CHAPTER 249: I FIRED HER LONG TIME AGO

Daniel hadn’t expected Hugo to show up unannounced. Not today. Not after everything that had happened.

But the moment Henry called, saying "Sir, Mr. Bennett is here," Daniel didn’t waste a second. He left home immediately, driving straight back to Clafford International.

He knew today was critical for the Bennetts—

the board meeting that would decide Hugo’s future in his own company.

So Hugo appearing here, in Daniel’s office, meant only one thing:

Something had gone wrong.

Henry opened the door as Daniel approached. Daniel stepped inside, Henry following in behind him and stopping near the far wall, silently observing.

Hugo stood there—back straight, shoulders tense, expression carved from stone.

Daniel took one look and exhaled sharply.

"You really enjoy surprising me, Father-in-law," he drawled, settling into his chair with deliberate calm. "Second time you’ve visited without warning. Should I expect a third?"

His tone was smooth...

but sharp enough to be mockery.

Hugo ignored it.

"Is it true," he said immediately, voice tight, "that one of your maids attacked my wife?"

Daniel blinked.

Straight to the point—no greeting, no hesitation.

A faint scoff escaped him.

He leaned back, folding his arms. "No. She used to work for me. I fired her a long time ago."

Hugo’s brows knitted, confusion replacing the rage for a moment.

Daniel wasn’t surprised by the question.

He had expected some kind of confrontation after Anna told him the police named Kira as the culprit. He had already seen the hotel footage himself—but he hadn’t realized the attacker was a woman.

Now the pieces connected.

What trouble did Kira throw herself into? And why?

Daniel narrowed his eyes.

"Don’t tell me you came all the way here to accuse me of her actions?" he asked coolly.

The words snapped Hugo out of his stupor. He pressed his lips together, taking a moment before composing himself.

"I–It’s not like that," he said.

But it was.

Ever since Kathrine planted that seed of doubt in his mind, Hugo had been watching Daniel differently— questioning motives, second-guessing decisions, looking for cracks he had never noticed before.

He had always wondered who Daniel truly was—but his own greed had kept him blind.

Blind to the danger in Daniel’s calm eyes.Blind to the quiet power he carried. Blind to the fact that Daniel was not someone he should have treated as an asset but someone he should have feared losing.

Now, with everything turning dense and unpredictable, Hugo’s lingering questions grew heavier.

Who exactly did my daughter marry?

"Then I suppose the meeting ends here," Daniel’s voice cut through Hugo’s spiraling thoughts, smooth yet edged with steel. "And I suggest you focus on firming your position, Mr. Bennett."

Hugo’s lips twitched. Every time Daniel spoke, it felt like a reminder—a subtle stab at his pride.

He hid the bitterness, but it simmered under his skin.

Hugo knew Daniel was dangerous. He had always known. But the longer he stood here, the more he realized how little he actually understood about the man.

Hugo’s expression remained calm as he continued, "Everything seems fine at Bennett International. Kathrine handled the investors quite well."

Daniel’s arched brow made it worse.

Though Daniel was focused on identifying the real threat behind Roseline’s attack, he wasn’t above using this opportunity to poke at Hugo’s pride.

And Kathrine’s unexpected competence only sharpened that sting.

Daniel leaned back. "Good. Which means you no longer need my help."

Hugo froze. His breath caught and panic flashed across his face.

W-What does that mean? Was Daniel withdrawing support? Pulling away? Abandoning him politically? Hugo’s mind raced, imagining every disastrous scenario.

Daniel noticed—instantly.

He hadn’t meant it in that way, simply meant Kathrine had managed on her own. But seeing Hugo’s fear...that subtle desperation Daniel laughed internally.

He overestimates my influence... and underestimates his daughter.

"You overthink too much, Father-in-law," Daniel said at last, voice smooth, lightly amused. "I simply meant you don’t need my help now that Kathrine handled everything."

Hugo let out a shaky breath, the tension melting from his shoulders.

"Oh," he muttered, embarrassment creeping into his tone.

Hugo Bennett—once known for his unshakeable composure—had never been wavered by anyone.

Yet with Daniel? Every word felt like a needle piercing his skin. Every sentence stirred something uneasy inside him. And every moment in Daniel’s presence reminded him—that the man sitting across from him was far more dangerous, far more calculated, and far more influential than he had ever been prepared for.

***

Meanwhile, Shawn—who had been waiting outside the office, pretending to breathe normally—nearly jumped when the door finally opened.

Hugo Bennett strode out with a stony expression, hardly acknowledging anyone as he headed straight for the elevator. Shawn watched him closely, following every step until the doors slid shut.

Only then did he release the breath he’d been holding.

"Mr. Shawn," a voice startled him.

He turned and found Henry standing a few feet away, smiling politely. Too politely.

"Boss is waiting for you," Henry said in that practiced, calm voice.

Under normal circumstances, Shawn would’ve appreciated the courtesy. Except...

Henry’s smile wasn’t reaching his eyes. In fact, his entire face looked like it had been glued into place to keep from showing exactly how much pity he felt for Shawn.

The kind of pity reserved for someone being sent into a lion’s den with a steak tied to their neck.

Shawn blinked.

"...Thanks?" he said uncertainly.

Henry nodded, but Shawn couldn’t help noticing how the man subtly stepped back—as if putting distance between himself and the disaster that was about to unfold.

What kind of life is this man living... working under Daniel Clafford? Shawn wondered miserably.

But after a moment of silently cursing his fate, Shawn pulled himself together and walked toward Daniel’s office.

He inhaled deeply. Straightened his posture. Tried to convince himself he was not walking into an execution chamber.

When Daniel had personally sent him the offer letter, Shawn had felt honored... and terrified. Honored because he was hired and terrified because Daniel personally did it.

Working here was a privilege. It was also a high-risk activity, knowing Daniel would constantly doubt him. However, he reminded himself he wouldn’t let that falter him.

So as he stepped inside, he tried to act calm.

The office door clicked shut behind him, sealing him in a room that suddenly felt much too quiet. Daniel sat behind his desk, calm and composed. Which somehow made it worse.

"I am sure by now my wife knows her father was here to meet me"

"..."