CHAPTER 327: I KNOW WHAT YOU DID.

By the time Gabriel got back home, midnight was already closing in. His legs dragged under the weight of exhaustion as he stepped inside, but he froze when his eyes landed on a familiar figure seated on the sofa.

"You?" His face darkened. "What are you doing here at this hour?"

Denis rose quickly, worry etched across his features. "Where have you been?" he demanded. "Mom isn’t home, and her phone is unreachable. I’m worried sick. And you—you didn’t even answer my call."

Gabriel stiffened. He had silenced his own phone earlier to avoid disturbances, and Jeanne’s phone—he had tossed it away on his way back.

Avoiding Denis’s gaze, he forced a calm tone. "I don’t know where she is. She hasn’t contacted me."

"Really?" Denis’s voice sharpened, anger flashing in his eyes. "It’s nearly midnight, and Mom still isn’t back. And you act so indifferent, like you don’t even care."

Gabriel snapped defensively, "Why are you overreacting? Maybe she is at a kitty party with her friends. Or maybe she went to her father’s house. Stop questioning me—I’m exhausted."

He brushed past, heading toward the bedroom.

But Denis’s next words rooted him to the spot. "I know what you did."

Gabriel’s heart plummeted, a cold dread seizing his chest. Slowly, he turned, forcing his expression into anger to mask the panic clawing at him.

"What are you talking about?" he barked, though his voice wavered, betraying the crack in his composure.

Denis sneered, his lip curling in contempt. "You think I wouldn’t uncover your affair with Tania? How could you stoop so low?"

His stomach twisted with disgust. "You betrayed Mom for that woman. That cheap, worthless woman—she is nothing but a whore. And you..."

His fury mounted with every word. The thought alone—that his father had been with the very woman who used to be his girlfriend—made him sick. His chest tightened, bile rising in his throat, and he fought the urge to vomit.

Grinding his teeth, he spat out, "Tania is a liar, a manipulator. All she cares about is money. Stay away from her. Don’t destroy this family because of her. Don’t trust her—you’ll only end up being played."

Gabriel exhaled softly, relief flickering through him. At least Denis hadn’t uncovered the truth about Jeanne—not yet.

His tone hardened, his arrogance unshaken. "I never intended to leave Jeanne. Tania is nothing but a distraction, a plaything. But she is carrying my child. I can’t ignore that—it’s my own flesh and blood. I’m only supporting her for the baby’s sake. Nothing more."

The words fell carelessly, void of guilt or remorse. His indifference stunned Denis, cutting deeper than the confession itself.

"You got that woman pregnant!" Denis’s fists clenched at his sides, trembling with the weight of rage.

His whole body went rigid, every muscle coiled, his hands itching to strike. If not for the fact that this man was his father, he would have landed the blow without hesitation.

"And yet you claim you didn’t mean to wreck your marriage," Denis scoffed bitterly. "Did you ever once think about Mom before betraying her? After all these years together, you threw it all away for a fling."

"It’s pretty rich coming from you," Gabriel muttered with biting sarcasm. "A man like you has no right to preach about the value of a relationship. Or have you already forgotten what you did?"

Denis stared at him, stunned. There was no trace of remorse in Gabriel’s eyes—only smug arrogance. In that instant, Denis knew their bond as father and son was shattered beyond repair.

His jaw tightened, fury blazing in his eyes. "I’m going to find Mom. If anything happens to her, I swear I won’t spare you. I’ll forget you are my father."

He spun around sharply and stormed out, his rage crackling in the air like a violent storm.

Gabriel scoffed, his voice echoing with contempt. "I don’t need you either. Get the hell out. I don’t need anyone. Soon, this empire will be mine. I’ll be the head of this family. The wealth, the power—it will all belong to me. And when that day comes, you, your mother, and that old man will have no choice but to kneel before me."

Spreading his arms wide, he threw back his head and burst into a maniacal laugh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

At Augustine’s home...

Anne pouted as she fussed with his tie, her displeasure written all over her face. "You just woke up from a coma," she complained softly. "And now you are rushing off to the office. Do you really have to?"

