When Martin entered, Dexter immediately released his grip, his expression quickly shifting. "Mr. Clarke, what brings you here today? You should've given me a heads—"

"I don't need to report my schedule to you."

Martin didn't seem to notice Dexter's frozen reaction. He walked straight over to my side and said anxiously, "Liam, you're finally back! Why didn't you ask me to pick you up?"

I wiped the blood from my mouth and scoffed. "If I had let you know, I wouldn't have seen this show today."

The security guard standing nearby looked uncertain. "Mr. Brooks, do we keep going?"

Before Dexter could respond, Martin shouted angrily, "What are you trying to do? You want to lay a hand on the successor of Zeltra Corp? Who gave you the guts?"

Dexter gritted his teeth but didn't look flustered. "Mr. Clarke, Ms. Spencer has made it clear that your involvement in corporate decisions is no longer required. It would be best if you kept your nose out of this.

"Also, I don't know how you know this idiot, but please don't make jokes like that. Ms. Spencer won't like it."

Martin spat on the floor. "A coward hiding behind power trying to show off in front of me? Get lost!"

Dexter's expression darkened, his teeth grinding together in frustration.

I pulled Martin aside and asked quietly, "What's going on here?"

He sighed, looking helpless. "Since you left, everything's changed around here."

It turned out that after I was sent abroad, Ella had used the access I'd given her to take control of the company. She'd also manipulated the board to sideline Martin completely.

Under her management, the company had completely transformed. What was once a respectable pharmaceutical company was now a chaotic mess.

I frowned. "Didn't you try to stop it?"

Martin looked even more frustrated. "Ella wouldn't listen. She said you and I were just friends, so I had no say. She even told me you were just a scientist with no authority over any of this."

Right. To Ella, I was just a regular pharmaceutical scientist.

As the successor to Zeltra Corp, my parents taught me never to trust outsiders, especially after I was kidnapped for ransom as a child. That left me with trauma.

I had planned to share the good news with her after my assignment, but now, it didn't seem worth it.

Martin clapped me on the shoulder. "At least you came back in time. I think this mess is about to end. By the way, did your drug research make any progress?"

My eyes lit up at that. "I've made a breakthrough. I'll present it at the company's annual general meeting."

Dexter, who had been listening nearby, sneered mockingly. "You think you can attend the general meeting? Who do you think you are? Also, you're fired. Even if you weren't, there's no way someone like you would ever get a chance to meet the chairman."

I sensed something was off. "What do you mean by that?"

Dexter puffed out his chest proudly. "The annual general meeting is the big chance to shine in front of the HQ. Of course, I'll be the one attending."

I blurted out, "You? You don't deserve the chance!"

The candidates for the annual general meeting were meticulously vetted every year. Ella had to know exactly how much Dexter was worth.

If he messed up, my father, Adam Wagner, wouldn't cut him any slack just because of me.

It seemed like Ella really loved Dexter.

At that thought, I lowered my head and sent a quick message to Dad. "Dad, I'm back in Eblana. Please come over to the subsidiary."

Just as I hit send, Dexter swung his fist at me again, but Martin blocked it. "Dexter, know your place! This is a company! Act accordingly!"

Dexter's face flushed with rage as he gritted his teeth, glaring at us. "Fine, then, Mr. Clarke."

He turned and made a phone call from the corner.

When he came back, a wicked grin stretched across his face. "Sorry, Mr. Clarke. Ms. Spencer just informed me that you've been fired."

"What?" Martin and I shouted in unison.

Martin was an irreplaceable talent in the pharmaceutical industry. I had persuaded him for a long time to join the company and help me oversee things.

I never imagined he'd be so absurdly dismissed.

I coldly demanded, "Who gave her the authority?"

Dexter rolled his eyes in annoyance and shoved his phone into my hand. "Here, ask Ms. Spencer yourself."

The woman's voice on the other end of the line made my skin crawl. "Fire whoever you want, Dexter. I'm getting off. Remember to pick me up."

I clenched my fists and spoke through gritted teeth, "Ella Spencer, who gives you the right to fire Martin?"

There was a long silence.

The next moment, Ella's frantic curse rang out, "Who the hell are you? How dare you take Dexter's phone to question me? Are you crazy?"

With that, she hung up the phone.

I was so shocked I couldn't speak, and I was so angry I wanted to laugh.

It had only been two years, and Ella couldn't even recognize my voice.

Dexter snatched the phone out of my hands, grinning smugly. "You heard that? Ms. Spencer's orders. Sorry, Mr. Clarke—oh, I mean, Martin. You'd better get going."

Martin's chest heaved in frustration. He pointed at Dexter, yelling, "Don't think I don't know how you got your position, Dexter! You damn gigolo!"

Dexter had never been so blatantly humiliated. Without thinking, he swung his fist at Martin. "What the hell are you talking about? Ella and I are in love!"

