Hell Hath no fury like a billionaire's Ex-Chapter 91: He Is Elite Group

Diane’s POV

The room was silent for a moment, and then something unexpected happened. Someone began to clap—not from around the table, but from a doorway at the far end of the conference room that I hadn’t noticed before.

All heads turned as the clapping grew louder, and a figure emerged from what appeared to be a private observation room. The executives who recognized the newcomer immediately stood, some joining in the applause while others looked as surprised as I felt.

My heart nearly stopped as the figure drew closer, revealing a face I’d only recently begun to know again after decades of absence.

Andrew.

His silver hair was perfectly styled, his suit clearly bespoke. He moved with the confidence of someone completely at home in this environment, continuing his solitary applause as he approached the table.

"Brilliant," he said, his eyes fixed on me with unmistakable pride. "Absolutely brilliant presentation."

The executives who had stood were now greeting him with deferential nods. "Mr. Evans," one of them said, "we weren’t expecting you to join us today."

My mind reeled as the pieces fell into place. The VIP treatment. The last-minute meeting. The executives’ unusual attentiveness.

"Evans?" I echoed faintly.

The mysterious owner of Elite Group. The reclusive billionaire whose true identity was guarded like a state secret. The man wielding influence over one of the most powerful investment firms in the country.

My father.

Andrew’s smile was both apologetic and pleased, like a magician who had just revealed his finest trick. "I should have told you," he admitted, addressing me directly despite the room full of executives. "But I wanted you to present without that pressure. I wanted to see you shine on your own merits—and you did. Magnificently."

I stood frozen, my mind struggling to process this bombshell revelation. All these years, my father hadn’t just been some wealthy businessman—he’d been one of the most influential financiers in the country. While my mother and I had scraped by, pinching pennies and worrying about bills, he had been amassing a fortune, building an empire.

"I think," Andrew said, turning to his executives, "we could use some privacy. If you wouldn’t mind giving my daughter and me the room?"

Daughter. The word hung in the air as understanding dawned on the executives’ faces. They filed out quickly, murmuring congratulations on my presentation as they passed, leaving me alone with the father I barely knew—a father who was suddenly so much more than I had imagined.

As the door closed behind the last executive, I found my voice. "All this time," I said, my tone deadly quiet. "All this time, you were—"

"I know," Andrew interrupted, his expression sobering. "I have so much to explain, Diane. So much to make up for."

"Make up for?" I repeated, anger finally breaking through my shock. "You think you can make up for abandoning your family? For letting my mother work herself to exhaustion while you built... this?" I gestured around the opulent conference room.

Andrew’s face fell, genuine pain crossing his features. "I’m not trying to excuse what I did," he said quietly. "I’m only asking for a chance to try to make things right."

I was about to storm out, to leave him standing there with his wealth and his secrets, when he did something I never expected. Andrew Evans—the powerful, reclusive billionaire—lowered himself to his knees before me.

"Diane, please," he said, reaching for my hands. "I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I know I can never truly make up for the years I missed. But I’m willing to do anything—anything—to be a father to you now, if you’ll let me."

The sight of this powerful man kneeling before me, vulnerability naked on his face, stopped me in my tracks. My hand was on the door handle, ready to flee, but something in his expression...a desperate sincerity...held me in place.

"Stand up," I finally said, my voice thick with emotion. "You look ridiculous."

He rose slowly, hope cautiously dawning in his eyes.

"I missed you, Dad," I whispered, tears spilling onto my cheeks despite my best efforts to contain them. "Even when I hated you for leaving, I missed you."

Andrew stepped forward and slowly pulled me into an embrace. For a moment I stood rigid, but then something broke inside me...some wall I’d built years ago...and I found myself returning his hug, crying into the shoulder of his expensive suit.

"I missed you too," he murmured into my hair. "Every single day."

The door opened suddenly, and Joan burst in, concern etched on her face. "Diane? Are you okay? I heard..." She stopped abruptly, taking in the scene before her...the tear-streaked faces, the lingering embrace.

I pulled back slightly, wiping my eyes. "Joan," I said, my voice still unsteady, "apparently my father isn’t just connected to Elite Group..."

"He is Elite Group."

Joan’s eyes widened as she processed this information. "You’re the owner of Elite Group?"

Andrew nodded, keeping one arm protectively around my shoulders. "In the flesh."

Joan looked between us, tears welling in her own eyes as she witnessed the tentative reconciliation taking place. I reached out a hand to her, and she stepped forward, joining our embrace as emotion overtook all three of us.