Augustine slid his arms around her, pulling her close, a spark of amusement in his eyes. "It’s necessary. I have several meetings lined up today. But I promise, I’ll be back before sunset."

Anne’s lips pressed into a stubborn line. She didn’t care for explanations. "I thought we’d spend the day together—maybe go shopping. But you’d rather bury yourself in work."

Augustine lifted her chin gently, making her meet his gaze. "We’ll go," he assured her. "But first, I need to face these meetings. People need to see I’m back."

He released her, straightening his suit. "I have a conference call with the head office. The situation there is getting out of control. Several directors are turning against me. If I don’t intervene now, it will only spiral further."

Anne bit back her protest. She knew he was right. The head office was in turmoil, and even the branch office had its share of problems. On top of that, there was the looming matter of the Beaumonts.

Then something struck her. "Oh, there is something I should tell you," she said suddenly. "Grandpa sent you a parcel a few days ago. I left it in the study. You should check it when you have time."

"Alright, I’ll look at it once I’m back." Augustine bent down, brushing a kiss against her forehead. "I have to go now. I’ll see you this evening."

And with that, he left.

At the branch office of the Sphere Group...

Augustine held a virtual conference with the directors, announcing his return and assuring them that he was recovering well. His tone, however, was far from gentle—he delivered a sharp order to address the conflicts and chaos that had erupted during his coma.

"You have one week," he declared with icy authority. "Resolve every issue. If not, be ready to face the consequences."

His chilling words drained the color from many faces. Those who had once spoken about replacing him shifted nervously, their confidence crumbling.

"We promise, Mr. Bennet," one of the senior directors quickly assured, his voice steady though his eyes betrayed unease. "Everything will be handled swiftly."

"Yes, sir," another chimed in. "Now that you are back, we’ll get things back on track."

One by one, the others voiced their support, their pledges overlapping until the meeting room was filled with reassurances echoing from the screens.

Augustine’s expression didn’t soften. "Good. I want results, not promises. I’ll see you in a week."

With that, he ended the call and shut the laptop.

His eyes shifted toward Gustave, who was seated opposite him.

"The matters at the head office will be settled soon," Augustine said with firm assurance. "What about the situation here?"

"Under control," Gustave replied. "The moment word spread that you were awake, everyone quieted down. Not a single voice of dissent remains."

Augustine leaned back in his chair, a faintly satisfied smile curving his lips. "Good. Now, what’s the latest on the Beaumonts?"

Gustave exhaled heavily, shaking his head. "That video of Jeanne and Tania’s fight did make its way online, but it was pulled down almost instantly. Likely, Denis stepped in. He seems determined to keep any scandal that could expose his father’s affair from spreading and damaging the family’s reputation."

"As expected," Augustine muttered knowingly. The Beaumonts’ power was formidable, and even for him, countering their influence wasn’t simple.

Gustave’s tone darkened. "But there is something else about Jeanne. She vanished last night. Denis has people searching for her everywhere."

"Vanished?" Augustine’s posture stiffened, unease flashing through him. A heavy foreboding crept over him.

"Her phone’s last known location was tracked," Gustave continued. "It pinged near the highway. Maybe she was heading to the Beaumont farmhouse... or perhaps she just wanted to get away from the chaos for a while."

Augustine’s expression grew grim. "That’s one possibility. But it could also mean something far worse. Jeanne humiliated Gabriel, dragged his name through the dirt by exposing his affair in front of everyone. A man like him won’t simply let it go."

Gustave mulled over his words, unease flickering in his eyes. "Are you saying she could actually be in danger?"

Augustine didn’t confirm, but the tension in his voice was unmistakable. "I can’t say until we find something concrete. Keep digging. And don’t overlook Tania—she is definitely scheming."

"I’ve already been monitoring her, sir," Gustave replied firmly. "I’ll update you the moment I uncover anything." He paused before adding, "Also, the meeting with Starlite Corp. is scheduled in an hour."

Augustine pushed back his chair and rose to his feet. "Then let’s move. It’s time to act." Without another word, he strode out, with Gustave trailing close behind.