When the CEO Lost Everything

"Sign this letter, or I’ll make sure your name is ruined across all of England." The threat echoes through the opulent, mahogany-paneled office. Damian Blackwood stands tall behind his massive oak desk, glaring at the woman who has been by his side for five years as if she is nothing more than a stain on his expensive shoes. Next to him, Isabella Hart leans her head on Damian’s shoulder, her fingers gently wiping away perfectly controlled tears. Evelyn Ashford stares at the piece of paper on the desk. Her slender fingers tremble as she fights the suffocating pain stabbing her chest. “Would you rather trust this woman’s fake medical records rather than your own doctor’s examination, Damian?” Evelyn lifts her gaze, locking eyes with her husband. Damian chuckles bitterly. “Isabella brings authentic evidence from the best clinic in London. I’ve given you five years, Evelyn. Five years of hiding my shame in front of my mother and shareholders because you can’t produce an heir!” A sharp slap cuts through the silence of the room. Damian’s breath quickens, his eyes widen in shock as he feels numbness on his left cheek. Evelyn stands upright, her hand reddened from the slap. “Never accuse me without proof!” Evelyn whispers fiercely. Her eyes burn with a resolve Damian has never seen before. Mrs. Victoria Blackwood steps in through the open door, her sharp heels clicking on the marble floor. The middle-aged woman gazes at Evelyn with disdain. “How dare you lay a hand on my son, you useless woman!” Victoria snaps, puffing out her chest as she stands beside Damian. “You’re nothing but a parasite in this family. For five years, you’ve enjoyed the Blackwood Group’s facilities without contributing a thing!” “I agree,” Isabella chimes in with a voice that’s deliberately hoarse and pleading. “Evelyn, if you truly love Damian, let him go. Don’t ruin the future of the Blackwood family just because of your pride.” Evelyn looks at the three people before her, one by one. The pain that has built up over the years suddenly vanishes. She reaches for the divorce papers on Damian’s desk. “I gave up my research career at Oxford just to be by your side, Damian,” Evelyn says, her voice devoid of emotion. “I’ve been managing your business from behind the scenes when you were nearly bankrupt three years ago. I swallowed every insult from your mother at every family gathering.” Damian crosses his arms, turning his face away. “That’s your duty as my wife. Don’t bring up things you shouldn’t.” “Duty or not, it all ends tonight,” Evelyn replies shortly. She flips through the divorce documents in front of her. The total amount is ten million pounds—an hush money figure prepared by the Blackwood family to make her leave without causing a scandal in London’s media. The sound of tearing paper rings sharply. Evelyn rips the asset claim pages in two and tosses them into the trash bin beside Damian’s desk. “What are you doing?!” Victoria exclaims, her eyes widening as she sees the torn property division documents. “I don’t want a single penny of dirty money from the Blackwood family,” Evelyn replies coldly. She signs the main divorce form with a steady hand. The gold pen she uses is tossed onto the table, splattering a drop of black ink onto Damian’s white shirt. “You’ll regret this, Evelyn,” Damian whispers, his voice tense. “Out there, you’re nobody. Without the Blackwood name, you’re just a failed scientist rotting on the streets.” Evelyn looks Damian straight in the eye. The warmth that once radiated from her gaze is now gone. “We’ll see who rots first, Damian,” she replies. Evelyn turns her back and walks out of the room, never once looking back. Her steps are firm as she treads on the marble floor of the Blackwood estate’s hallway. Behind her, the sounds of Victoria’s satisfied laughter and Isabella’s sweet whispers begin to fade, no longer hurting her. Heavy rain pours over London. The cold wind pierces her to the bone as Evelyn steps out of the giant iron gates that have kept her confined for half a decade. She carries a handbag filled with her personal documents. Her diamond-studded wedding ring is left behind on the dressing table of her main bedroom. A sleek, long-roofed black sedan is parked on the quiet street. The passenger door opens automatically as Evelyn approaches. An elderly man with white hair, dressed in a fine suit and holding a silver-carved cane, sits inside the car. His eyes, glassy with deep guilt, meet Evelyn’s. “Forgive me, Evelyn,” Arthur Ashford says hoarsely. “I let you suffer for five years just to fulfill your desire to prove your love for that man.” Evelyn slides into the car, resting her exhausted body on the plush leather seat. Tears finally fall, slowly streaming down her pale face as she wipes away the remnants of her past warmth. “I’m not wrong,” Evelyn whispers softly, wiping her tears with her fingertips. “I was just too foolish to believe love could change a blind man.” Arthur holds his only granddaughter’s hand tightly. “Your marriage to the Blackwoods is over. Now it’s time for you to take back what’s yours.” The old man hands Evelyn an elegant black leather folder. On its cover, the gold emblem of Ardent Biopharma, Europe’s largest multinational pharmaceutical company, is embossed—controlling the global supply chain of medicines and patents. “Our private helicopter is waiting at the airport,” Arthur says firmly. “The entire board of directors at Ardent Biopharma in Geneva is waiting for you to assume the CEO position tomorrow morning.” Evelyn opens the folder. Her name appears as the sole major shareholder and top executive of Ardent Biopharma. A photo of her from five years ago, when she was Oxford’s top pharmacy graduate, stares back at her. “Are you ready to come back, Grandpa’s girl?” Arthur asks softly. Evelyn closes the folder. She gazes out the car window, watching the shadow of the Blackwood estate slowly fade behind the pouring rain. The tenderness in her face has hardened, replaced by a commanding presence filled with authority and unwavering determination. “I’m not just coming back, Grandpa,” she replies, her voice clear and full of dominance. “I will make London kneel at my feet.” The black sedan speeds through the darkness, taking away a woman who has become numb. Three days later, the main conference room of Blackwood Group is filled with tension. Damian sits at the end of a large oval table, studying the latest quarterly financial report, showing a significant decline in the health and research divisions. “How can our new drug development project be delayed again?” Damian asks, his tone pressing. His eyes scan the faces of the directors who look down in fear. Isabella, now the Director of Public Relations, clears her throat softly. “Damian, our research team is facing difficulties because Evelyn’s old formula documents turned out to be incomplete.” Damian clenches his fists on the table. Why does her shadow still haunt his office even after three days of her departure? “Find other researchers!” Damian orders sharply. “Pay any price. We need to win the main medical supply tender with Ardent Biopharma next month. If we fail to get that contract, Blackwood Group’s shares will plummet.” A senior manager raises his hand hesitantly. “Mr. Blackwood, Ardent Biopharma just announced a new CEO. Their new chief executive has banned all informal negotiations with us.” Damian frowns. “Who is the new CEO? Has Mr. Arthur Ashford retired?” “We haven’t confirmed the official name yet, sir,” the manager replies panicking. “Ardent Biopharma only says that their new CEO will attend the European Health Conference in London next week.” Damian leans back in his chair, massaging his temple as a bad premonition rises within him—a strange, unsettling feeling he’s never experienced before. “Prepare our entire proposal dossier,” Damian says coldly. “I’ll personally meet the new CEO of Ardent Biopharma.”