Chapter 347: All out brutality

“I am sure you have seen the news…” Raphael’s cold voice boomed in the room. “As unbelievable as it is the news is true..”

The room held its breath after Raphael’s words settled in.

For a moment, no one moved. The weight of what he had just confirmed pressed down on the table. The large screen behind him still displayed fragments of headlines, blurred screenshots, and financial graphs that told a story louder than any accusation.

Outside this room everything piece of this scandal had become a weapon..

The scandal had erupted overnight. News outlets, financial analysts, and rival companies had latched onto it with a hunger that bordered on obsession. But most of them were stunned by the gravity of the situation. It was the news of the century

Lucien Volkov, the infamous black sheep of the Volkov family, an executive within Volkov Apex, had been exposed as Killian Orlov, the elusive and calculating CEO of New Horizon.

It shook everything.

New Horizon had been the only company bold enough to challenge Volkov Apex head-on in the country. A foreign company that infiltrated the market successfully. Their rise had been calculated. Now the truth behind that rise had been dragged into the light, and it was far more dangerous than anyone had imagined.

The traitor had not been outside. He had been sitting at their table. The least man they expected and Braelyn Volkova, Raphael’s wife, had been standing right beside him.

Murmurs finally broke through the silence in the conference room, they were all restless. Some voices carried disbelief, others anger, and a few held something colder close to calculation. The damage was already spreading beyond control.

Ronan sat quietly, his fingers resting against the table as he observed the room. There was no surprise in his expression, only a quiet acknowledgement of what he had already anticipated. He had known Raphael would not hold back once pushed to the edge.

And Raphael had not disappointed.

The way he had released the information had been precise and ruthlessly timed. Public opinion had already taken shape before anyone could respond. In the eyes of the world, Lucien was no longer just a rival. He was a traitor who had infiltrated his own family’s company, stolen from them, and then taken his nephew’s wife.

It was scandal layered over betrayal, impossible to separate and even harder to defend.

The reason Raphael pulled this move was that he knew how public opinion works the first to speak out was the hero

Even if Lucien tried to retaliate against using Amelia everyone already saw Lucien as the traitor for his actions and stealing his nephew’s wife.

The only option he had was to bring down the news but the damage was done. New Horizon’s reputation would be affected by Lucien’s ruthless method..

Raphael knew this wasn’t enough to bring down New Horizon but this was just starting

When ruin was before you ..nothing mattered but brutality. Lucien might survive this if the Voss and Orlov families are backing him..

The Volkov was strong but those were equal powerhouses even if it was from a different country ..It was a gamble but Raphael had a feeling Lucien wanted to destroy Volkov Apex with his hands.

More accurately, he wanted to take everything…

One of the board members finally spoke, his voice cutting through the noise. “How trustworthy is this information? Are we certain Lucien is truly Killian Orlov?”

All eyes shifted back to Raphael.

He did not rush his response. He stood there, composed, his posture remaining relaxed in a way that did not match the storm he had unleashed. When he spoke, his voice was calm, almost conversational.

“He is,” Raphael said simply. “Lucien’s maternal name is Orlov. His middle name is Killian.”

A ripple moved through the room.

Some faces changed instantly as the pieces fell into place. Others remained stiff, unwilling to accept how obvious it suddenly seemed. It had been right there, hidden in plain sight, overlooked because no one had thought to connect the two.

It was funny how obvious it was. Killian was the name Lucien’s mother chose for him. Raphael always knew Lucien’s middle name was Killian, but his pride couldn’t accept it…

Raphael allowed the silence to stretch for a moment before continuing. “It is ironic, isn’t it?” he added, a faint smile touching his lips. “The truth was always there. We just chose not to see it.”

Another voice rose, sharper this time. “If this is true, then how long has he been feeding information to New Horizon?”

“That,” Raphael replied, “is exactly the problem.”

He turned slightly, reaching for his laptop before connecting it to the screen. The display shifted, replacing headlines with internal data, and a new strategy. His movements were steady, betraying tiredness behind his eyes. He had worked overnight.

“We have no way of knowing how deep this goes,” he continued. “Lucien and Braelyn both held executive positions. Even if they didn’t have direct access to core information their positions made it easier. If there has been a breach, then we must assume it is extensive.”

The room stirred again, this time with unease.

“Effective immediately,” Raphael went on, his tone sharpening just slightly, “both Lucien Volkov and Braelyn Volkov are therefore indefinitely suspended from all company affairs and will be placed under investigation for corporate espionage. All assets and funds linked to their positions within the company will be frozen pending the outcome.”

That landed harder than anything before it. A few members exchanged looks. Others leaned forward, tension creeping into their expressions. This was no longer speculation. This was action.

“Raphael,” one of the older board members began carefully, “freezing Mrs Volkov’s assets as well… are you certain that is necessary?”

Raphael’s gaze shifted to him, cold and unwavering. “She had access,” he replied. “and considering the damage caused this is nothing. A court order has already been filed.” It was frightening how Raphael operated. Ronan just smiled….he knew Raphael’s ticking bomb was always Braelyn…

Discovering the person he risked everything for was behind his ruin was a brutal hit even if he might have also caused this. No one argued after that.

Ronan watched his son quietly, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. There was a precision to Raphael’s decisions that he recognised well. It was the same instinct he himself had once relied on.

This was no longer just about the company..This was personal.

Raphael moved on without hesitation, shifting the presentation again. “Now, regarding our next steps,” he said. “We will be implementing a restructuring across all departments with sensitive access. Internal audits will be conducted immediately.”

A chart appeared on the screen, outlining new chains of command, restricted access points, and emergency protocols.

Raphael remained calm as he explained everything..well it wasn’t everything but a bait but no one in this room knew that aside from Ronan who knew his son too well

Raphael wanted to check if Lucien had more spies. If New Horizon could retaliate effectively then there are more moles..

He came up with 2 plans, this one and a contingency plan. Everything was perfected overnight. The black circles under his eyes said everything.

Raphael was smart and ruthless in business. Lucien knew this well that why he hid his identity well because he knew that once Raphael was cornered he would go all out

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep