CHAPTER 333: THE NEW CHAIRMAN OF THE COMPANY

Augustine and Gustave reached the hospital. As they made their way through the corridor, they nearly collided with Haris, who was rushing past.

Both parties stopped in their tracks.

Haris froze when he saw Augustine, surprised by the sudden encounter. Assuming Augustine had come for a routine check-up, he forced a polite smile and prepared to greet him. But before he could speak, Augustine’s voice cut through.

"How is Denis? What did the doctor say?"

The question stunned Haris. What unsettled him even more was the glimmer of genuine concern he caught in Augustine’s eyes.

He hadn’t expected Augustine to learn about Denis’s accident so soon. Even less had he imagined Augustine would actually care about his condition.

"Nothing too serious," Haris answered, still trying to process the scene. "He has got a concussion, but the doctor said it will heal in a few days. The impact left him traumatized, so they have put him under sedation for now."

"Good..." Augustine murmured with a curt nod.

Haris hesitated, torn over whether to share the shocking news he had just received.

Denis and Augustine had been rivals for years, constantly at each other’s throats. Yet, they were family—cousins by blood. Besides, Augustine had shown up at the hospital to check on Denis, setting aside their usual animosity.

With his own father turning against him, Denis was left in a vulnerable and precarious state. If Augustine chose to step in, it would feel nothing short of miraculous. Yet Haris couldn’t ignore the bitter reality—Denis and Augustine had always despised one another, constantly at each other’s throats.

Why would Augustine lift a hand to help him now?

On the other hand, Haris’s instincts whispered otherwise. If Augustine truly wished Denis’s harm, he wouldn’t be here showing concern.

Catching the uncertainty in Haris’s expression, Augustine narrowed his eyes. "What is it?" he asked doubtfully. "Something else is troubling you, isn’t it?"

The authority in his voice, paired with the sincerity in his gaze, broke through Haris’s hesitation. A flood of emotion surged inside him, and the words tumbled out.

"Things are getting worse," Haris confessed. "I just got a call from the police. Madam Jeanne’s body has been found in the jungle."

Augustine’s frown deepened.

"Here, he is lying like this," Haris continued. "The office is in a mess. Everyone is ready to turn against him, branding him guilty. And on top of it, this news about Madam Jeanne... I can’t understand why everything is collapsing all at once."

He lifted his eyes helplessly, searching Augustine’s face.

Augustine remained quiet. Outwardly, he seemed composed, but inside his chest a storm raged.

Jeanne’s death was anything but ordinary—someone had definitely murdered her and discarded her in the jungle. His suspicions landed straight on Gabriel.

That heartless man had even gone so far as to kill his wife.

"Gustave," Augustine finally spoke, "go with Haris. I’ll stay here."

Gustave gave a nod and left with Haris.

Pushing the door open, Augustine entered the hospital room and saw Denis lying quietly with his eyes closed. His steps slowed as his gaze lingered on him. For the first time, bitterness didn’t rise in his chest at the sight of his face. Instead, a dull ache filled him. The thought that his brother had always been right in front of him, yet they treated each other as an enemy, tore through him.

They should have been standing side by side, supporting one another. Instead, they had clashed constantly, competing, despising each other like sworn enemies. It was all because of one choice.

The elders separated them at birth, hiding the truth that they were twins. Where there should have been brotherhood, hatred had been allowed to grow.

Gabriel had manipulated Denis for years, turning him against his own blood, while forcing Augustine to harbor resentment toward him. That cruelty was something Augustine could never forgive.

Thankfully, the truth was finally revealed. Otherwise, they might have destroyed one another completely.

Slowly, Augustine approached the bedside, his gaze fixed on Denis’s bruised face. His chest grew heavy with emotions. He wanted to say many things, but words failed him.

His hand lifted almost on its own, fingers brushing lightly over the gauze wrapped around Denis’s head.

"Don’t worry," he whispered. "No one will lay a hand on you. I’ll keep you safe." He sank into the chair beside the bed, his gaze never leaving Denis’s face. "We have spent years as enemies, but that ends now. It’s time we stand together and fight for our parents’ justice."

His expression darkened as he muttered, "Gabriel tore our family apart. He murdered our parents, separated us at birth, and poisoned us against each other. He must answer for every one of his sins."

Augustine’s resolve grew sharper, colder. "Killing him would be too merciful. I want him to live and suffer. He should carry the weight of his crimes every single day, with every breath."

