Chapter 243: The Rightful Heir
You know how, deep within the earth, a diamond is born under crushing weight and blistering heat. It is trapped in a place meant to destroy it, yet it does not break.
Instead, the pressure forges it into something stronger. Only when it is finally forced into the light does it reveal its brilliance, commanding the world to stop and admire it.
It was the same process Aliana was going through.
From the outside, it might have seemed that what Gavriel did was simply expose Jacob’s deepest, darkest sins.
But anyone who looked closely would see that he was actually casting light on his diamond. Shaping her... smoothing away the rough edges, so that she could shine exactly as she was meant to.
In the grand ballroom, cameras were positioned throughout the room while bright studio lights illuminated the stage.
The quiet murmur of conversation gradually faded as a deep voice resonated through the hall from behind the podium.
"As Chairman of the Van Empire, I hereby announce to the world our new and rightful Chief Executive Officer, Aliana Vanderbilt, who now stands before you as Aliana Valentine," Alester declared.
Dressed in a sleek black ensemble consisting of a sharply tailored asymmetrical blazer that cinched her waist, along with a floor-length mermaid skirt that flowed elegantly behind her, Aliana walked toward the stage with calm, confident strides until she stood beside her father.
After exchanging a light kiss on the cheek in greeting, she stepped behind the podium as her light grey eyes swept across the sea of faces before her.
Beneath the glittering crystal chandeliers of Van Empire’s grand ballroom sat senior executives, department managers, board members, shareholders, and members of the media.
Hundreds of eyes followed her every movement.
Under the spotlight, Aliana looked every bit the elegant and formidable businesswoman she had polished herself into becoming. There was no trace of hesitation in her as she stood before the empire that was now hers to lead.
"Good Morning, everyone. Standing before you today, I don’t see a company facing transition. I see an empire poised for expansion. The Van Empire was built on a foundation of excellence and relentless ambition. My father and forefathers established that legacy, and as Chief Executive Officer, I intend to honour it by driving us toward heights we have yet to imagine..."
As she addressed everyone in the room, no one could have ever guessed that she was the same woman who had broken down just yesterday in her husband’s arms behind closed doors.
With the wedding behind them, every major news outlet had been dominated by two stories.
One revealed the horrifying truth behind Jacob Grant’s crimes, exposing him as one of the city’s most notorious serial predators.
The other celebrated what had already been crowned the wedding of the century, the union of two of the world’s most influential business dynasties.
Only a single official photograph had been released from the wedding, capturing Aliana and Gavriel sharing a passionate kiss at the altar. The breathtaking image quickly spread across every major news outlet, leaving countless people sighing over what many called a fairytale come to life.
The business world, however, viewed the marriage through an entirely different lens.
The union of two corporate giants sent the share prices of both companies soaring, prompting investors to celebrate what they believed would become one of the most powerful alliances in business history.
At the same time, Jacob Grant’s crimes cast a dark shadow over the Van Empire. After all, he had served as the company’s Acting CEO while secretly hunting innocent women behind closed doors.
To restore confidence and shift the public’s focus towards the company’s future, Alester had organised a company-wide event the very next day.
Every senior official was required to attend, while members of the media were invited to witness the formal announcement of Van Empire’s new and rightful CEO, Aliana.
Most of the board had anticipated the decision and accepted it without objection.
A small faction, however, argued that it was far too soon to entrust someone of her age with the reins of such a powerful corporation.
Among the loudest voices was the group led by Rufus Avery, Aliana’s uncle, who had never hidden his displeasure at the thought of her becoming the head of Van Empire.
Alester, however, entertained none of it.
He swiftly dismissed every objection, leaving Rufus and his supporters with no choice but to retreat for the time being. However, beneath their composed expressions, each silently vowed to strip Aliana of her position at the first opportunity.
Aliana, on the other hand, had graciously agreed to return to the fray.
She had been away from the corporate world for far too long and genuinely missed the thrill of the work.
With her formal appointment as CEO, she knew the public and her enemies would be keeping a watchful eye on her, waiting for her to fall.
Something she would never allow to happen.
Hence, she stood on the stage bravely, addressing the crowd as she took her rightful place.
Her spirit felt lighter after pouring out the heavy burdens that had weighed her down, and she drew immense strength from knowing Gavriel stood by her side... accepting her unconditionally.
As she finished her speech, the crowd erupted into thunderous applause.
She offered them a dazzling smile, but instead of focusing on the audience, her eyes instantly sought out the icy blue gaze of her husband, who sat in the front row clapping for her.
Gavriel had accompanied her for one reason alone, to be present when she was officially honoured as the new CEO of Van Empire, standing beside her as any supportive husband would.
Yet throughout the entire event, he had remained nothing more than a silent spectator, deliberately refusing to draw even the slightest attention away from her moment.
Not that he needed to do anything.
His mere presence was enough.
The media had been quick to capture countless photographs of the Chairman of Archon Group, who had personally attended the event to support his wife.
....
As the days passed, Aliana found herself buried under new responsibilities.
Guided by Alester and with Nigel working alongside her, she quickly took charge of the operations, managing the massive volume of work that frequently kept her at the office for long hours.
By the time she returned to the Valentine residence each evening, she would always find Gavriel waiting for her, whether in the living room or his study.
He had personally taken charge of the Atlas Gateway Project, partly to ease the burden on her shoulders and partly to give himself a reason to remain close whenever meetings between Archon Group and Van Empire required their presence.