Stolen By The Billionaire

Chapter five

ISABELLA'S POV

I didn't go home. I couldn't face Marcus or the empty mansion. Instead, I drove to my father's old apartment.

The moment I stepped inside, the tears came. I'd been so stupid. So desperate for someone to see me that I'd walked straight into Damien's trap. He'd known exactly who I was, known about the money my father owed, and he'd used my loneliness against me.

My phone wouldn't stop buzzing. I ignored them all and collapsed on my father's old couch.

"I'm sorry, Dad," I whispered. "I'm screwing everything up."

I must have fallen asleep because I woke to pounding on the door.

"Isabella, I know you're in there." Maya's voice came through the door. "Open up or I'm using my key."

I let her in.

"Helena called an emergency board meeting," she said. "This morning. She's making her move."

"Let her. I don't care anymore."

"Yes, you do." Maya pushed me toward the bathroom. "Shower. Now. We're going to fight this."

"There's no point. She has the photos, Victor Kane's testimony, and proof that I'm involved with Damien Blackwood." I sat back down. "It's over."

"It's not over until you say it is." Maya crouched in front of me. "Your father built that company from nothing. He trusted you to protect it. Are you really going to hand it to Helena without a fight?"

She was right. I wasn't a quitter.

I showered and changed. Maya drove us to Chen Industries.

"Don't engage with Helena directly. Let me handle the legal aspects. You just need to be present and calm." She glanced at me. "And Bella? Whatever happened with Damien, put it aside for now. We'll deal with that later."

The boardroom was already full. Helena sat at the head of the table, Victor Kane beside her.

"Nice of you to join us, Isabella," Helena said.

"I'm here. Let's get this over with." I took my seat across from her.

Helena stood. "As you all know, I've filed a lawsuit contesting James Chen's will. I have evidence that Isabella has violated the morality clause through her affair with Damien Blackwood, and I have testimony from Victor Kane that James promised me half of Chen Industries before his death."

Victor wouldn't meet my eyes.

"Victor," I said quietly. "Is this true? Did my father promise her anything?"

He finally looked up. "I'm sorry, Isabella. But yes. I heard him say it."

"When?"

"Two weeks before he died. He was in the hospital, heavily medicated. Helena was there, and he told her she'd be taken care of, that she'd get half of everything."

"That's not the same as promising her the company," Maya interjected. "And if he was medicated, his mental state is questionable."

"The intent was clear," Helena said.

"Then why didn't he put it in the will?" I asked. "My father was meticulous about legal documents."

"Maybe he didn't have time. He died a week later." Helena's smile was sharp. "Either way, I'm entitled to compensation."

Robert Chen, my father's cousin, cleared his throat. "Helena, this isn't the proper venue for this discussion. The courts will decide the validity of your claim."

"I'm aware. But Isabella's affair with Damien Blackwood constitutes fraud. She's conspiring with our competitor to undermine this company." Helena pulled out another folder. "I have evidence that Blackwood has been acquiring properties that Chen Industries was bidding on."

"That's insane," I said. "I never gave Damien any information."

"Can you prove that?" Helena addressed the board. "I'm calling for an immediate vote. Either Isabella steps down as board member and relinquishes her claim to the inheritance, or I go public with everything."

"You can't force a vote like this," Maya said.

"Actually, I can. Article seven, section three. In cases of ethical violations, any board member can call for an emergency vote." Helena looked around the table. "All in favor of Isabella's removal?"

Three hands went up.

"All opposed?"

Four hands, including Robert's.

"Abstentions?"

Two hands. The vote was deadlocked.

Helena's smile faded. "This isn't over."

"Yes, it is." The voice came from the doorway. Everyone turned to see Damien Blackwood walking into the boardroom, Adrian Cross behind him.

My heart stopped.

"Mr. Blackwood," Helena recovered quickly. "This is a private meeting."

"Not anymore." Damien placed a briefcase on the table, pulling out documents. "I'm here to clear up some misconceptions. First, Isabella Chen never gave me any inside information about Chen Industries. Every property I acquired was through public bids or private negotiations that had nothing to do with her."

"And we're supposed to just take your word for it?"

