"Give the Ashford Group to Evan."
Elena was stunned. She couldn't react as her brain took time to process Vanessa's words. Give her family's company to Evan? Should she really do that? It was the Ashford Group. It was a company built by her grandfather and passed on to her father and then to her.
But on the other side, Elena thought that even Evan was her family. He had also climbed his way up in the company through his hard work. It wouldn't be bad for her to hand over the company to Evan. Also, Vanessa's words made sense to her. It was necessary for her to contribute something to her marriage.
What Elena didn't understand was that it was not 50:50 in marriage. Just because she couldn't get pregnant, it didn't mean that her existence in the marriage was meaningless. This relationship was about companionship rather than give and take. However, the fact that she couldn't conceive had broken Elena's confidence and so she was quickly influenced by Vanessa's words.
"Vanessa, I think you're right," Elena looked at Vanessa with determination in her eyes.
Vanessa knew that she had achieved her goal. Elena's expression showed that she was convinced. If it was any other time, it would be difficult to fool Elena. But with Evan and her infertility in question, Elena could be manipulated very easily.
Having achieved her goal, Vanessa got up to leave. "Elena, I hope this ends everything," Vanessa smiled while walking out.
Elena nodded thinking that her best friend was referring to the end of her sorrows. What she didn't know was that Vanessa was talking about her end.
…
The boardroom on the top floor of Ashford Group was wrapped in glass, overlooking the skyline like a throne room in the clouds. A dozen board members sat in silence, expressions tight, eyes flicking between Elena and Evan.
Elena stood at the head of the table, dressed in muted gray, hair tied back, her almond-shaped eyes rimmed red. Her face was composed, her posture perfect—but she looked tired. The happenings of the last few days had taken a toll on her.
Next to her, Evan sat with his usual calm. Crisp shirt, unreadable face. He didn't look at her. But his posture? Relaxed. Too relaxed. He looked like a man watching a plan unfold exactly the way he expected.
Elena spoke, her voice quiet but clear. "Effective today, Evan Cross will take over as CEO of Ashford Group."
There was a pause. The board murmured approval. A few polite nods. After all, compared to this useless heiress, Evan was much better. Evan's lips curved into a smug smile.
Elena reached for the leather folder in front of her, paused for a breath, then pushed it toward Evan. "The transition is complete. Legal has processed everything. My father's shares, my authority. It's yours now."
Elena looked at Evan hopefully. She hoped that she could see a trace of love in his eyes. Something that could save their relationship. She wasn't disappointed. Evan smiled at her and hugged her lovingly. He was so gentle that Elena felt like she was about to cry. How long had she craved for this touch, for this gentleness!
The board members looked at the couple and smiled. They dispersed quickly so as to give the couple their time. No matter how useless their heiress was, she had suffered a lot. They wished her happiness as long as it didn't affect their benefits.
As soon as everyone left, Evan released Elena from the hug and said, "Let's go home."
Elena looked at Evan and nodded with tears of happiness in her eyes. She thanked Vanessa a million times in her heart for giving her this idea. What she didn't realize that this was not love. A person whose behavior changed just because of power and money was not worthy of any love. However, Elena was so desperate that she was willing to overlook everything just to stay with Evan. It was as if her brain had shut down.
Evan was not worried about the company even if it was his first day as the CEO. He had prepared for this day since a long time. So, he was not afraid that anyone in the company would find fault with him if he didn't work on the first day as CEO.
Evan held Elena's hand as the couple walked towards the exit. Elena felt like she was in heaven. She was so happy that she couldn't express her emotions. Every grievance of hers had disappeared. Her mood didn't change even on their way home.
However, when she entered the villa, the smile on her face disappeared.