CHAPTER 158: THE GRAND REVELATION

Claire’s POV

"Or I will complain about you to your so-called ultimate boss," I snapped, my voice firm even though my heart was pounding. "And trust me when I say I will make him apologize to me directly!"

The words felt bold coming out of my mouth, but deep down, I knew the reality. I was just an ordinary person— a nobody in their world of power and influence. Why would the owner of this massive mall, someone as untouchable as their Chairman, even care about me? But I couldn’t let Brian be all smug and demean me.

All I wanted was a fun day out with my best friend and son, as I wanted to lift up my mood after what happened. But instead, I ran into this nightmare. After escaping a life-threatening situation just days ago, encountering Brian and Mia felt like the universe was pushing all the wrong buttons, testing how far I could be pushed before breaking down.

Brian’s face twisted in amusement at my remark, and then he did something that made my blood boil—he laughed... he laughed out loud.

"Wh... What!?" Brian wheezed, clutching his stomach as if I had told the funniest joke in the world. His laugh was loud and cruel, echoing through the store. He leaned back in his chair, laughing so hard he was nearly falling out of it.

When he finally regained his composure, he wiped at his eyes dramatically, still grinning like a hyena. "Have you ever looked at yourself?" he sneered, his tone dripping with disdain. "Are you even worth a penny? No! Even I wouldn’t want to lay my eyes on you, let alone my boss! So, skip the thoughts of seducing him!"

His words hit like a slap, but I forced myself to stand tall, refusing to show any weakness.

"Seducing?" Sissy cut in, her voice laced with fury. "Is that all your tiny brain can come up with? You are fucking disgusting!" She stepped closer; her protective aura was as fierce as ever.

I glanced at Sissy as I was grateful for her support. She always had my back, even when I felt like crumbling.

Brian scoffed, shaking his head. "Talk big all you want," he said, his tone turning cold again. "But let me give you some advice, Claire. Stay in your lane. People like you don’t get to make demands. You are not special—you are just... nothing, who is trying to make something out of rich men."

"Pak!"

I couldn’t take it anymore! He was spewing nonsense in front of Eliam, and I wouldn’t tolerate that! In fact, I was used to such insulting words but not in front of my son!

"How dare you!" Brian spat as he touched his cheeks which were possibly stinging.

Eliam was shocked by my sudden outburst as he tugged at my hand, his small voice barely audible. "Mommy, can we go?"

My heart ached as I looked down at his innocent face. He didn’t deserve to be in the middle of this. I placed a reassuring hand on his head and forced a smile.

"We are leaving," I said firmly, meeting Brian’s gaze without flinching. My voice was steady, though my heart raced. "But don’t think for a second that I am scared of you, Brian. I have dealt with people like you before, and I will do it again. You might think you are powerful, but you will never look down on me again."

Brian cocked an eyebrow, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Really? Do you think showing a little guts means you get to walk away just like that? After doing this?" He said as he pointed at his red cheek.

He wasn’t wrong— I had shown guts, something I had never dared to do before. Honestly, I was surprised even myself. But for the first time in my life, I felt a spark of courage, and I was proud of it. Still, Brian’s smirk told me I wasn’t off the hook yet and he wasn’t done with me yet.

"Think again." His voice was low and menacing as he snapped his fingers. Out of nowhere, a group of men in black emerged, surrounding us like shadows.

Brian’s smug expression deepened. "You are not leaving here on your own two legs today."

My stomach dropped. These weren’t ordinary goons— they looked like trained commandos, each one sharp and imposing. How in the world did someone like Brian have access to forces like this? I felt panic creeping in, but I forced myself to stand tall.

"What should we do?" Sissy whispered. "I don’t think I can fight them alone?" She said as she stood beside me, holding my hand firmly, while I hid Eliam behind me.

Just when I thought I was out of options, a commanding voice cut through the tension.

"Is that so?"

The voice was calm yet laced with authority, sending a chill down my spine. Everyone turned toward the source, and there they were— three men walking toward us like they owned the world.