After a moment, Andrew pulled back, composing himself with visible effort. "About the contract," he said, his tone shifting to something more businesslike. "It’s yours, Diane. Not because you’re my daughter, but because your presentation was genuinely impressive. Synergy Sphere is exactly the kind of innovation Elite Group looks to invest in."

I studied his face, searching for any hint of nepotism or pity. Finding none, I nodded slowly. "Thank you. That means a lot."

"You earned it," he said simply. "Now, shall we discuss the details over lunch? The executive dining room has an excellent chef."

As we made our way through the hallways of Elite Group’s headquarters, a newfound lightness settled over me despite the complexity of emotions still swirling inside. I had secured the contract that could help me claim the CEO position. I had taken a step toward reconciliation with my father. For the first time the future seemed not just manageable, but potentially bright.

------

Back at Joan’s house that evening, I immediately called Guerrero to share the news. The security detail had followed us home and were now stationed outside.

"Mr. Guerrero? It’s Diane Ashton," I said when he answered, unable to keep the triumph from my voice. "I wanted to let you know that Elite Group has awarded Synergy Sphere the contract. The largest contract in the company’s history."

I expected exclamations of surprise, congratulations, maybe even immediate discussion of my ascension to the CEO position we’d discussed. Instead, Guerrero’s response was oddly subdued.

"That’s... good news, Mrs. Ashton," he said, his tone strangely flat. "A significant achievement, certainly."

I frowned, thrown by his lack of enthusiasm. "Mr. Guerrero, this is the contract you specifically mentioned as a path to proving myself worthy of the CEO position. Is something wrong?"

There was a pause, too long to be natural. "No, nothing’s wrong," he said unconvincingly. "It’s just that... well, there are still some matters to resolve regarding Liam. He hasn’t submitted the financial reports the board requested, and the allegations against him haven’t been conclusively proven yet."

My excitement dimmed, replaced by a creeping unease. "What are you saying? That despite securing this contract...a contract Synergy Sphere has been trying to land for months...you’re still defending Liam?"

"Not defending," Guerrero corrected quickly. "Just proceeding with caution. These transitions can be... complicated."

Something in his voice set off alarm bells. This was not the same confident, decisive Guerrero who had challenged me to prove myself in that boardroom. This was a man hedging his bets, backpedaling on promises made.

"I see," I said coolly. "Well, when you decide that the largest contract in the company history is significant enough to warrant your full attention, please let me know. In the meantime, I’ll continue doing what needs to be done to save the company my soon to be ex husband has jeopardized."

I ended the call before he could respond, my mind racing. What had changed? Why was Guerrero suddenly so hesitant, so protective of Liam despite everything?

"That didn’t sound good," Joan observed from across the room, where she’d been pretending not to eavesdrop.

"It wasn’t," I confirmed, setting my phone down carefully to avoid the temptation to throw it across the room. "Guerrero’s hedging. Making excuses for Liam. Acting like landing the Elite contract is just... ordinary."

Joan’s brow furrowed. "That doesn’t make sense. Unless..."

"Unless what?" I prodded when she didn’t continue.

She shook her head slowly. "Unless Liam has something on him. Something that makes Guerrero more afraid of crossing Liam than of losing the company’s best interests."

The possibility settled over me like a cold shadow. Of course. Liam excelled at finding people’s weaknesses, their pressure points. It was how he’d built his network, how he’d climbed so quickly—not just through charm and business acumen, but through leverage.

"If that’s true," I said quietly, "then my path to becoming CEO just got considerably more complicated."

I sank onto the couch, suddenly exhausted despite the day’s victory. The twins shifted inside me, a reminder of what was truly at stake in this battle—not just a company or a title, but security and justice for my children.

"What now?" Joan asked, coming to sit beside me.

I stared out the window at the darkening sky, watching as one of Andrew’s security men made a circuit of the garden, his vigilance a comfort amidst so much uncertainty.

"Now," I said with quiet determination, "we find out what Liam has on Guerrero. Joan.1 I’m not about to let Liam hold all the cards."

Outside, the first stars appeared in the twilight sky, distant and cold. Whatever Liam was doing to undermine me, whatever leverage he held over Guerrero, I would find it. And I would counter it.

The game had changed once again, but this time, I had resources of my own—including a father whose influence might prove more valuable than I could have imagined. The road ahead was unclear, but one thing was certain: I would not be defeated.