Humiliating!

So humiliating!

Chairman Alvord's rage blazed hotter and hotter as seconds passed. Still gripping his hands into fists, veins bulged on the backs, and also on his temples. His eyes reddened in anger.

By now, everyone had the same thought as the older man.

The actual meaning of this meeting was clear!

Faulkner Investment and Edenia Avenue had never considered collaborating with Alvord Corporation. As everyone half-expected, this meeting was laid with countless tricks.

But they had never thought the trap was because of Ruediger.

Mr. R, or rather the abandoned, eldest son of Chairman Alvord, only planned this to push his estranged father further into despair.

The tension thickened further in the air. Aside from Ruediger, Nathaniel, and Edmund, everyone else's expressions were either tight or ugly, including Julian, who was from Faulkner Investment.

'As expected. They won't believe me.'

The mockery in Ruediger's eyes intensified as a sneer curled on his lips. Each of Chairman Alvord's remarks was clear in his mind, and he found it amusing how much contempt the older man had.

Still leaning casually on the chair, Ruediger extended a hand. He chuckled as he tapped the table twice, his gaze never leaving Chairman Alvord's face, now twisted with anger.

"You're right. We've never wanted to help you. I came here only for one reason, to warn you, Mr. Chairman."

Chairman Alvord scoffed, still thinking how ridiculous everything was. He glared back at his eldest son, "Warn me? For what?"

Ruediger didn't immediately answer the man. He swept his gaze across the room, and said, "Edmund, you can leave first. Take Mr. Tsu and Mr. Armand with you."

"Yes, Boss," Edmund agreed without asking anything, showing he easily obeyed the crimson-haired man. He glanced at the others, "Come with me. We shouldn't interfere with a family dispute any longer, no?"

Julian rose to his feet while George glanced at Chairman Alvord and Vincent. Then, he reluctantly got up. Edmund glanced at Ruediger for a second before leading them out.

Vincent frowned as he watched the three men walking past the door. He asked, his gaze returning to Ruediger before shifting to Nathaniel.

"Since this is... a family matter, why is CEO Faulkner still here?"

Ruediger and Nathaniel exchanged a look, seemingly thinking how funny Vincent's question was. The former stated, "You two are family. But mine here is Nate. So, he has the right to stay here."

Vincent's pupils shrank. Ruediger's words seemed to slap him in the face. He opened his mouth, wanting to argue, but ended up not saying anything.

Chairman Alvord gritted his teeth and the flames of anger kept burning within him. He knew so well that Ruediger intended to humiliate him.

Nathaniel Faulkner never shared any of Ruediger's blood, but the latter deemed him family.

How absurd!

Ruediger paid no attention to Chairman Alvord's immense rage. His gaze suddenly darkened and the cold edge to his voice was unmistakable once he spoke.

"You've crossed the line, Mr. Chairman. I don't care what you do as long as you do not touch my people. Your first mistake was bothering my wife. And your second was toying with my aunt."

Chairman Alvord blinked, dumbfounded for a moment before he laughed angrily, "Hah! You're upset because I went to your wife? Just because of that?!"

"It's not just because of that," Ruediger lowered his voice, trying not to snap at the older man across the table, "You interrupted our life once. I won't let you repeat it."

Vincent stiffened, understanding what Ruediger meant. He remembered hearing Chairman Alvord mention how he purposely appeared at Lariette's school to demand she leave Ruediger.

And...

Vincent also recalled his own actions. He did it more than once, and the latest one only happened last week when he waited for Lariette at the apartment.

Bam!

The loud sound made Vincent flinch, but not Ruediger and Nathaniel. Chairman Alvord slammed his fist on the table again, his jaw clenched and his nose flared.

"So, this is revenge? Because of that stupid woman? That country bumpkin?"

Chairman Alvord's harsh words burned Ruediger's earlier resolve. He finally snapped.

"Watch how you call her! And yes, it's because of her, and because of who I deem family. I'm telling you this once, behave, lest the police come knocking on your door again." Find this сhаptеr's sоurсе оn

Chairman Alvord was stunned and Vincent's eyes widened, horrified. Both immediately understood what Ruediger meant by his last sentence.

He wasn't simply referring to the bribery scandal, but...

He was involved in the exposure?!

Enraged, Chairman Alvord abruptly stood up, his tall figure towering over the table, "You! You planned all this? You set me up!"

Ruediger barely lifted his chin to look at Chairman Alvord. He casually thought this older man, who seemed to be so powerful when he was still a helpless young boy, was actually nothing.

"Your evil deeds did it. And I simply sped up what I was already planning," Ruediger replied, his voice without any care, "You made the mistake of disturbing my life. The scandal is the price you've got to pay."

As Chairman Alvord was too angry to retort, Vincent stared dumbly at Ruediger. He was looking at his brother, no, at Mr. R, and barely recognizing him.

The calm and collected man across the table was no longer the banished son. He was someone else entirely, someone terrifying.

Chairman Alvord clenched his jaw. If possible, he wanted to grab Ruediger and give him a punch or two.

How could he treat his own father like this?!

But Chairman Alvord also knew that he was at Ruediger's mercy, and also Nathaniel's. His mind was split between his rage toward his eldest son and his fear of losing his high position.

No matter what, the answer was clear.

He was damned.

"So... this is it, huh? Because of your petty revenge, you want to watch me fall. What's next? Do you want me to grovel? Beg at you?"

Ruediger tilted his head. Then, he stood slowly, placing both hands in the pockets of his long pants, "Petty? And begging me? I want nothing from you."

Yes.

He wanted nothing.

Not the Alvord name, not this man's desperation or his hypocritical apologies.

"I came here only to reveal myself, so that next time you think about threatening me, you remember who I am. You'll never be able to control me. Not anymore."

Chairman Alvord's entire body shook from his wrath. He looked like he might explode again, but his immense pride kept him contained.

Ruediger turned around, ready to leave. Nathaniel, who remained silent most of the time, also stood up. The former's voice echoed again.

"I know you'd never want anyone to find out the son you abandoned turned out to be untouchable. You'd rather suffer than admit you failed. So, suffer."

And then he left, leaving a silence that weighed like steel.

Vincent turned his head, ashamed, knowing how much his brother's words were true.

As for Chairman Alvord, he could only grit his teeth and fists his hands. A sense of humiliating defeat washed over his entire body.

Everything was over.

Everything they had tried to control and manipulate had all collapsed.