Evander led the trio, his stride confident and deliberate. His sharp black suit fit him perfectly, radiating power and elegance. Damian followed, adjusting the cuffs of his blazer, his smirk enough to unnerve anyone who dared to look. Caspian brought up the rear, rolling his shoulders casually, but his piercing gaze was anything but friendly.

Behind them was a bunch of their own guards, moving like a well-oiled machine. Their synchronized steps echoed in the silence as they walked toward us.

Brian’s smirk faltered for the briefest moment, but he quickly masked it. "And who the hell are you supposed to be?"

Evander’s icy gaze locked on Brian, and the corners of his lips lifted into a slight, dangerous smile. "The man who decides whether you will leave here on your own two legs."

Damian chuckled, stepping forward. "Or maybe not at all, if you keep up this nonsense."

Caspian casually adjusted his watch, his tone almost bored. "You really should have picked your enemies carefully."

The air grew heavy as Evander and his friends approached, their presence overpowering. Brian’s men shifted toward Evander and stood behind them.

"It seems you can’t even recognize your own ultimate boss!" A calm yet authoritative voice echoed through the room. Zaniel stepped forward, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose, his gaze sharp and unyielding.

"B-Boss!" Brian stuttered as he fell to the floor, his face pale and drenched with sweat. "Why... why are you here?"

It seemed he never knew who was his real boss!

Zaniel raised a brow, his expression unreadable. "Would you like to explain it yourself, or should I?" He glanced over at Damian and Evander, his tone icy yet laced with subtle amusement.

Damian smirked, stepping forward before Evander could speak. "Well, wouldn’t it look cooler if I said it?" he quipped, sauntering toward Brian. Without warning, he shoved Brian back into his chair and leaned in, his smirk replaced by a deadly seriousness.

"You messed with the wrong people," Damian said, his voice low and dangerous. He pointed at Sissy, who stood frozen in shock. "See that girl over there? She is going to be the future lady boss of this mall. And you dared to disrespect her?"

"What?" Sissy gasped, her jaw dropping in disbelief. Her wide eyes darted to Evander, then back to Damian, and then at me. I wasn’t much better than her as my mind was spinning from what I had just heard.

"Enough with this," Evander interjected, his tone curt as he stepped beside Damian. His piercing gaze locked onto Brian, making the man squirm in his chair. "Not only are you fired," he continued coldly, "but be ready to lose everything. You will go bankrupt and spend the rest of your miserable life rotting as an outcast in jail."

As if on cue, one of Evander’s guards turned on the television mounted on the wall. The screen flickered to life, and the room fell silent as a news broadcast began to play.

The anchor’s voice was clear and damning. "Breaking News: Diana Summers, owner of the winner of the Best Actress award, has been exposed in a shocking scandal. Sources reveal that Diana orchestrated a sinister operation, coercing young women into compromising situations with powerful directors and producers in exchange for fame and success."

The broadcast cut to footage of Diana, her face barely concealing the panic as reporters swarmed her. "Reports also indicate that Brian, the Royal Mall’s CEO, and Mia, their long-time friend and actress, were key accomplices in these operations. They helped identify vulnerable targets and used threats and manipulation to keep them silent."

My breath caught as the screen shifted to show bullying allegations tied to Mia and Brian. Testimonies from former employees and students played, detailing years of torment. One of the victims even mentioned being locked in a storage room for two days just like mine.

The revelations didn’t stop there. "And if that wasn’t enough," the anchor continued, "Producer Harry, a close associate of Diana’s, has been accused of exploiting artists under his management. Several victims have come forward, sharing harrowing accounts of coercion and abuse. For the sake of their privacy, we can’t reveal their identities but here are some clips... "

As the anchor said, the accusations bombarded them.

As you can see, these people have been the victims of the casting couch and were threatened afterward, forcing them into something unwanted.

My eyes widened as I watched the news. Everything happened so fast that I could barely gasp it.