Divorced Heiress
Chapter 82

The search team had increased significantly and yet there was still no news of my parents after more than thirty hours since the accident. Desperation grew with every minute that passed without any word from them, and hope faded away. I couldn't understand how there were no traces of my mother and father when they had already found the wreckage of the plane, even the lifeless body of the pilot. -You're going to wear a hole in the floor if you keep pacing.- Vincent spoke from his seat in the office, but I didn't even look at him. My phone had all of my attention, waiting for a call, for any news.

At this moment, I felt helpless, not knowing what else to do. And although everyone told me to focus on my work while waiting for good news, it was impossible. I couldn't focus on my job.

-How is it possible that they haven't found a single clue? Has the report on the condition of the plane been released? It's time for the culprits to pay, and you know who I'm talking about!- I said, visibly distraught. Vincent got up from his chair, intending to approach me, but I raised my hand to deter him.

-We can't do anything without evidence, you know that. Alexander is handling the report and it will be delivered to us today. We can only wait and stay calm.- He said, looking at me incredulously. I felt like my head was about to explode. -Calm? How can you ask me to stay calm when my parents are missing while we're here doing nothing, and they're possibly...- I couldn't find the strength to complete the sentence. Just the thought of my parents being dead made my blood run cold. -Don't say what's going through your mind. If that were the case, we would have been informed.- Vincent said, this time successfully approaching me and enveloping me in a hug, trying to calm me down. In his arms, I thought about the evidence we needed to bring down the Dubois family, and I soon asked against his chest.

-What happened to the private investigator? Besides Rachel, he's the only one who can give us the evidence we need. Isn't it enough with the documents he provided?- I tried to find even the slightest piece of evidence to hand over to the police as soon as possible, but Vincent extinguished the spark of hope I had left.

-Payment receipts and call records can't prove anything. The only thing that can serve us now is the result of the audit, proving that they embezzled funds from the company during the period when Mr. Dubois was in charge. But we can't rush it. If we want justice, it has to be all or nothing.- Vincent made me see reason, and I waited for him to continue speaking.

-And I didn't want to tell you this to avoid worrying you, but the private investigator has disappeared. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I think they realized they were being investigated. This shows that anyone who knows about the Dubois' crimes is at great risk. It's understandable that Rachel doesn't want to speak. We can't make a wrong move, Sarah. In reality, we are all in danger.- He said. I could only feel frustration and anger for the boundaries they had crossed. It was hard for me to believe that they had such cold blood to cause so much harm.

Now more than ever, I understood Rachel's fear and why she was adamantly opposed to speaking. She and her parents were in danger, and it wasn't a game. It couldn't be taken lightly.

-Rachel's parents.- I said, completely separating myself from Vincent and looking at him seriously, while confusion filled his eyes due to my sudden change of topic. -They need protection. With everything that's going on, it's certain that they will pressure Rachel to remain silent. I've already taken care of Rachel's security, but her parents are still at risk.-

-I'll take care of it right away.- He said, pulling out his phone to make a call. And the next second, the office door opened without even a knock.

-But look who's here.-

I heard Alexander's voice, and I hid any hint of desperation because he had arrived with Tristan, and the last thing I wanted was for my son to see me in this state.

-Give your mom a hug, go on.- Alexander let go of Tristan's hand, and the little one ran to hug my legs. Immediately, I crouched down to hug him and gather strength. He was all I needed to be more at ease.

-Mom, look at what Dad Ales bought for me, it's a car just like yours. He showed me a black toy Porsche that he had in his hand, I could say it was a miniature replica of my car and I looked at it in surprise. -I'm getting better with gifts.- Alexander said jokingly as he approached Vincent.

Before I could say anything to Tristan so he wouldn't hear what Alexander and Vincent were talking about, Paul appeared at the office entrance and instinctively, I lifted Tristan in my arms as if I wanted to protect him from him. -Oh, here you are.- He said as if he had been searching for hours.

Alexander, upon hearing his voice, quickly approached me and placed one of his hands on my back.

-Daddy Ales, look at my car, Daddy gave it to me.- Tristan innocently showed him the car and Paul smiled as he looked at him. I don't know if it was because I was aware of everything, but his smile wasn't genuine, in fact, it was scary. -Daddy Ales, what a nice family.- Paul spoke with evident sarcasm and I couldn't help but tense up, now knowing that his visit would bring nothing good.

-Sarah, I'm very sorry about your parents, they should give up on their search, they're just wasting their time, Leonardo and Joelle must be dead by now, accept that you'll never see them again, it'll be easier to overcome their loss.-

I felt a painful sting in my chest hearing his cruel words, preempting the events, because I wouldn't consider them dead until it was official, although sometimes the thought crossed my mind.

And there was Paul's true face, he was dropping his act and spewing all his venom in front of Tristan, who was completely unaware of his grandparents' accident until this moment, I couldn't give such news to a three-year-old, all I could think of was telling him they were on a long trip.

