Chapter 289: The Accusation

Catherine glanced back at the closed door.

Did he speak English?

"Dr. Preston," Sebastian called.

Her hand paused on the doorknob.

"He’ll be fine. It’s almost time."

Catherine looked at Sebastian and nodded.

She remembered Dorian twisting the knife in her heart when he told her how he had killed Sebastian in their previous life.

And... how strangely kind fate was for her. It had given her a weapon in this life, too.

Sebastian.

Her loyal knight.

Her strongest weapon.

The same man who was felled by that tyrannical beast would now get his comeuppance, even though Sebastian didn’t remember the past.

"Let’s do this," she said.

This was it.

This was how she would reveal that she was still alive.

Dorian was still at the press conference. She would be able to see his reaction the moment he realized that the woman he believed he had killed was standing alive and well.

Catherine couldn’t help glancing back at the door once more.

Did Maximilian...

She shook the thought away.

Maybe she had heard wrong... Maybe she had simply heard what she wanted to hear...

Whatever it was, it didn’t matter.

Maximilian was alive. He was well. And he would watch her succeed. Even if he truly didn’t remember this life, she knew he would still be happy for her.

She couldn’t stop now. Not when everything was finally beginning.

Catherine followed Sebastian down the corridor.

Inside the room, Maximilian’s lips curved into a faint smile. He picked up his laptop, tucked it beneath his arm, and walked out.

He followed Catherine across the street, walked a block, and entered the Remington Tower.

Unlike Catherine, who disappeared into a staff-only elevator, Maximilian followed the group of reporters into the crowded elevator.

He had work to do.

-----

The reporters settled into the press conference hall, adjusting their cameras and checking their phones as the lights dimmed. The large screen behind the podium displayed the familiar Remington Insurance logo.

Maximilian sat inconspicuously in a corner, his laptop open on his knees. He glanced around the room. The reporters looked confused.

Some were checking their schedules. Others were whispering to one another, clearly wondering why they had been called here when the much bigger story was unfolding at BioQuant.

A few looked downright disappointed.

They had expected another insurance announcement—perhaps a policy change, a new product, or, judging by the rumors circulating online, the Remington family’s latest nepo baby being introduced to the business world.

Maximilian almost smiled.

They had no idea.

At exactly 11:00 A.M., a senior executive of Remington Insurance stepped onto the podium.

"Good morning, everyone. Thank you for joining us."

The murmuring gradually died down.

"Today, Remington Insurance is pleased to announce the appointment of our new Chief Executive Officer."

The screen changed.

SEBASTIAN REMINGTON

Applause filled the hall.

Behind the side door, Catherine watched with a smile.

Bernice rose onto her tiptoes and kissed Sebastian before he walked onto the stage. He gently patted her cheek, then glanced toward Catherine. She gave him a small nod. Sebastian returned it and stepped onto the podium.

The screen behind him began displaying a montage of his academic and professional accomplishments.

The reporters watched.

Several of the female reporters exchanged looks. This was the first time they were seeing this handsome guy from the Remington family.

Sebastian looked unfairly good in a perfectly tailored suit, and the usually reserved features softened when he smiled.

The applause faded.

Sebastian glanced at the screen behind him and gave a small, self-deprecating smile.

"I’m afraid there isn’t much on that screen that has anything to do with insurance."

A few reporters chuckled.

"I spent most of my career as a professor of linguistics at Meridon University. So, yes..." He gave a light shrug, his smile widening. "I suppose, by some definitions, I am a nepo kid."

The room broke into warmer laughter.

Sebastian waited for it to settle before continuing.

"But there’s one thing I’ve wanted to do for a very long time."

His smile slowly faded.

"I want to help people."

He looked across the room, meeting the eyes of the reporters in front of him.

"And I don’t think helping people should be something we only talk about when it’s convenient. It should be the reason we build things. The reason we take risks. The reason we decide that some problems are simply too important to leave unsolved... and make us take an entirely different path altogether."

He paused.

"So, perhaps I don’t know everything there is to know about insurance."

A faint smile returned.

