That voice was icy, devoid of any emotion. Yet it felt like a blade pressed suddenly against Justin's throat.
The person outside the door enunciated every word with deliberate clarity, making sure everyone inside could hear him.
All the board members turned to look at Justin at once, their eyes fixed on his cold expression.
Javier stared at Justin in shock. Though countless questions swirled in his mind, he didn't dare voice any of them under so many watchful eyes.
"Mr. Justin Beckett!" Cyrus raised his voice. "Would you like to come out and meet with me, or do I have to come in and escort you out myself?"
His arrogant, mocking tone was a direct provocation.
Enemies stood waiting outside, while those inside the room fell into a heavy silence. The tension stretched to its limit. On the surface, everything seemed calm, but beneath it, unease churned like a current beneath frozen water.
Some of the board members had already begun whispering among themselves.
A sense of impending doom washed over Javier. He was just about to call off the meeting when Cyrus suddenly barged in with his subordinates. Without giving Javier a chance to react, he flashed his police badge.
With a frosty expression, he announced, "I am Cyrus Taylor, Chief of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Solana City Police Force."
As he spoke, the smile on his face widened, though it carried an unmistakable edge of intimidation. "We're old acquaintances, so I don't think I need much of an introduction, do I, Mr. Javier, Mr. Justin?"
"Mr. Taylor—"
Before Javier could finish, Cyrus cut him off mercilessly. "Mr. Taylor? I'm on duty. Address me by my title."
Everyone fell silent. As expected of a public servant, he showed no regard for the chairman of a major corporation.
Javier clenched his jaw, forcing down his anger. "Chief Taylor, we're in the middle of a board meeting. Can this wait until we're done?"
"No, we can't. This is a matter of life and death, Mr. Javier." Cyrus turned away and strode straight toward Justin, who remained seated calmly. "Mr. Justin, your uncle, Zachary Dutton—the former chairman of Dutton Group-was found dead by the side of a highway in Solana City.
"Since you're his only living relative, we need you to come with us to assist in our investigation."
The board erupted in shock.
Everyone present knew who Zachary was. He had once been a notorious figure in Solana City, though not for anything admirable. His crimes were extensive and appalling.
As far as they remembered, he had been sentenced to death for murder. Later, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment after a medical report claimed he was mentally unstable.
If that were the case, shouldn't he still be in prison? How had he ended up dead by the roadside?
Javier was dumbfounded. It felt as though all the blood in his body rushed to his chest.
It had been a long time since he last heard Zachary's name. Memories he had buried long ago surged back like crashing waves.
Over the course of his life, Javier
had been with three women. His first
wife, Caroline Dutton, is Justin's
mother. Then Anne Bartley, Jasper's
mother And finally, Sophia Kirkman who bore him two daughters.
Anne had been the love of his life. There was no denying that. Sophia, though manipulative, was at least sane.
But Caroline had been his nightmare. She was completely unhinged.
Then again, the Duttons were all mad in their own way. Compared to Caroline, Zachary had been even worse. He was utterly inhumane.
Caroline had later taken her own life, shooting herself and staining the lake behind Seaview Manor a vivid red. Javier hadn't felt grief at the time; he felt freedom.
When Zachary was imprisoned and sentenced to life, Javier thought he had finally escaped that cursed family. He never expected Zachary to have been released without anyone knowing.
Still, perhaps it was for the best that he was dead now. It felt as though justice had finally been served that the world had seen enough of his cruelty.
"Chief Taylor, are you implying that I'm a suspect in Uncle Zachary's death?" Justin asked.
A faint smile lingered on his lips, but the coldness in his eyes was unmistakable.
"Did I say that?" Cyrus narrowed his eyes. "Or are you so eager to deny it that you're jumping to conclusions Mr. Justin? All I said was that we need you to assist with the vestigation. Why Did that strike nerve?"
Under the table, Justin's hands clenched into fists, veins standing out along his arms.
"Why are you still sitting, Mr. Justin? Do you need your wheelchair?" Cyrus asked sarcastically.
Over years of handling countless ruthless criminals, Cyrus had rarely lost his composure. Yet Justin was one of the few who constantly pushed him to the edge.
Javier shot to his feet, enraged by the humiliation. "Watch your words, Chief Taylor. Do not humiliate my son!"
A smile spread across Cyrus' face at Javier's reaction. "Did I? Wasn't it a fact that he used to present himself as disabled in public? What? Has he abandoned that act now?"
In a fit of rage, Javier roared, "Why, you—"
"That's enough, Dad. There's no need to react like this."
Justin placed his hands on the armrests and slowly pushed himself to his feet. His expression was dark and composed. You want me to assist with your investigation, right? I'll go with you."