Dark Revenge Of A Jilted Bride: Till Life Do Us Part!-Chapter 136: Board Meeting III

Gianna was nonplussed, to say the least.

The feeling settled heavy in her chest, mildly disorienting, as if the room had shifted slightly off its axis the moment she stepped inside.

Noah? What was he doing here?

The name alone echoed in her mind, disbelieving, refusing to settle into anything that made sense.

From the atmosphere that had been in the room before she came in, she was sure that her uncle wasn’t surprised by Noah’s presence. The tension had been too composed, too settled, like a storm that had already passed before she arrived to witness the damage.

Could it be that Clement had turned his beggarly hands to Noah because of their relationship?

The thought made her stomach tighten, a slow, sour twist of disbelief and resentment.

But why would Noah accept, considering he was aware, to an extent, of her hatred for them?

And why didn’t he tell her?

Hadn’t they spent time together two days ago? Why hadn’t he mentioned it then, even in the nonstop texts they had been exchanging ever since—messages that now felt suddenly incomplete, hollow in retrospect?

Gianna just couldn’t understand what was going on. The confusion pressed in on her from all sides. Nor could she understand the blank look on Noah’s face.

No emotion at all at seeing her. No surprise, no apology, no warmth. Was he feeling surprised, or remorseful, or...

Ethan’s hand brushed hers.

The touch was brief but grounding, a quiet reminder of where she was and why.

And she understood this time at least that though her partner was shocked by the piece they hadn’t bargained for, they were yet going on with the plan.

But Gianna was angry enough for the nerves to make her titter or squabble. Such that what came out of her lips wasn’t the rehearsed speech that informed the board members of her intention and place in her family, but words that usually went out when one donned her big girl’s pants.

"What is going on here?"

It didn’t matter that she didn’t know most of the board members, that they might not even know her too, not to mention her purpose. The question landed anyway, unapologetic and raw.

She watched the confusion wrap the room as board members looked at each other, then at Clement, somehow expecting answers to appear on his face.

Clement himself looked more confused than annoyed, probably because hope was beginning to flicker again. Was Gianna here to let him have the company?

Still, how had she known that there was a meeting today? Had Noah told her?

He didn’t think so. Noah seemed surprised too.

And what was Ethan Patterson doing here? That was the big question.

So engrossed was Clement in his theories that the person who finally did the introduction was his second in command who had been moving for the company to be his.

"I’m not sure why she is here, but this is Gianna Aldo, daughter of our late Samuel."

An intentional pause followed.

"She has a reasonable amount of shares in the company, so she has a say, a position at the table I would dare say. Though, I am not aware of why she is here, or how she knows of the meeting...or what she is doing here with Mr. Ethan Patterson."

Zachary made his statement with narrowed eyes, watching the duo walk up to the table and take up the remaining spaces as if they had always belonged there.

His anger fanned the more.

First it was Noah’s presence and his loathful words, and now he had to deal with a little girl?

He held back a scoff. He wouldn’t let all his hard work go down the drain!

"Director Zachary, right?" Gianna started, leaning forward after meeting each and every gaze at the table, unflinching.

"You had a meeting of this magnitude without informing me? Did you forget how many percent of shares I own in the company?"

Zachary steeled his bristle of annoyance. "Apologies, Miss Gianna, but we thought your uncle was handling it, considering you’re busy with your job in the jewellery field. We thought of you as a silent partner."

"Well, I am no longer that," Gianna said, raising a brow when Zachary’s nostril flared and mutters began around the table. "Is there a problem with that?"

"Of course not." Zachary’s smile was false, stretched too tight.

"So what’s going on? Why is Mr. Noah Newman here? Last I checked, he wasn’t a shareholder in this company?" Gianna asked, ignoring the murmurs again, especially because she understood them.

In the eyes of the public, she was engaged to Noah.

That she wasn’t aware of his presence here, that she wasn’t looking at him now with love in her eyes, was bound to raise questions and rumours if people talked.

And they would.

But she didn’t care. She was here to save her father’s company. Love—or whatever this was—could wait.

"Yes, you are correct," Zachary answered, relieved actually that the duo didn’t seem in agreement. Or was it a game? "He is actually here to buy the company."

Gianna’s nanosecond jaw slackening informed Clement that his niece was in the dark, and so hope bloomed more. She was here of her own accord.

"Mr. Noah, why would you do that?" she asked.

Noah finally looked at her with emotion in his eyes, something akin to understand me, while a soft smile plastered on his lips. "For you, my love. I couldn’t afford the company to digress any further."

Gianna pursed her lips, then looked at Ethan, who only cocked a brow.

She understood the gesture too—was she going ahead with the plan, or would she pull her weight behind Noah?

Gianna was at a crossroads. What should she do?

She couldn’t go out to interact with Ethan or Athena over this; it might show she wasn’t as courageous as the people here thought she was. So she had to make decisions now.

"And who would run the company if you bought it?" she finally asked, meeting Noah’s gaze blankly.

Noah shrugged. "Anyone you choose, my love. Could be your uncle, or Zachary..."

Zachary, sensing the ballgame was about to change, pinned his hopeful eyes on Gianna, any misgivings falling away.

The money Noah had presented to the board, if he was being honest, had swayed them. Best to make use of whatever the situation threw at him.

He wasn’t alone. Clement did the same, banking on Gianna wanting the company to stay in the family.

Gianna said nothing for a while. Then her eyes caught the documents close to Noah.

"Can I see that?"

He passed them to her without question.

She steeled herself not to show surprise when she saw the figures. Noah really had money to throw about, even for a company now riddled with holes.

But was it wise to let him buy the company?