She Married The “Blind CEO” At 19—But On Their Wedding Night, He Looked Straight At Her

By noon, the news of Richard's dramatic confrontation in the dining room had reached the matriarch of the family.

Astrid Voss sat in her sunlit conservatory on the east wing of the estate, surrounded by rare orchids and porcelain tea sets. She was seventy-four years old, with snowy white hair styled impeccably, wearing a Chanel suit that looked like armor.

Standing before her were Lachlan and Thea.

Astrid took a slow sip of her Earl Grey tea, her sharp eyes studying her grandson with cold, calculating intensity.

"So," Astrid said, setting her cup down on the silver tray. "The Zurich surgery was a success. You've been playing the blind fool for six months while your old grandmother spent millions protecting your reputation."

"You weren't protecting my reputation, Grandmother," Lachlan said coldly, standing tall beside Thea, holding her hand firmly in his. "You were using Richard to keep the company stable while you looked for a way to rewrite my father's will."

Astrid’s gaze drifted to Thea, her lips curling into a cruel, dismissive smile. "And you, little girl. I brought you into this house to be a quiet companion to a disabled man. I paid for your mother's expensive heart surgery. And this is how you repay me? By helping him stage a mutiny?"

Thea stepped forward, refusing to let go of Lachlan's hand. "My mother's surgery was paid for under a legal contract, Mrs. Voss. A contract you drafted. But if you think my loyalty can be bought to help you steal your own grandson's birthright, you severely underestimated who I am."

Astrid laughed—a dry, chilling sound. "Loyalty? You've known him for less than a month! You married a checkbook, child! Do you really think he trusts you? Do you really think a man like Lachlan Voss would ever love a girl who was purchased like a piece of furniture?"

The words stung like a whip, but before Thea could react, Lachlan stepped in front of her, shielding her completely with his body.

"That's enough, Astrid," Lachlan growled, his jaw clenching with explosive rage. "Thea has done more for me in twenty-four hours than you have done in thirty years. Effective immediately, Richard is removed from all executive committees. And as for you—you will vacate the main estate by Friday and move to the villa in Naples."

Astrid stood up, her face pale with fury. "You can't banish me! I hold thirty percent of the voting shares!"

"You held thirty percent," Lachlan corrected her smoothly, pulling a white envelope from his jacket and tossing it onto her tea tray. "Until twelve o'clock today, when the Swiss Banking Commission unsealed the offshore accounts in Geneva that you and Richard opened using stolen company funds. Signed, sealed, and delivered to the Federal Prosecutor's office ten minutes ago."