Chapter 77

"Let's wait for Ms. Payne to return before we proceed. Your relatives have already been removed from the board, haven't they? If we let them back in now, won't that alert the entire board?" Grace reasoned. Her words left Cedric momentarily speechless. He wondered how he could appease his mother now. For Cedric, it was yet another day of uneasy peace. Although he was technically filling in for Scarlett, the major decisions remained firmly under her control. His role was nothing more than to keep her office occupied in her absence. Frustrated by this, Cedric returned to the villa that evening, his impatience evident in his expression. Valda was already waiting when Cedric walked in. "Mom, you're back early. Is everything okay?" Cedric asked, puzzled. His mother let out a weary sigh. "It's Scarlett, that ungrateful woman. I can't believe I wasted such a thoughtful gift on her." Cedric's gaze fell on the thermos sitting on the table. "Did Scarlett say she didn't want it?" he wonder