Ariana’s POV

The boardroom was cold, too cold, it made my muscles ache from the cold, and for some reason today felt odd, like something was about to happen, and I couldn’t stop it.

Melissa had called this meeting, saying she had an announcement, an important one, and everyone was here.

The board members.

The lawyers.

The accountants.

I looked around the room.

At the faces.

Some were familiar, while others were strangers; most of them had worked for Dante.

For years, they had been loyal to him and faithful, but now they worked for Melissa.

They had no choice.

She had fired anyone who questioned her.

Melissa sat at the head of the table

In Dante’s chair, the chair he used to sit in when he ran this company.

"Dante isn’t here," Ares whispered with his voice, which was low and only I could hear. "That’s strange. He never misses these meetings."

I looked around again.

He was right.

Dante wasn’t here.

His chair was empty.

His place at the table was vacant.

No wheelchair.

No sign of him at all.

Where was he? What was he doing? Was he okay? I pushed the thoughts away. I couldn’t think about him; it’s none of my concern.

Melissa stood up and smoothed her blazer.

She adjusted her necklace and looked at everyone in the room with her eyes stopped on me for a moment, just a moment, but I saw the hatred there and jealousy.

"Thank you all for coming," she said with a smooth voice. "I know this meeting was called on short notice, but I have an announcement that couldn’t wait, an announcement that will change the future of this company."

Whispers spread around the table.

People looked at each other.

Confused.

Worried.

Melissa had been running things for months.

What could be more important than that? What could be bigger than the changes she had already made?

Ares leaned closer to me. "Whatever it is, don’t react. Keep your face neutral. Don’t give her the satisfaction."

I nodded and took a deep breath.

I schooled my features into a mask of calm.

Melissa waited for the whispers to die down. Then she continued. "As you all know, I’ve been serving as CEO since my husband’s accident. It hasn’t been easy. It’s been a challenge. A responsibility I didn’t ask for but took on out of love for my family and loyalty to this company."

Lies.

All lies.

Fucking liar!

She had pushed her way into that position.

She had manipulated.

Threatened.

Blackmailed.

"But I’ve realized that I can’t do it alone," she said. "This company needs strong leadership. Experienced leadership. Leadership from someone who has spent their whole life in the business world and someone who knows how to navigate challenges and seize opportunities. Someone who has the vision to take this company to the next level."

"Therefore," Melissa said, "I’ve decided to step down as CEO. Effective immediately."

Gasps around the table.

Murmurs.

Shock.

No one expected this.

Melissa had been clinging to power like a lifeline. Why would she give it up now? What was she getting in return?

"But I’m not leaving the company without leadership," she continued. "I’ve found someone to take my place and someone I trust completely. He has the skills, the experience, and the vision to lead this company into a new era."

She looked toward the door and smiled.

"Please welcome the new CEO of Melendez Industries. My father. Ricardo Melendez."

The door opened.

Ricardo walked in.

My world stopped.

Her father?

But how?

No, that’s not possible... It’s a lie

I stared at him, the man who had raised me, who had lied to me, and had stolen from me.

I felt like I had seen a ghost. In some ways, I had the ghost of my past. The ghost of the man I used to call father.

The ghost of the man who had made my life a living hell.

Ares’s hand tightened on my knee. "Stay calm," he whispered. "Don’t react. Don’t give them anything."

But I couldn’t stay calm.

Ricardo walked to the head of the table and stood beside Melissa. He looked at the board members and smiled.

"Thank you, Melissa," he said with a voice that was smooth and confident, as he belonged here."It’s an honor to be here. To be trusted with this responsibility. I promise you all that I will do everything in my power to lead this company to greatness. To increase profits. To expand our reach and to make the Russo name synonymous with success."

Fucking cheat!

And lier!

He turned to look at Melissa with eyes that were proud. "Melissa has done an incredible job under difficult circumstances. She’s kept this company afloat when it could have sunk. She’s made tough decisions that others were afraid to make. She’s been a true leader, and I’m proud to call her my daughter."

How is he her father?

This all isn’t making any sense... am I missing something? Or what?.

The word hit me like a slap.

Melissa smiled and looked at Ricardo with something that might have been love or maybe just admiration or maybe just the satisfaction of knowing she had won.

"I know this is sudden," Melissa said. "And I know you have questions, but I assure you, this is the right decision for the company. My father has decades of experience. He’s turned struggling businesses into profitable empires. He’s the leader we need to take Russo Industries to the next level."

Ricardo stepped forward and placed his hands on the table.

"I know some of you have concerns about my past," he said. "I won’t pretend that I haven’t made mistakes; I have, and I spent time in prison. I paid for my crimes, but I’ve learned from my mistakes, I’ve grown and changed....And I’m ready to use my experience to help this company succeed."

"I’m not here to make excuses," he continued. "I’m here to work, I’m here to lead, I’m here to make Russo Industries the most successful company in the country, and I can’t do that without your support, trust, and belief in me."

He was good.

I had to give him that.

He was a master manipulator.

He knew exactly what to say.

How to say it.

How to make people believe him.

"Are there any questions?" Melissa asked.

The room was silent, no one spoke... no one dared to.

"If there are no questions," Melissa said, "then I’ll consider this matter settled. My father will begin his duties immediately. I’ll stay on as an advisor for the transition period, but effective today, Ricardo Melendez is the new CEO of Russo Industries."

She smiled, and so did Ricardo.

The door pushed open, snapping me out of my train of thought. I looked up with my heart stopped.

My breath caught in my throat.

Dante walked in.

Not in a wheelchair but actually standing tall, wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and black tie.

He looked like the old Dante.

The Dante who runs this company.

Ares smirked, joining him, making my brows furrow in confusion

No one moved.

No one spoke.

No one breathed.

Dante’s eyes found mine.

He looked at me just for a second and long enough for me to see something there.

Hope.

Then he looked away.

He looked at Melissa and Ricardo in disgust.

What the hell is going on?