I'll Make Them All Pay; A General's Revenge

Chapter 8. Doctor Benet

The look on Eric’s face was exactly how I had imagined it.

In fact, it was better than I imagined.

He stood frozen where he was, shock written plainly across his features, disbelief clouding his eyes as he stared straight at me, like his mind was struggling to accept what his eyes were telling him. For a brief second, he looked hollowed out, as though something inside him had cracked open.

Beside him, Bianca murmured something under her breath. I didn’t hear the words, but I saw the effect immediately. Her smile vanished. Color drained from her face, leaving her frozen, eyes fixed on me in open shock.

I smirked faintly and continued walking forward.

The grand hall had fallen into a heavy silence. It pressed against the air, thick and expectant. Every eye was fixed on me now, confusion and disbelief etched openly across faces that moments ago had been smiling and relaxed. I wasn’t surprised. This was the reaction I had anticipated. After all, the legendary General V had always been assumed to be a man.

As I walked, my eyes briefly met Gretta’s. Then Erica’s. Both women were heavily made up, elegance carefully crafted, but it did nothing to hide the shock written plainly on their faces. Their expressions had stiffened, mouths slightly parted, eyes wide and unguarded.

I smiled at them.

It was small, Polite and Controlled.

Then I faced forward again.

An attendant stepped toward me and gestured discreetly. I followed without a word, allowing myself to be guided to my seat near the front. The pause that followed my arrival stretched just a second too long before the master of ceremonies cleared his throat.

Slowly, one by one, the guests began to sit.

“Thank you for that warm welcome,” the MC said, his voice a touch too bright, betraying his nerves. “Let us continue with the program.”

The mayor was called first.

He stood, straightened his suit, and delivered a speech filled with polished phrases about unity, prosperity, and the honor of celebrating love. His tone was practiced, confident. The audience listened politely, nodding at the right moments.

I barely did.

My attention drifted elsewhere, subtle and deliberate.

Eric had finally taken his seat.

His posture was rigid, shoulders squared too tightly, as though he were holding himself together by sheer force of will. He nodded when others nodded, clapped when the room clapped, even smiled briefly when Bianca spoke to him.

But his eyes betrayed him.

They kept drifting back to me.

Each time, he tore his gaze away as if it burned, only to look again moments later, unable to stop himself.

Good.

The chairman spoke next. Then another executive. Applause followed each speech, though it felt thinner now, restrained, as if everyone was waiting for something else to happen.

I felt it too.

When the MC glanced down at his cards again, his pause was unmistakable.

“And now,” he said, lifting his head, “we are honored to invite General V to say a few words.”

The hall stilled again before applause rose, louder and sharper than before.

I stood and walked toward the microphone, taking it calmly from the stand.

“I don’t have much to say,” I began, my voice steady, carrying easily through the hall. “It’s a pleasure to be here today.”

I paused, then turned slightly toward Eric and his wife.

“Mr. and Mrs. Eric Walker, congratulations on your union,” I said evenly. “I wish you both happiness in the life you are building together. Thank you.”

I handed the microphone back to the MC and returned to my seat.

The applause came, polite and dutiful, but I noticed what mattered more.

Eric and Bianca weren’t clapping.

They sat pale and unmoving, staring blankly ahead, as if the words I had just spoken carried a meaning no one else in the room could hear. To anyone else, it had sounded like a simple blessing. To them, it was something else entirely.

This, however, was only the beginning.

I took out my phone and opened w******p, my expression calm. Jeff’s name was already at the top of the screen.

“Status?” I typed.

The reply came almost immediately.

“The board is already in session. Directors are present. Voting has begun.”

“Good. Continue.”

“Understood.”

I didn’t reply again. I lowered my phone and looked up just in time to meet Eric’s gaze. My lips curved into a smile that wasn’t really a smile at all.

Let the show begin.

Not long after, Eric stood and left his seat. I followed his retreating figure with my eyes until he disappeared from the hall, then calmly returned my attention to the MC.

Minutes later, Eric rushed back in, only to turn and bolt out again, panic written clearly across his face this time.

Bianca stood immediately. “Eric, what happened? Where are you going?”

He didn’t answer. He moved faster, ignoring her completely.

“Eric!” she called again, following him out.

As they disappeared, the hall fell into another heavy silence.

I glanced calmly at Gretta and Erica. Both women were staring at the doors, mouths agape. When they noticed my gaze, they turned toward me.

I smiled.

Their faces paled instantly, and they looked away.

Whispers began to ripple through the hall, soft at first, then growing louder.

“Have you seen the news?”

“What news?”

“Check your phone.”

My phone buzzed.

I opened the notification without expression.

WALKER GROUP BOARD VOTES TO REMOVE ERIC WALKER AS CEO

The Board of Directors of Walker Group has officially voted to remove Eric Walker from his position as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.

Sources confirm the decision was reached during an emergency board meeting earlier today, citing governance concerns and conflicts of interest.

An interim leadership structure is expected to be announced within hours.

The whispers erupted fully now. Guests stared at their screens, stunned, murmurs filling the space.

I remained seated, my expression neutral, as if none of it had anything to do with me.

Then I stood.

“It seems the ceremony has been interrupted,” I said calmly. “I’ll take my leave.”

I walked out amid the stares and silence, unhurried and composed.

Outside, I entered the car and settled into the back seat. I leaned my head against the headrest and crossed my legs, allowing myself a single quiet breath.

Mission accomplished.

Actually,stripping Eric of his CEO title had never been part of my original plan.

I had only thought of freezing everything I gave him and withdraw all investment but Jeff had gone beyond that. He simply explained why freezing the funds wouldn’t be enough, why Eric would survive it, recover, maneuver his way back into control like he always did.

So the board had been pulled in. An emergency session arranged. A vote prepared.

Jeff told me plainly that Eric wouldn’t just be weakened. He would be removed.

I took it in quietly. There was no shock, no need to interrupt him. By the time he finished, I already knew he was right. Leaving Eric half-standing would only give him space to fight back. If this was going to be done at all, it had to be done completely

I took out my phone and opened Eric’s chat. I typed without pausing.

How’s the gift I sent you, ex?

Hope you like it.

Happy married life, Mr. Walker.

I sent it.

I stared at the message for a second, then let out a quiet laugh. I dropped my phone and leaned back, my gaze drifting to the window. The city slid past in a blur as the car moved, lights and buildings bleeding into one another. Then a hospital passed by. Just one of many. Ordinary. Unremarkable.

And yet my chest tightened.

The memory came without warning. Being dragged down a corridor. The smell of disinfectant. The cold of the room. The needle. The pressure. The moment my baby was taken from me.

My jaw clenched. My hands trembled slightly before I forced them still. I reached for my phone and called Jeff.

“Do me a favor, will you?” I said, my voice calm.

“Anything.”

“Get me the head doctor of Walker Medical Center.”