am simply telling you to focus on the facts,” Izzy answered.
“Miss Rossi is correct,” Renard Weiss leaned back in his chair. He had been observing this exchange since the meeting started and realized that his own wife seemed deranged, illogical and emotional–something he never expected. He looked at his wife. “Obviously, I thought you had something concrete, Unless there is irrefutable evidence, we cannot afford to stall the Macau project over unverified accusations. The market has eyes on us, and any delays could jeopardize investor confidence.”
Jørgen nodded, “Agreed. If there is no hard evidence, I see no reason to suspend Miss Rossi at this time. Let’s move forward and hear her report on the project status and the next steps for Macau.”
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Cecil opened her mouth to object, but quickly shut it when she noticed the growing support for Izzy around the table. Izzy allowed herself a small, triumphant smile as she pulled out her tablet and began preparing her presentation.
“The Macau project,” she began, projecting data onto the screen is progressing on schedule, with our next milestone set for completion within three months…”
Isn’t it entertaining how the thoughts of businessmen change in front of profits? Her strategy today was quite simple–show them the numbers.
Obviously, she knew that Cecil and Calen were far from done. In fact, she was waiting for them to give her a good show today. While waiting, Izzy continued discussing the updates from the project.
Izzy was in the middle of presenting a financial breakdown when low murmurs suddenly erupted across the boardroom. Frowning, she paused and glanced around. Several board members were glancing at their phones or whispering to each other.
“What’s going on?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Before anyone could respond, Anna quickly approached her from the doorway. She leaned in, handing her phone to Izzy. “You need to see this,” Anna said.
Izzy took the phone and glanced at the screen. Her eyes narrowed as she read the headline:
“Heiress Murders Unborn Child in Jealous Rage, Says Source.”
The article was crafted like a blind item, carefully avoiding names but filled with enough details to make the connection obvious. It spoke of a high–profile executive embroiled in scandal after allegedly orchestrating an accident to harm a mistress and her unborn child. Words like jealousy, revenge, and corporate power struggle peppered the text.
Izzy’s jaw tightened. The timing was no coincidence. But… Izzy smiled inwardly.
Is this the best they can do?
Mr. Lund cleared his throat, catching the attention of the room. Miss Rossi, I assume you’ve seen the article making the rounds?”
Izzy nodded, giving Anna’s phone back. “Yes. I can assure you all this is nothing more than sensationalist gossip. Whoever fed this story to the press clearly has a personal agenda.”
Cecil smirked, crossing her arms. “Gossip? It seems rather detailed for mere gossip, doesn’t it?”
“Detailed,” Izzy repeated. “Because someone has been working tirelessly to spin these lies. But I’m sure the board is well aware that credible news outlets don’t publish without verified sources. This is a smear campaign.”
Eric Dalton leaned forward. “Miss Rossi, do you plan to address this publicly? Something like this can escalate quickly if not handled properly.”
“Of course,” Izzy said smoothly. “However, my lawyer advised me to present my evidence only if a formal case is filed. I wouldn’t want to risk making it inadmissible in court, would I?”
She turned her gaze toward Cecil. “So, I’m curious–when exactly does Madam Weiss plan to file her case?”
“You-
“I believe the board is smart enough to know that this campaign might be something our competitors are doing to ruin our
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name. They know I’m leading this project, so they deliberately targeted me to delay it and cause more problems in Macau.” Izzy smiled. “I mean… I am no PR Director, but I can tell you now that reacting to the news that doesn’t actually give out any information about me or the company is the worst thing that I could do.”
“What are you planning to do about this, then?” Mr. Lund asked This news cannot be ignored. We could file a defarnation case or, if necessary, track down the source and-”
“Ignore it,” Izzy interrupted calmly. She then shifted her gaze to Cecil, a faint, daring smile on her lips. “Unless, of course, Mrs. Weiss decides to go ahead and file a case against me. In that scenario, I won’t hold back.”
The challenge was clear. Cecil’s eyes narrowed in response.
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