Chapter 122 What Loyalty Costs

Ethan’s POV The office felt colder than usual, even though the air conditioning hadn’t changed. I stood by the window of the conference room, watching as the first few shareholders trickled into the building, their faces stiff, their eyes sharp with quiet accusation. I had barely slept. My phone had buzzed nonstop with media alerts, legal updates, and internal messages from my team. Rachel’s scandal was now a noose tightening around Thalixir Tech. I had known this day might come. Still, that didn’t stop the weight from settling heavily on my chest as I turned from the glass and took my seat at the head of the table. Every chair slowly filled, murmurs rose, and then silence took hold. The chairman entered last. His gait was slow but steady, the quiet power of a man who’d held this company in his hand for decades. His son, Jared, followed closely behind, his expression unreadable. Once everyone was seated, I began. “I’ll be brief,” I said, my voice calm even as adrenaline spiked through