Chapter 140
Chapter 140
38%
Renard Weiss stood in his private study, flipping through a thick financial report. The numbers were ugly–stocks had taken a sharp dive, and investors were still in a panic. The Weiss Foundation scandal had bled into Weiss Inc., shaking confidence
up most of his time.
in the company’s leadership. Damage control was
He barely looked up when the door slammed open.
Cecil stormed in, her heels clicking sharply against the polished marble floor. Her face was pale from the stress of the past few days, but her eyes burned with anger.
“Where have you been?” she demanded.
Renard turned a page in the report. “Working.”
Cecil’s hands curled into fists. “Working?” She let out a bitter laugh. “I was in the hospital for days! I collapsed! And didn’t even bother to visit me? Not even a single flower? Or a fucking note”
you
Renard sighed, setting the papers down. He finally looked at her, his expression unreadable. “I didn’t have time.” Cecil’s nostrils flared. “Didn’t have time?” She took a step forward. “You had time to stay at the office. You had time to manage the company. But you didn’t have time to check on your wife? I am your wife Renard! Or have you forgotten that?”
Renard pushed his chair back and stood. “I didn’t have time,” he repeated, “because I was busy cleaning up the mess you made.”
Cecil’s mouth snapped shut.
Renard gestured to the documents on his desk. “Do you have any idea how much damage this scandal has done? Weiss Inc. lost millions overnight. Investors are pulling out. Government agencies are launching audits. You single–handedly dragged this company into the gutter.”
Cecil lifted her chin. “That foundation was mine. I built it from the ground up.”
“And now it’s crumbling,” Renard shot back. “And it’s taking everything else down with it.” He rounded the desk, stopping in front of her. “You think I had time to sit by your hospital bed while this company was burning? You think I had time to send flowers while the board was questioning whether or not I should remove you from the foundation entirely?”
Cecil clenched her jaw.
Renard didn’t stop. “You got careless, Cecil. You thought you were untouchable. And now look where we are. I trusted you to do your own thing but you- you got careless!”
Cecil stepped closer, her eyes locked onto his. “And what? You’re blaming me for everything? I built this family’s reputation while you sat in this office managing numbers.”
“And I was the one keeping those numbers from turning into losses!” Renard shot back. “Do you think your charity galas and social circles built this company? No. The only reason Weiss Inc. is still standing is because I made sure it did.”
Cecil’s chest rose and fell heavily. “So, what now? You’re just going to abandon me?”
Renard exhaled, rubbing a hand down his face. “You were the one who brought this onto yourself, Cecil.”
Her fingers dug into her palms. “I am your wife.”
Renard’s gaze hardened. “And I am your husband. But right now, I am also the CEO of a company that is drowning because of your greed.”
15:04 Sun, 23 Feb DO
Chapter 140
Cecil’s throat tightened.
Renard straightened, fixing the cuff of his sleeve. “The board is meeting in a few days to discuss your removal. You should prepare for that.”
Cecil took a sharp step forward, her voice dangerously low. “You’re siding with them?”
Renard met her gaze. “I’m siding with the company. The company that I built even before I met you.”
Cecil swallowed hard, her nails biting into her palms.
For the first time in years, she felt powerless.
Renard glanced at his watch. “If you have nothing else to say, I have work to do.”
Cecil’s nails pressed into her palms as she forced herself to breathe evenly. She refused to let him see how much his words had rattled her. “Are you even going to ask how I’m doing?”
Renard barely glanced at her. “You seem fine.”
Cecil clenched her jaw. “You don’t have the right to confine me here.”
Renard closed the report and stacked it neatly with the others on his desk. “And what exactly are you planning to do outside this mansion?” He leaned against the desk, arms crossed. “Meet with your friends?”
Cecil opened her mouth to retort, but nothing came out.
A sharp realization hit her.
Since the scandal erupted, her phone had been unusually quiet. No calls. No invitations. The usual brunch meetings, charity events, and high–society parties had all disappeared from her calendar. At first, she assumed it was temporary–that people were simply waiting for things to settle before reaching out.
But then she started making the calls herself.
And no one answered.
Some of them sent vague excuses–suddenly busy, suddenly out of town, suddenly unreachable. Others didn’t bother replying at all.
A few, the ones she had considered close, had even blocked her number.
Cecil’s stomach twisted.
For years, she had cultivated an image of power, of influence. She had built relationships with the wealthiest, the most respected, the untouchable elites of society. And yet, the moment her name was dragged through the mud, they all vanished.
Not a single one stood by her.
Not a single one defended her.
She had been discarded like an outdated trend.
She gritted her teeth, shoving down the bitter sting of betrayal.
Renard watched her, unimpressed. “Sit down, Cecil. Stay in the mansion. Let me clean up your mess.”
Her head snapped up. “I’m not going to just sit here and wait for them to kick me out.”
15:04 Sun, 23 Feb 0
Chapter 140
Renard exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “You don’t have a choice.”
Cecil’s hands trembled at her sides. “I built that foundation. I built everything.”
“And now it’s gone.”
Cecil’s breath hitched.
ཁྭ 38%
Renard straightened, adjusting his cufflinks. “What exactly makes you think you still have a say in this? You’re lucky I haven’t talked to a divorce lawyer yet!”
Cecil’s vision blurred slightly, but she refused to let the tears fall.
