Chapter 477: How to Start an Apocalypse with One Rumour
Inside Clyde’s office at La Riviere’s headquarters, Dean stood with his head lowered in shame.
Memories of that day flashed in his mind.
Dean still had no idea why Aria or Micah were so invested in that drug. Why had Aria cried so sorrowfully and hard when she heard about it? He wanted to ask Clyde, but looking at the man’s disappointed face, he swallowed all of his questions.
One look was enough to tell him that bringing up Micah’s name right now would be a terrible idea.
Because of his mistake, Little Uncle had been forced to cut short his holiday, leaving Micah behind and returning to Isatis City. And Dean knew all too well what that meant.
Separating lovers was a great sin.
Clyde sat behind his desk and looked at his nephew. He pinched the bridge of his nose. Honestly, if it hadn’t been this particular drug, Clyde might not have been so furious. Of all things, it had to be this one. In this life, even before regaining his memories, he had tried to create this drug subconsciously. This was the drug meant to stabilise Micah’s mother’s condition and save her from needing a stem cell transplant... the same one that had led Micah toward his demise.
Yet, his nephew had messed it up. He sighed. "Dean," he said at last, voice low but sharp, "you will be removed from this project. I hope this will be your last mistake."
There was no anger in his tone, just weary disappointment, which somehow hurt worse.
Dean lowered his head. "Yes, Uncle."
When Clyde dismissed him, Dean could only bow and leave. His heart sank, his throat dry. His dismissal from the project would cause an uproar in the company.
But he knew Clyde should punish him fairly; otherwise, other employees would be dissatisfied with him. And Dean would lose their respect. They would think he had achieved everything through favoritism and family influence.
Dean returned to his office, his body heavy as lead, weighed down by regret. The hallway felt longer than usual, and every pair of eyes that followed him felt sharper. Whispers rippled through the hallway as he passed.
He closed the door behind him and leaned against it, staring blankly at the floor. He had no one to blame but himself.
A soft knock interrupted his thoughts. "Sir?"
It was Secretary Aston, Clyde’s assistant. She stepped inside, frowning with concern.
"Did you tell him the reason?" she asked.
Dean shook his head. "No."
Her brows knitted together. "Why not? I told you the big boss cares about Ramsy’s family. If you’d mentioned you missed it because of Miss Aria, I am sure he would have gone easy on you."
Dean forced a faint smile. "Secretary Aston, I appreciate your concern. But it wouldn’t change anything. He made the right call."
"But I’m worried about you, Sir," she said gently. "The company has been buzzing with rumours lately, and your demotion only made things worse."
"What rumour?" Dean asked, wary.
Aston hesitated, biting her lip. "Well...since the big boss took that two-week leave, something that never happens, people started speculating. Some say he’s planning to resign and pass the company to you. Others say he’s... seeing someone."
Dean blinked. "Seeing someone?"
She nodded awkwardly. "Yes, a woman. They saw the big boss dining with her. And now that you’ve been pulled off the project... people think he did it to make way for her future son, that maybe he’s going to groom him as his successor."
Dean stared at her, mouth open. For a few seconds, his brain simply refused to process the nonsense he had just heard.
"What?" he finally managed to say. "That’s absurd."
Aston winced. "I know. But gossip spreads fast. You know how employees talk."
"That woman... did they say what she looks like?"
"Some said she had silver-white hair," Aston replied carefully. "She was mysterious, like a celebrity, hiding her face with a mask and a hat. You know her?"
Dean massaged his temple, thinking it probably was Asena.
"Yeah..." Dean gulped.
Aston tilted her head. "Then it’s true?"
"No!" Dean said quickly, voice rising in panic. "No, no, no. It’s not what they think."
His heart skipped a beat. What if Micah ever heard about this rumour? If he thought Clyde was seeing Asena...
Dean shivered. The memory of Micah’s expression when Jacklin had mentioned Asena to him flashed before his eyes. The boy lost it; his smile had vanished, replaced by icy fury. Then he had gone missing.... and all of them had been punished by Clyde the next day for provoking him.
Micah wasn’t here... and this rumour was spreading. If Micah heard it when he came back... oh shit.
His little Uncle would be finished!
Dean rubbed his tired eyes. He had no courage to go back to Clyde’s office and tell him about the gossip.
"Secretory Aston," he said weakly, "When exactly did they say my uncle was seen with her?"
"Umm... I think it was more than two weeks ago... at a restaurant."
More than two weeks ago...Dean’s breath caught. That was the time when Micah had been kidnapped and Clyde had gotten hurt saving him. So what did this date with Asena mean?
Dean felt he had finally found the reason for Micah’s sudden disappearance.
Micah had cried so hard in the hospital that day, then vanished into thin air. He found it strange that the boy who didn’t leave Clyde’s side, all of a sudden, went MIA. So he learned about this? Couple argument?
Asena... this person had really become an obstacle between Clyde and Micah...
And why was Uncle still seeing her? Didn’t Clyde lecture them before about how they could not see him with Micah together because of the past? So why was he cheating on Micah?
Uncle.... You are killing us! Please. Don’t send that demon king toward us! Micah will slaughter us all...
Dean dreaded the moment Micah would return. It would be the day hell would be loose...for sure.