"No. You're supposed to take the word of every email, text message, and phone record that shows Isabella and I never discussed business." Damien slid a folder toward Robert. "It's all there."

"Why should we trust you?" one of the board members asked.

"Because unlike some people in this room, I have no reason to lie. I came here to address another issue. The twenty million dollars James Chen owed me."

Helena leaned forward. "See? He admits it."

"I admit James borrowed money from me fifteen years ago. What I'm also admitting is that he paid it back." Damien pulled out another document. "The transfer went through the day before he died. Twenty million plus interest. I received every penny."

The room went silent.

"That's impossible," Helena said.

"He did. He'd been liquidating assets for months, preparing to pay his debts before he died." Damien looked at me. "Your father was an honorable man, Isabella. He made sure everyone was taken care of."

Victor Kane stood up suddenly. "James paid back the money? But Helena said….." He stopped. "You told me he died owing Blackwood millions. You said that's why Isabella was seeing him, to negotiate the debt."

"Victor, sit down," Helena snapped.

"No." Victor turned to me. "I'm sorry, Isabella. She lied to me. She showed me fake documents. I thought I was helping protect his memory."

"You're confused," Helena said.

"I'm not confused. I'm ashamed." Victor looked at the board. "I want to withdraw my testimony. Everything I said was based on false information Helena provided."

Robert Chen stood. "I think we need to table this discussion. Helena, your lawsuit is looking shakier by the minute."

"This isn't over," Helena hissed. "I still have the photos. The morality clause still stands."

"About that." Adrian Cross stepped forward. "The morality clause in James Chen's will is actually invalid. It was added after the will was signed, which makes it a fraudulent amendment."

"That's not possible," Helena said.

"Exactly. You watched. Which means you were involved in will tampering." Adrian placed another document on the table. "I have the original will here, signed six months before James's death. No morality clause. The version you've been citing was altered two weeks before he died, when James was hospitalized."

Helena's face went white. "Where did you get that?"

"From James's personal attorney, who kept a copy in his private files." Adrian looked at Robert. "I'd recommend the board contact the authorities. Will tampering is a felony."

"You can't prove I had anything to do with it," Helena said, backing toward the door.

"Actually, we can." Damien pulled out one more document. "Your signature is on the amended version. The lawyer who made the changes kept detailed records."

Helena ran. She literally turned and ran out of the boardroom.

Robert Chen looked at me, then at Damien. "I think we need to adjourn. Isabella, you're still on the board pending investigation, but given these new revelations, I don't see your position being challenged."

The other board members filed out. Maya squeezed my shoulder. "I'll start the paperwork. We're going to need to involve the police about Helena."

She left, and then it was just me, Damien, and Adrian.

"Thank you," I said to Adrian.

"Thank Damien. He's the one who ordered the investigation." Adrian glanced at his boss. "I'll wait outside."

When we were alone, Damien moved closer. "I meant what I said. Your father paid back every cent. I have no claim on you or your inheritance."

"But you did lie about knowing who I was."

"Yes. And I'm sorry for that." He met my eyes. "I saw you at that bar, and I knew you were James Chen's daughter. I'd been looking into your family's business for months. When I saw you there, alone and sad, I saw an opportunity to get information."

"And did you? Get information?"

"No. Because the moment you started talking, I stopped caring about business and Richard Sterling. All I cared about was making you smile." Damien's voice softened. "I fell for you that first night, Isabella. Everything after that was real."

"How am I supposed to believe that?"

"You're not. Not yet." He pulled a key from his pocket. "This is a storage unit downtown. Inside are all the files I have on your family, on Richard Sterling, on the business dealings between them. Everything I know, you can know. No more secrets."

I picked up the key. "Why are you giving me this?"

"Because I want you to trust me. And the only way that happens is if I give you every reason to." Damien moved toward the door. "Read the files. When you're ready to talk, you know where to find me."

He left, and I stood alone, holding the key.

My phone rang. Marcus.

"Isabella, where are you? My father just called. He knows about Damien Blackwood. He's threatening to—" Marcus's voice cut off.

There was a scuffle, and then a different voice came on the line.

"Hello, Isabella. This is Richard Sterling. I think it's time we had a conversation about your future.”