Craved by the Wrong Volkov-Chapter 348: A scandal

The meeting continued, and Raphael continued to lay his trap with a calm demeanour.

Ronan leaned back slightly in his seat, watching the board absorb everything. Raphael had always been sharp and capable, but this was something else entirely. There was a ruthlessness to him now that had not been there before.

Or perhaps it had always been there, waiting.

Raphael continued outlining the plan, his voice steady as he moved through each step. He did not reveal everything, not yet. Some parts were deliberately held back, reserved for later, for when he knew exactly where the next strike would land.

Across the table, the board members listened, some nodding, others still processing, but none interrupting. Whatever doubts they had were overshadowed by the clarity of his direction. His gaze studied them, trying to find any hint.

This was war, and Raphael had already taken the first shot.

What none of them said out loud, but all of them understood, was that Lucien would not stay silent.

If he was truly Killian Orlov, then retaliation was not a question of if, but when. And when it came, would it be gentle or not?

Raphael closed his laptop slowly, his gaze lifting to meet the room once more. "This is only the beginning," he said, his voice calm but firm.

********

Elsewhere, far from the Volkov Apex building, Braelyn had just woken up. Last night was a bit tirng. She did not know why, but she kept having this feeling that something bad was about to happen.

Her eyes fluttered open and shut again. It was too bright. The slanting sun rays coming in through the window blinds made it unbearable. She could already tell it was late in the morning.

A yawn slipped out of her mouth as she stretched and tried to reach for Lucien’s side of the bed. It was completely cold. He must have gotten out of bed very early. Braelyn’s brows pulled together, but she still forced herself to sit up.

For a moment, she was dazed, realising Lucien was not there. Lately, he had been very clingy and was always by her side except for work. Lucien was not planning on going to work today, so where was he? The more she thought about it, the more unsettling it became.

She managed to push herself up, her back leaning against the headboard. Instinctively, her hand reached for her phone by the side drawer. It was a new habit she had developed. Every morning, she would check Francesca’s DM.

As expected, it was the same. Francesca waking up every morning fussing about her.

Francesca: Morning Lynn... I hope that bastard allowed you to sleep. Make sure to eat well, and if your mood is crappy, kick Lucien.

That was just one of her texts. Every day, she would message Braelyn, asking how she was doing while giving advice about the baby. She also never wasted an opportunity to roast Lucien.

Braelyn found it comforting, feeling her care. Those messages in the morning always made her smile. She always took her time to reply to every message.

Just as Lynn was about to drop her phone after replying, she wanted to leave the bed and ask about Lucien. The feeling of foreboding twisting her gut was still there.

Her phone started vibrating with a call from Genny. Her eyes narrowed at the caller ID. A few days ago, when Braelyn returned, Genny was the first person she contacted.

Only a few people had her contact. She could still remember the call, the way Genny had burst into tears as soon as she heard Lynn’s voice. Braelyn’s heart had ached a bit hearing her sobs.

Genny had started apologising over and over again about the kidnapping. She had no idea how the driver was tracked down. She had been losing her mind after Lynn was taken. Genny was clueless that Yelena was the one who kidnapped her, and Braelyn did not deem it necessary to inform her.

The less Genny knew, the better for her.

Braelyn had also enquired about the driver. It turned out the driver was not held hostage. He was the one who informed the Moreau family she was taken. Genny had deployed her family’s strength and connections to find her, but she had disappeared.

She had been tempted at times to tell Raphael to ask for help but was too scared. She knew Raphael’s temper. There was no telling what he would do.

Back to the present, Braelyn picked the call without a second of hesitation.

"Lynn, how are you doing? I have been calling, and no answer. It scared me to death. Something must have happened to you." Genny’s panicked voice cut through the phone.

Braelyn groaned. Her head was throbbing with a bad headache, and Genny was clearly in distress. "I am fine," she answered, massaging the space between her brows. "I just woke up and missed your calls," she explained.

Genny sounded a bit relieved after hearing that, but the urgency in her voice remained. "I thought something bad happened," she said, which made Lynn more suspicious.

"Did something happen?" Braelyn went straight to the point.

Genny was silent for a while before she hesitantly said, "You have not seen the news..."

"What news?" Braelyn shot back, and she could hear Genny drawing in a deep breath before continuing.

"News that Lucien is the bloodthirsty CEO, Killian Orlov, who is after Volkov Apex..." The words slammed into Braelyn at once, and her eyes went instantly wide.

How was that possible? Only a few people knew, and the revelation would affect Lucien’s plans. She was still processing the news when the next one left her completely speechless.

"That is not all. All over the media, there is evidence of you and Lucien’s affair. It makes it look like you betrayed Raphael and the company alongside Lucien, then faked your death to be with your lover..." Braelyn went ghostly pale.

The scandals were not a lie, but she understood how the media worked. Who did this? Had Raphael discovered the truth?

Genny continued, "The media is on your neck, and I heard New Horizon stocks were also affected..." Braelyn gasped.

To the business world, having a mistress was not a big deal, but betraying your family was a grave scandal. Even if the truth about Raphael was released, it would only fuel the media. They would see it as an excuse.