Victor's knees buckled. He looked like a man gutted, his soul ripped from his chest. Just moments ago, he had smirked with confidence, certain Rex's end was written. Now he stood there hollow, frozen, his entire world unraveling around him.
The employees thought he would crumble into silence, but instead, a hoarse, desperate cry burst out of him.
"W-wait! Boss, please, you can't do this! I'm… I'm your cousin! Distant, yes, but family all the same! You can't just—"
The room froze at his words. A sharp intake of breath rippled through the staff, and the girls stared wide-eyed, whispering to one another in disbelief. Family? That explained his arrogance… but it only made his downfall more pitiful.
Steven's face darkened like a storm about to break. His heart skipped, fear stabbing through him at the thought of Rex misinterpreting the situation, of him thinking that favoritism or nepotism had shielded Victor until now.
