Chapter 4 How Could You Possibly Be Here

Three days slipped by in the blink of an eye, and the long-awaited day of the press conference finally dawned.

That morning, Ashlyn remained reclined in her hospital bed, much as she had for days, idly scrolling through the latest news on the phone.

She was already fully aware of Carl's machinations. How he had skillfully swayed the shareholders into placing their trust in him, and how, at the press conference scheduled for that very morning, he intended to formally supplant her as the next CEO of Hughes Group.

If Carl coveted the position so desperately, she resolved silently, then she would grant him precisely what he desired.

As she gazed at the bold headlines blazing across the screen, a glint of something cold and perilous flashed through Ashlyn's eyes.

At that moment, a gentle knock echoed from the door.

"Ashie, it's me." Carl's voice sounded from the corridor, laced with practiced warmth.

"Come in," Ashlyn replied evenly.

With flawless composure, she slid the phone beneath the covers, concealing it from view.

The door swung open, and Carl entered bearing a steaming cup of broth, his demeanor solicitously calm.

"Ashie, these past three years must have taken such a toll on you. A few days of recovery simply isn't enough," Carl murmured, his tone measured and considerate as he extended the cup toward Ashlyn. "I prepared this myself-it should help restore your strength."

"It does smell wonderful. Thank you," Ashlyn answered, accepting the cup with a serene smile that never quite warmed her eyes.

The press conference was mere hours away; she harbored no illusions that Carl's sudden attentiveness sprang from genuine concern-especially not when he had found the time and patience to deliver this cup of soup personally.

She did not need even a moment's reflection to know the truth. The broth was heavily laced with sedatives-enough in a single cup to plunge an ordinary person into unconsciousness for days.

"After all we've shared, caring for you is the very least I can do. Go on, drink it. It will make you feel so much better," Carl continued smoothly.

Right before his watchful gaze, Ashlyn raised the cup to her lips and drained its contents without the slightest hesitation.

"Mmm... Carl," she said softly a few moments later, pressing a hand to her temple, "perhaps I'm still not fully recovered. I'm already beginning to feel drowsy."

Carl recognized the cue instantly; the sedative was taking hold. Rising promptly, he adopted an expression of tender concern. "Then rest, darling. You truly need it. I'll return to check on you later."

Before departing, he paused at the threshold for a prolonged moment, listening intently until Ashlyn's breathing slowed and deepened into the steady rhythm of sleep. Only when he was utterly convinced of her unconsciousness did he hurry away toward the press conference venue.

...

At ten o'clock that morning, the Hughes Group press conference commenced amid great pomp and grandeur.

The venue brimmed with formality and spectacle, drawing nearly every prominent figure in Giphis's commercial circles.

By the end of the day, Hughes Group would welcome a new leader.

Reporters and media representatives streamed into the hall in waves, cameras flashing and microphones at the ready.

"Congratulations, Mr. Hughes! After today, you'll be the youngest chief executive in all of Giphis!"

"Indeed-a CEO at such a young age. Truly remarkable. One can't help but admire the achievement."

"If truth be told, Mr. Hughes has earned it. While Ms. Marsh lay in a coma, he remained at her side yet still managed to keep the company steady."

"In my view, having a husband like Mr. Hughes is Ms. Marsh's greatest blessing. Even if she were to awaken this very instant, she would surely rejoice for him."

Impeccably dressed in a bespoke suit, Carl stood at the epicenter of adulation, Paulina radiant beside him in an exquisite gown, as influential business leaders encircled them with effusive praise.

Never before had Carl experienced such intoxicating pride.

In years past, these same luminaries had orbited solely around Ashlyn. He had trailed quietly in her shadow, overlooked and insignificant.

Having basked in the adulation long enough, Carl at last turned toward Oliver. "Mr. Hall," he said with a confident smile, "the moment has come. Shall we proceed with signing the agreement?"

Oliver nodded solemnly and leaned toward the microphone. "With the media fully assembled and the most prominent leaders of Giphis's business community bearing witness, I wish to make an official announcement. Owing to ongoing health concerns, Ms. Ashlyn Marsh is regrettably unable to continue fulfilling her responsibilities. By unanimous decision of the board, Mr. Hughes has been appointed to succeed her as the new Chief Executive Officer of Hughes Group."

Thunderous applause swept through the grand hall, a wave of approval that seemed to lift Carl even higher.

"Mr. Hughes, please join me on stage to sign the equity transfer agreement," Oliver added, extending a courteous gesture.

To the accompaniment of enthusiastic cheers and sustained clapping, Carl ascended the steps with barely contained exhilaration. His pulse raced as he grasped the pen, the weight of imminent triumph thrumming in his veins.

The company was mere seconds from becoming his irrevocably.

He poised the pen above the signature line, ready to commit his name to the document... almost there...

Just as the tip of the pen hovered over the paper, a woman's voice-cool, composed, and laced with a subtle, chilling amusement-cut through the hall from the main entrance.

"An equity transfer agreement? How curious. Why was I not informed of this press conference concerning Hughes Group?"

Every head in the venue swiveled toward the source of the interruption.

Carl, halted at the very cusp of victory, felt a flare of sharp irritation.

Who would dare disrupt such a pivotal moment? And since when did the Hughes Group owe anyone outside the inner circle advance notice of its proceedings?

His anger began to rise-until a sudden, profound hush descended over the entire assembly.

Following the collective gaze, Carl turned toward the entrance. The instant he recognized the woman framed in the doorway, his body went rigid, as though struck by lightning.

A cold sheen of sweat prickled across his back.

"Ashie?" he whispered, voice cracking with disbelief. "How... how could you possibly be here?"