-Are grandpa and grandma in heaven?- Tristan asked after a long silence in which we all, including myself, were astonished by Paul's direct words. I looked at Tristan, preventing the tears that had gathered in my eyes from escaping, and shook my head. -No, my love, your grandparents are on a trip, remember?- I lied directly to my son, feeling the knot in my throat leaving me breathless.

-Vincent, can you take Tristan to the workshop, please?- I asked the man who stood on the other side of me, looking hesitant for a few seconds before nodding and taking Tristan in his arms.

-Let's see what Patrick will teach us today.- Vincent said as he walked out the door with an unhappy Tristan, who seemed to not believe the story about his grandparents.

Once we were alone, without my son's presence, Paul took the liberty of walking all around the office, observing every corner. Alexander pulled me closer to his body with his hand, as if he didn't want to let go of me while he was nearby, and in a way, that made me feel safe.

I looked expressionless at Paul, after wiping away the tears that had stayed in my eyes, he showed me a fake smile and sat in Vincent's chair with all confidence.

-Don't fall for his game, he just wants to destabilize you.- Alexander whispered in my ear and discreetly left a kiss on my head, I took a deep breath to calm down, following the advice of the man by my side. -Why are you saying such things in front of Tristan? Have you gone crazy?- I asked as if I didn't know everything Paul had done, that he thought no one knew about his secrets and plans, it was a point in our favor.

-I'm sorry, I wasn't aware that you had lied to the little one, I suppose the idea was suggested by the father, I say this because lying comes naturally to him, who knows what lie he told you to get you back.-

I felt the exact moment when Alexander tensed up and knowing him as I did, he was surely holding back the urge to punch Paul in the face. That was the least he deserves.

-If I were that child's father...- Paul couldn't even finish his venomous sentence when Alexander let go of me and went to the desk with anger on his face, grabbing Paul by his shirt and lifting him from his seat.

-I have news for you, fortunately for Tristan, you are not his father.- Alexander spoke with such a cold voice, that the temperature dropped in a second, causing my skin to prick.

Without seeing it coming, Alexander did what I had assumed a moment ago. His fist collided forcefully with Paul's face, causing him to fall back into Vincent's chair.

I was startled by such an act and the next second I was paralyzed, staring at the enraged face concealed behind a playful smile from Paul, and soon, his teeth were stained with blood, a result of the punch that Alexander had just given him. Alexander fell victim to his own words, he was the one who fell into his trap.

-Very well, a mere collaborator has just struck the president of Doinel.- I snapped out of my daze upon hearing those words and my brow furrowed immediately. Alexander looked at me while letting out a humorless laugh and I knew that he found it just as absurd as I did.

Did he really think that since he was sitting in Vincent's chair, he was now the president of the company?

Definitely, he had gone mad.

-Did I mistake the person? Did I hit Vincent? I think this man is delusional.- Alexander said pretending to find the situation amusing and Paul burst into laughter before wiping away the blood that escaped from the corners of his lips.

-Paul, leave my company.- I said coldly and determinedly. I couldn't stand to see the face of the person responsible for so much misfortune in my family roaming around the company. If I couldn't do anything to prove that he had been behind several crimes, the least I could do, and the healthiest and safest for everyone, was to have him leave Doinel and our lives.

He let out another laugh, even louder than the previous one, and shook his head while clicking his tongue, as if I had told him the best joke.

-Dear Sarah, I see that you are unaware of certain information, and that is that this company does not belong to you.-

I was the one laughing without the slightest hint of amusement now. Of course it belonged to me, this was the Doinel family's company and the absence of my parents left me as the majority shareholder, I could make decisions and if I ordered him to leave the company, he must do so.

-He's truly insane.- Alexander said exasperatedly as he returned to my side and shook his head, obviously irritated by the nonsense that Paul was spouting, and I had to place a hand on his back and let the other rest on his abdomen in an attempt to calm him down.

Ironically, the roles had been reversed with Paul's visit.

-Are you not aware?- Paul suddenly asked, catching my attention, and a bad feeling settled in my chest. I didn't know what madness he could unleash now, I had no idea what he was plotting.

-Your father before he died... Sorry. Your father, before he disappeared on a long trip, transferred all his shares to this humble servant. Therefore, having the fifty percent that belonged to your parents and the fifteen percent of mine, makes me the majority shareholder of Doinel. So, Sari, you should think twice before kicking me out of my company.-

I was frozen when Paul revealed that information and I felt the blood leave my body, while my legs weakened. If it wasn't for Alexander holding me by the waist, I would have collapsed to the ground.

No, that wasn't possible, my father wouldn't do such a crazy thing knowing that the Dubois only wanted to harm us.

Soon, a small but important detail came to my mind, hitting me with such force that my head began to ache. I looked at Alexander with concern and he looked at me at the same time with the same concern in his eyes, then I knew that he had thought the same thing as me and it had to do with what he had warned me about.

What my father signed was not the contract for the plus-size models. My father signed the transfer of his shares to Paul Dubois.