Cronus Romano
As soon as I opened the door to my father's office, a chill ran down my spine. It felt like I was committing a crime just by being there. My father, looked up from his papers, removed his glasses, and motioned for me to come in. "Cronus, how are you holding up?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.
I couldn't bring myself to look at him. Instead, I handed him the paper I had clutched tightly in my hand. Confusion flashed across his face as he took it, but he quickly read through the document. As the truth sank in, he stood up abruptly, his face turning red with anger.
"That snake!" he spat, pacing back and forth. "I knew something was off, but Themis? My own son?" He made a move to rush out of the office, but I stepped in his way, placing a hand on his arm.
"Father, please," I said quietly. "Calm down."
He looked at me, his eyes blazing with fury. "Calm down? Cronus, he's betrayed us! Betrayed you! This is unforgivable."
I nodded, feeling the weight of his words. "Between me and Themis you don't need to choose pops, I would just catch all the allegations."
My father's expression softened slightly, but his anger was still palpable. "You're too soft, Cronus. I was hard on you growing up because I knew you'd run this company one day. You can't be soft on betrayal, especially not from family." He breathed out heavily.
"Get out, I'll handle this." He said angrily
As I left his office, my mind was a whirlwind of emotions. Betrayal from my own brother, the weight of the company's future on my shoulders, and the daunting task of facing the board. But I had to stay strong. I had to prove my innocence and restore our family's honor.
The boardroom was filled with tension as I stood at the head of the table, with Alexandra and Cris by my side. Themis sat near the end, trying to maintain his composure, but I could see the flicker of fear in his eyes.
"Ladies and gentlemen," my father began, his voice strong and commanding. "Cronus has proven his innocence. He has uncovered irrefutable evidence that the allegations against him were fabricated."
Cris stepped forward, displaying the transactions linking Themis to Antonio on the large screen. "These payments were made by Themis to Antonio, a known fixer. Here is proof of their communications, discussing how to frame Cronus."
Gasps filled the room as the evidence was laid out. Themis tried to interject, his voice shaking. "This is absurd! It's all lies!"
But my father silenced him with a glare. "You betrayed our family, Themis. You've undermined our legacy. You are hereby removed from the company, effective immediately."
The board members, stunned but convinced by the overwhelming evidence, voted unanimously to remove Themis. "Themis, you have disgraced this family. Leave, and never return," my father said in a hurt but calm voice.
Themis looked around, his face pale. "You're making a mistake," he hissed, but no one paid him any mind. He stood up, his shoulders slumped in defeat, and left the room.
As the door closed behind him, a heavy silence settled over the boardroom. My father turned to me, his eyes softening. "Cronus, you've shown great strength today. I'm proud of you."
I nodded, feeling a mix of relief and sadness. "Thank you, Father. But this isn't over. We still have to repair the damage done."
"One step at a time, son," he replied, placing a hand on my shoulder. "One step at a time."
As we left the boardroom, I felt horrible Themis and I are best friends, it never came across my mind that he would do these things to me, to our family and it hurt me to see him being dragged out, I should've had done better as an older brother and looked out for him more.
