Forced Marriage: My Wife, My Redemption

Chapter 307: A girl who grew up in the countryside...

The hall was gripped by silence as James Crawford methodically opened the files, one after another. Every gesture was precise—his demeanor a testament to years of forensic auditing and corporate share valuation.

He pulled out a sleek digital scanner and a folder sealed with the insignia of the National Board of Shareholding and Audit Affairs, instantly commanding silent respect from everyone in the room.

Jessica stood confidently at the far end of the table, her arms slightly crossed, watching him with unshaken composure, not a flicker of anxiety in her gaze.

James expertly scanned the documents. He checked embedded watermarks, cross-referenced signature patterns, and validated timestamps with an encrypted system on his tablet.

His gloved hands moved in elegant and quick precision, his forehead furrowing only when verifying details meticulously.

Every click and tap from his device echoed like thunder through the boardroom, each one peeling away Desmond’s composure inch by inch.

Seconds stretched into minutes, and with every passing moment, the atmosphere grew more tense. Every member of the board sat with fingers crossed, waiting in breathless anticipation, hearts thumping wild with expectation.

Desmond fidgeted in his seat. Beads of sweat formed beneath his brow despite the air-conditioned room. He sat upright. His hand clenched as fingers entwined with another.

Vera’s gaze continuously darted between Desmond and James, her throat tightening with every passing second.

The board members exchanged uncertain glances, their initial confidence in Desmond giving way to an undercurrent of doubt. While some of them had already begun swearing allegiance to Jessica..

Desmond drew a deep breath, his eyes scanning the faces around the table.

His heart sank as he realized their attention had shifted entirely to the verification process and possibly to the impending announcement of the results. Doubt swirled in his thoughts like a brewing storm.

With all indications pointing toward confirmation, he could feel his support beginning to slip away.

He glanced briefly at Jessica, her relaxed poise and then at Davis, whose nonchalance since the beginning of this struck him harder than any verbal blow. A twist of dread curled in his stomach.

Yet, at this point, he couldn’t act impulsively. Every move he made had to be calculated and ensured especially now.

"No, I can’t let this go on... but I can’t act on impulse either. What now?" he muttered under his breath, defeated by helpless indecision.

Desmond didn’t expect that in today’s situation, he would be at a loss of what to do.

After fifteen grueling minutes, James finally straightened.

He adjusted his tie, stood tall, and with a composed voice declared, "These shares—amounting to 70%, with an additional 5% in trust—are genuine, unaltered, and legally assigned by the original shareholder."

The transaction has been verified under the Corporate Securities Act. The certificates are digitized, properly notarized, and the documentation is traceable in the federal archives.

He gestured toward his assistant, who stepped forward with another set of documents. James quickly scribbled his official report, signed off on the approval, and prepared the final certificate.

Taking a deep breath, he looked around the room and delivered the verdict:

" Jessica Allen, by all legal standards, is now the largest shareholder in Allen Group."

He paused briefly, his voice firm and unwavering.

"Standing on the integrity of the Crawfords and in full accordance with our independent evaluation process, I hereby issue her the official Crawford Certificate of Appraisal and Verification."

Stepping forward, he handed a sealed certificate to Jessica. The blue ribbon and golden crest shimmered under the chandelier’s light as he offered her a respectful nod.

"Congratulations, Mrs. Allen."

Jessica accepted it with a graceful smile, her expression composed and radiant. She turned slightly to face the board, her calm gaze sweeping over the stunned room.

Desmond felt his heart lurch. His face paled with shock, his hands trembled, and his expression twisted with barely contained rage.

The board members glanced from him to Jessica, reading the fury that now radiated from his silent form.

Jessica took the certificate with poise, a soft smile lingering on her lips as she took in the expressions around her.

James gave a quick professional nod to the room and exited, his duty complete. His departure ushered in a chilling silence.

Jessica broke it with a calm voice, laced with subtle provocation.

"Uncle, with the verification done, I hope your concerns about the authenticity of my shares are finally put to rest?" she asked, smirking slightly.

Desmond found the smile infuriating—insulting, even. He took a sharp breath, preparing to speak, when another voice cut in:

One of the previously silent board members cleared his throat and stood up, his gazes scanning the board room. "Mrs.Allen, congratulations. But, you now own more shares than several of us here combined. As such, your vote carries significant weight— decision making weight to be precise."

His eyes drifted to Davis, who had remained composed throughout. Though quiet, his unwavering gaze remained fixed on Jessica all through the process of deliberation and verification.

Surprising to all of them was the fact that since she stepped into the hall, he had acted as a guard. His cold gaze shutting up anyone that wants to counter her.

"Including the shares held by Mr. Davis Allen," the member continued, "we may need to revisit this planned power transition."

Desmond shot up from his seat, his voice rising with frustration. "This is absurd! She’s just a girl who grew up in the countryside! What does she know about running a company of this magnitude? I doubt if she had ever worked in any big company."

Jessica stifled a laugh, while Davis shook his head. He couldn’t blame him. He had always looked down on her, how can he see her good.

Another board member countered, "Sir, with the verification concluded and her shares confirmed, the discretion now lies with her to decide what’s best for the company as the largest decision making power."

Desmond scoffed, "Her discretion? Then I suppose you’ve all gone blind."

Davis stood slowly and walked toward him, his voice cool and measured.

"Uncle, don’t you think it’s unbecoming to cause a scene over capability? Especially when, in truth, you’ve shown more potential to bring the company down than build it."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a symphony of notification tones rang across the table.

Phones lit up. Their expressions shifted almost simultaneously noting the fact it was all buzzing at the same time.

Their brows raised in an inquisitive gaze, eyes widening, one by one, the board members reached for their devices with a single thought running through the room like an electric current: noveldrama

"It must be news update."