Divorced Heiress
Chapter 116

Alexander was about to answer my question, but he left the words hanging in the air when the sound of my cellphone interrupted us.

I didn't hesitate for a second to answer the call, seeing that it was Vincent, who didn't even wait to hear my voice. My cousin sounded very serious when he said on the other side of the line. "You must return to Doinel as soon as possible, there is a very serious problem."

My body froze for a few seconds, while my mind played a trick on me imagining the worst.

What problem could be so serious right now?

That Mrs. Dubois would take revenge for her son and take it out on Abby.

That Paul managed to escape the officers and took everyone hostage.

Or... Tristan.

No, no, no.

I looked at Alexander with fear reflected in my eyes, and I could see the concern on his face. I opened my mouth to ask about our son again, but the words got stuck in my throat. I didn't feel capable of formulating a question.

Panic had taken hold of my body just thinking that my son was in danger. I didn't know what to do, how to react. I didn't even have the certainty that it was about my son, but the mere idea gave me chills.

"What's wrong?" Alexander asked with evident concern. And when he saw that the words didn't come out of my mouth, he took the phone from my hands and spoke to Vincent.

"Hello? Ah, Vin... What happened? Sarah is in shock, is everything okay?"

My heart beat so strongly after his question that I could feel it throughout my body. As much as I struggled to get out of that state, it was difficult for me. We had already gone through so many misfortunes, I didn't want another one when everything was finally falling into place.

"But what happened? Is Tristan okay? Hello?" Alexander moved the phone away from his ear and looked at me with a furrowed brow. Anyone would think he was calm, but I could tell he was hiding desperate concern behind a serious expression.

"He hung up. We have to go back to Doinel." Alexander didn't wait a second to gather my things before taking my hand and guiding me to the exit of the office. Then, just as he opened the door to leave that place that was already suffocating me, I reacted and squeezed his hand tightly to make him stop and listen to me.

"What did he tell you? Did you leave Tristan with Vincent? Tell me, I can see it on your face, did something happen to our son?" I asked without hiding my desperation to know the slightest detail.

I was mentally slapping myself for blanking out when I had the chance to ask Vincent about my son. No, I was slapping myself for pulling away from him at this crucial moment for everyone.

"Yes, I left him with Vincent, but he didn't tell me anything. Let's go get him."

I nodded, letting myself be guided again by Alexander and making my best effort to maintain the little composure I had left. I refuse to believe that my son is in danger, Vincent and Abby wouldn't allow it.

"Ms. Doinel, I have what you asked me ready." Jack hurried to speak when he saw me approaching his desk and handed me a folder with many pages. However, I didn't pay the slightest attention to him, I didn't have the head to review those documents right now. "Jack, to be honest, I don't have the head for this right now, I have to go." I stopped Jack before he could give me more information that I wouldn't be able to retain. However, the first thing he said caught my attention and I wanted to know more. But not right now. "Come with me, we'll talk about this at Doinel."

Jack didn't hesitate to gather his things and a couple of folders to silently follow us towards the parking lot. When the metal doors of the elevator opened, we were met with the smiling face of Alexis and Britney talking about God knows what. When they saw us, my friend clapped excitedly.

"Congratulations. The launch has been a success. You're trending on social media."

I raised a hand in the air for her to stop talking, and her smile disappeared immediately.

"Bri, not now." I said before walking straight to my car, leaving Alexis and Britney perplexed at the elevator doors.

I noticed the look Alexander gave his twin and he immediately said something to Britney before walking as fast as he could towards us.

"Get in the car." Alexander ordered as he opened the passenger door for me, and once inside, he approached Alexis to exchange some words that I couldn't hear.

I took the opportunity to send a message to Abby, asking if my son was okay. I really hoped for a quick response because I couldn't stay calm without knowing what was going on.

"Sorry for my intrusion, Ms. Sarah, is everything okay?" Jack asked from the back seat and I didn't know what to answer him, all I knew was that there was a serious problem according to Vincent.

"I hope so, Jack, I really hope so."

Despite the traffic that almost depleted my patience, we arrived at Doinel and I didn't wait for Alexander to finish parking the car, I ran like the devil to the executive floor, I don't even know how I didn't break a heel.

My heart was beating in my chest faster than it should, and I silently prayed to find my son safe and sound. The hallways of the company looked like any other day, there was no sign that Paul or Mrs. Dubois were around, and that made me breathe more easily. I ignored Patrick's calls and hurried into the president's office. My soul returned to my body when I saw Tristan asleep on the couch, with Vincent's suit jacket covering his body.

"Oh my God, there you are, is he okay?" I didn't care that he was taking a nap, I needed to hug him, feel his little body and his warm breath. He's okay.

"God, I promise I'll never leave you alone again. Here's mommy."

Tristan barely reacted to my presence, he kept sleeping as if his life depended on it and I hugged him tightly, as if it were the last time.

"Well, thanks for implying that leaving your child with us is like leaving him alone." Abby indignantly complained from her seat at the desk, and I looked at her with narrowed eyes, she didn't even bother to answer my message and here I was, my soul hanging by a thread without knowing about Tristan.

"Thanks to you all for scaring me, I thought something had happened to him. Anyway, what is this serious thing that happened?" I asked, sitting on the couch without being able to let go of Tristan, and when Vincent stood up from the chair to answer my question with a worried expression on his face, Alexander arrived accompanied by Jack. Seeing that I had Tristan in my arms, he let out a sigh of relief.

"Do you have any idea how scared you've made us?" Alexander arrived at my side to inspect Tristan carefully, looking for the slightest scratch, but he was perfect.