His fists curled tight against his knees, fury burning in his eyes. "And we’ll begin by revealing his affair with Tania."

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

The next morning...

The Beaumont Group was in complete turmoil after the news of Jeanne’s death broke, paired with the revelation of Gabriel’s affair. The entire city buzzed with gossip—how Gabriel had betrayed his wife and gotten a woman far younger than him pregnant.

Suspicion quickly turned toward Gabriel. The police took him in for questioning on charges of murdering Jeanne, but he refused to admit anything.

"I’ve told you countless times," Gabriel bellowed, his patience worn thin. "I know nothing about it. I don’t know who she met or why she ended up in that jungle. She left on her own—no one forced her."

"Is that so?" the officer mocked, raising a brow. "Then explain this. Your affair is already the talk of the town. Want to see for yourself?"

He thrust his phone in front of Gabriel, playing a video that had gone viral within hours. "Look closely. Your wife confronting your mistress. It’s everywhere now."

Gabriel’s eyes widened, horror flashing across his face. The footage clearly showed Jeanne attacking Tania outside the hospital, nearly causing her miscarriage.

Cold shivers ran down his spine. He had gone to great lengths to bury that scandal—how had it leaked? Who spread it online? His mind raced. Was it Denis? Was his son striking back, avenging his fall from the CEO’s chair?

"Your wife caught you in the act," the officer pressed, snapping Gabriel out of his thoughts. "She exposed your affair publicly, even attacked your pregnant mistress. That must have enraged you, didn’t it?"

He withdrew the phone and continued coldly, "You went home afterward. A heated argument broke out between you and your wife. Things escalated, and in your fury, you killed her."

Gabriel’s face drained of color. The officer’s words mirrored the truth too closely. But no matter what, he couldn’t admit it.

"Rubbish," Gabriel roared. "I did not kill her."

"Where exactly were you that night?" the officer demanded.

"I was in the office—working," Gabriel insisted.

The officer gave a mocking sneer. "Seems your memory is failing you. You left early that evening and headed straight to the hospital to check on your mistress. We have surveillance footage from both your office and the hospital to prove it."

Gabriel’s stomach dropped. He hadn’t considered that angle. He thought he had covered his tracks well, but there were gaps he hadn’t accounted for.

"You never returned to the office that night," the officer continued, his voice like a blade. "Stop lying. The more you hide, the deeper you sink. So tell me—where did you go after leaving the hospital with Tania? Did you kill your wife?"

"I didn’t," Gabriel shouted, desperation lacing his voice. "Why won’t you believe me? I don’t know what she was doing in that jungle or how she ended up dead. Someone is plotting against me—this is a setup!"

"That’s enough," the officer thundered, slamming his palm on the table. "If you think your lies will save you, you are gravely mistaken. The autopsy report will reveal the truth soon—and when it does, no one will be able to protect you."

With that, he stood and stormed out of the interrogation room, leaving Gabriel rattled.

Gabriel shouted after the officer, "Wait—where are you going? Let me out of here. You can’t treat me like a criminal. Do you hear me? Hello..."

The officer ignored him and walked away without a glance.

"Enough noise," another policeman entered, fixing Gabriel with a stern look. "The interrogation isn’t over. Sit tight and keep quiet."

Gabriel’s face twisted with fury. "I want to speak to my lawyer," he muttered angrily. "Give me my phone."

The policeman didn’t respond. He simply stood there, watching him with a blank expression.

That cold, indifferent stare only fueled Gabriel’s temper. "I said I want my lawyer," he barked. "It’s my right. You can’t treat me like a criminal when you have no proof against me."

A flicker of hesitation crossed the officer’s otherwise stoic face. After a pause, he turned and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Gabriel clenched his fists, seething with rage.

Meanwhile, at the Beaumont Group, Augustine stormed straight into the conference room where the board of directors was in session.

Every head turned sharply, eyes narrowing with hostility.

"Who let you in here?" one elderly director snapped. "This is a confidential meeting. You have no place here."

"Leave at once," another chimed in.

But Augustine stood his ground, planted firmly by the conference table, his gaze sweeping across the room.

"Why are you still standing there?" the first man barked. "Get out, or we’ll have security remove you."

"I won’t be leaving," Augustine said with icy calm. "Because I am the new chairman of this company."

The room fell into stunned silence.