"But I know why I’m here."

The room quieted.

Sebastian turned toward the screen. "Today, I’m here to announce something very close to my heart."

The screen behind him changed.

The reporters immediately raised their cameras. Questions erupted from every direction.

"Mr. Remington—"

"Is this connected to—"

"Are you announcing—"

Sebastian lifted a hand.

"Please."

The room gradually fell silent.

"Beginning January 1, Remington Insurance’s new Alzheimer’s early-screening assessment will be covered for eligible members."

The reporters stared at the screen.

Two names appeared beneath the announcement.

Dr. Catherine Elizabeth Preston

Dr. Bernice Watson

For a moment, nobody moved.

-----

Dorian gave Dr. Frederick Glosner a firm handshake before taking the microphone.

The reporters immediately began shouting questions.

"Mr. Blackwood, can you guarantee that the Alzheimer’s treatment is safe?"

"Are you still seeking FDA approval?"

"Is BioQuant prepared to release the full trial data?"

Dorian raised a hand, calming the room.

"Let me make one thing absolutely clear. There is no evidence that the treatment is unsafe. We remain confident in our research, and we expect to proceed with the FDA approval process shortly."

Another reporter raised his hand.

"Mr. Blackwood, who do you believe is behind today’s allegations?"

Dorian’s expression tightened.

Before he could answer, another reporter stood.

"First, Mr. Blackwood, my condolences for your loss."

Dorian lowered his gaze.

"Thank you."

The reporter continued.

"Given your engagement to Catherine Preston, do you believe the Preston family could be involved? They were extremely protective of her. Could they have misunderstood her death and be retaliating against BioQuant?"

The room fell quiet.

Dorian looked genuinely stunned.

"That is a very serious accusation."

He swallowed.

For just a moment, his eyes glistened.

"I was engaged to Catherine Preston. I loved her."

His voice cracked.

"I... We were supposed to have a life together. And then, in an instant..." He paused, looking down. "We lost her."

A few cameras zoomed closer.

Some reporters were moved by his "grief" and started crying too.

Dorian wiped the corner of his eye.

"I understand grief. I understand anger. If the Preston family believes that I, Dorian Blackwood, had anything to do with Catherine’s death, I understand why they would be furious."

He took a breath.

"But BioQuant is not me. BioQuant and I are separate entities. BioQuant has been serving the nation and the people for decades, with only public service as our motto. Grief is terrible. Grief does not give anyone the right to destroy a company that employs thousands of people and has spent years working to improve the lives of millions."

He looked directly into the cameras.

"BioQuant is not Dorian Blackwood. It is not Catherine Preston’s former fiancé. It belongs to its employees, its researchers, its patients, and ultimately... the public."

It was almost perfect.

Almost.

Then someone asked the question Dorian had been waiting for.

"Is Laurel Creek actually involved in this?"

Dorian hesitated.

Not long, but just long enough.

"We have received a number of reports," he said carefully. "But I don’t want to make accusations before the facts are established."

Another pause.

"I have therefore asked our legal counsel to examine whether Laurel Creek Ranch, or individuals acting on its behalf, participated in an organized campaign to manipulate BioQuant’s stock."

His voice trembled.

"I sincerely hope they did not."

Within minutes, the headline appeared across financial forums and social media.

BIOQUANT CEO QUESTIONS LAUREL CREEK RANCH’S ROLE IN STOCK COLLAPSE

Catherine stared at her phone.

She had known Dorian would come after her family.

She had expected it.

But not this quickly.

Not this publicly.

The Laurel Creek stock ticker flashed across her screen.

It was down. Not catastrophically. Not yet. But enough to hurt.

Her family had spent generations building something that depended on trust. And Dorian had just begun painting them as a wealthy dynasty using its influence to destroy a company out of personal revenge.

Catherine’s fingers tightened around her phone.

She stared at Dorian’s carefully devastated face on the screen.

"Well played, Dorian..."

Her voice was barely a whisper.

Then her lips curved faintly.

"But you just made one mistake."

She locked her phone.

"You gave me exactly what I needed."