"You two are just the same, hopeless exaggerators. If it had been Tristan, you would have been the first to know, you have so little trust in us." Vincent replied, downplaying the situation, earning a glare from both of us.

"When you become parents, you'll understand."

The mismatched couple exchanged a playful look, as if I had told them the best joke of their lives.

"Vincent, tell us, what is this serious problem that made you call me back earlier?"

The fun disappeared from my cousin's face as if by magic, now he looked restless and worried, and it was starting to scare me again.

"I have found certain irregularities in the management of the company. Paul embezzled from Doinel, diverted billions to accounts abroad from the day he was appointed president, we still don't know the exact amount he has stolen, but the truth is that he has left us without sufficient funds."

That news left me stunned, breathless.

Hearing that, made my blood boil, made me want to go to his cell and give him the blows that I didn't give him when I had the chance. Years of hard effort and work from my family were thrown away with a single snap from an unfortunate person manipulated by his mother. They snatched a solid, prosperous, and successful company from me and returned it to me in pieces.

"We are bankrupt." I affirmed, feeling frustrated and angry with myself. In a way, this was my fault, for being indifferent to the situation when we still had time to do something to recover what they wanted to steal from us. Those words left a bad taste in my mouth, and the irritation grew when Vincent nodded his head, clearly affected.

Not only did they steal from my parents and me, they also stole from Vincent, Abby, and all the minority partners. They stole years of work from us.

They went too far in their obsession with my father's fortune, but I wasn't going to let it end like this. I would take the necessary measures for them to pay for what they did. On the other hand, I would have to find a viable solution to help us get out of this crisis and recover what remains of Doinel before my parents return. I didn't want to disappoint them.

And I wouldn't.

I would bring forward the company entrusted to me.

"We are." Vincent responded, leaning on the desk with a more serious expression than usual. He fixed his gaze on me.

"While you were on your way here, I took the opportunity to discuss with Abby possible changes to recover as soon as possible. We must take measures as soon as possible, or we may lose what little Paul left us, and that would mean the end of Doinel." A shiver ran through my body at the mere mention of that.

"I think we should cut staff, start anew with the necessary workers, find investors, and launch a collection at the same time as the first collaboration collection. But we must reduce costs in supplies and..."

I shook my head upon hearing Vincent's risky proposal. The change he wanted to make to the company would be too drastic. Despite the critical situation, I could find another solution that wouldn't harm the employees or the product quality.

I stood up from my seat, after leaving Tristan in his father's arms, and took a deep breath while organizing all my ideas.

"No, we are not going to make decisions we will regret later." I said, giving Jack a look. He had remained silent all this time, holding the documents from L&J in his hands.

"We are going to evaluate the situation calmly. I will immediately request detailed reports and balances from the finance department. Right now, we're going to take a break while the documents detailing the state of the company are ready." I looked at Alexander, who was holding Tristan in his arms with a serious expression, as if he were analyzing what was happening to my company.

"I'll be back in a few minutes. Take good care of Tristan."

Alexander frowned at me but still nodded his head.

"Jack, let's continue to the boardroom."

If the results of the first release of L&J are as favorable as Jack mentioned before interrupting him, then I would have a better proposal than Vincent's.

I had lost track of time, I didn't exactly know how many hours I had been meeting with Jack, analyzing figures, as well as the first orders from the collection, which, to be honest, turned out much better than I thought.

Large and prestigious companies were interested in acquiring the entire collection. They wanted to sign a contract with L&J. The brand's launch was such a success that the orders we had received so far were so huge that the company's profits would triple the projected amount.

At least not everything was lost. I would use L&J to recover a large part of Doinel. With that, we could be more at ease while we finish recovering.

"Congratulations, Ms. Sarah. Your parents would be proud of what you have accomplished and what you will accomplish." Jack said, and I smiled gratefully at him as he arranged some documents he had to take back to L&J.

"Thank you very much, Jack. Anyway, I'm not alone in this. Behind every achievement, there's a team that works hard, and you are included. So, congratulations to you too." I said. Jack nodded his head, thankful for my words, and gave me a pat on the shoulder. "I'm leaving, if you need me don't hesitate to call me and I'll come right away."

I smiled back at him and Jack left, leaving me alone in the office, finishing organizing my thoughts before presenting them to Vincent and Abby. After all, they were the only partners left for making decisions in the company.

Returning to the presidential office, I only found Vincent with Alexander, there were no traces of Abby or Tristan, and judging by how calm those two men were, I deduced that they were having fun somewhere in the company. "Vincent, can we talk?" I interrupted their conversation, which seemed more like a exchange of secrets given how quietly they were talking.

Seeing me, Vincent got up from his chair and after adjusting his suit, he looked at me seriously, as if he was about to give me more bad news and that started to terrify me. Not now that I had a solution that could save part of the company.

"Of course, Sari, in fact, I was waiting for you because I have something to tell you."

My brow furrowed almost automatically when he said that and I mentally prepared myself to receive more bad news.

"What has happened now?" I asked a bit irritated by the situation, although I suspected it had to do with the reports and balances I requested from the finance department.

"Given the chaos and the limited options we have to recover, I have made a decision."

I relaxed a bit knowing that it had nothing to do with the state of the company, but I didn't let my guard down, it was clear that it was something very serious.

"I will sell my shares of Doinel."

Those words echoed in my head over and over again, unable to fully process them.

To be honest, I expected any other news, but I never imagined this, not even for a mere second. This was worse than any other devastating news I could receive. Vincent was going to leave his portion of the company in the hands of a stranger, he was going to sell his shares in this complicated moment.

He was abandoning me, he was abandoning the ship, just when I needed him the most.