I stepped in, grabbing his arm and sneering. "In love? Do you even know how many men Ella has actually been 'in love' with?"

Dexter was so furious that he couldn't get his words out. "Say that again!"

He glanced around and grabbed a vase from the reception desk to hurl it toward me. "Keep babbling, and I'll make sure you can't leave this building!"

At the critical moment, Martin yanked Dexter's arm and crushed it under his foot.

While Dexter screamed, I kicked him hard in the lower body.

The pain made his face go white. He collapsed to the floor, clutching himself. "Y-You bastard! Ah!"

I stepped on his calf and twisted my foot, grinning brightly. "Want to keep talking?"

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through the back of my head. My vision blurred, and I instinctively touched the back of my head. My hand was covered in blood.

The security guard who had run off earlier returned with a whole group, surrounding us. They hurried to help Dexter, who was writhing in pain.

"Are you alright, Mr. Brooks? I've called for backup."

Seeing his savior, Dexter shouted, "Beat them up! Don't hold back!"

The security guard hesitated. "But that's Mr. Clarke…"

Clutching his lower body, Dexter snapped, "To hell with it! He's already fired! What's there to fear? I'll take the responsibility!"

The guards immediately understood and picked up iron rods, aiming them at my chest.

The first strike knocked me off balance, and the second slammed into me, making me bite down hard, tasting blood.

Martin was also surrounded. He shouted, "Have you no respect for the law? I'm calling the police!"

Dexter sneered. "Law? In this company, I am the law. Get them!"

Martin, too weak to protest, slumped, while I lay on the floor, unable to speak.

Suddenly, Dexter crouched down and began rummaging through my bag.

I instinctively tried to stop him. "Don't touch that!"

He pulled out a document, and his eyes lit up when he saw what it was. "A supplier partnership agreement? You really handed me a big gift, huh?"

As he said that, he tucked the document into his chest.

I tried to stop him, my eyes burning with fury. "That's mine!"

The agreement had been a gift from the company I was stationed at after they heard I was heading back to Eblana.

Dexter jabbed his finger at my chest and smirked. "What's yours is the company's. You're supposed to contribute to the company. Ella's been worried about supplier issues. You've really helped her out."

I spat at him. "I've been fired! Why should I contribute?"

Dexter froze for a second. Then, his anger flared. "The paperwork's not done, so you're still an employee, and this is mine!"

Seeing the smug grin on his face, I struggled with everything I had, only to be met with a sharp slap across my face.

"Stay still!"

At that moment, the sound of high heels echoed from the entrance. "What's with all the noise?"

Ella slowly entered in her red high heels. Without acknowledging anyone, she headed straight toward Dexter.

When she saw the stains from where I had kicked him, her face immediately soured. "Dexter, who did this to you?"

She scanned the room, her eyes blazing with anger. "Damn it! Who dared touch my man?"

Dexter quickly changed his tune, putting on a pitiful act. "Babe, without you here, these people think they can just walk all over me."

The security guard quickly ran over, eager to take credit. "There were a few employees causing trouble, but we handled it, Ms. Spencer. They're right here. What do you want us to do with them?"

Ella glanced around and waved her hand dismissively. "You all can get back to work."

She then noticed Martin lying on the floor and furrowed her brows. "Martin, what are you doing? Just because I didn't let you be involved in the decision-making, you're causing trouble in the company? Have some respect for me!"

Martin completely dropped the pretense and sneered. "Respect you? You think you're something special? If it weren't for Liam, you wouldn't even be here!"

"Liam? He's nothing—"

Ella scoffed, then froze when she locked eyes with me. "Liam? What are you doing here?"

I wiped the blood off my hands and asked coldly, "What's wrong, honey? Don't you want to see me?"

She froze for a split second, then her expression turned quickly to annoyance.

"Don't call me that. You've been gone for two years without a word. What kind of husband does that? You come back and immediately start causing trouble? Since when did a lowly scientist like you get so much authority?"

At that, I couldn't help but laugh. "Am I the one causing trouble, Ella? Can't you see what's happening here?"

Ella was stunned by my words, while Dexter's temper flared. "Did you just call her 'honey'? You've been eyeing Ms. Spencer this whole time, haven't you? You're asking for it!"

I stepped aside to avoid him, and my temper completely flared up. "I don't have time for you."

This was a debt I was going to settle properly.

Suddenly, Dexter shouted, "Wait!"

His eyes flickered, and he pulled out a pen, forcing it into my hand. "You're leaving the supplier partnership agreement behind. But you need to write a statement saying I got it."

I stared at him in disbelief. "Are you out of your mind, or am I?"

As I said that, I snatched the agreement from his hands. Before he could react, I took it and turned to leave.

But Ella stepped in front of me, frowning.

"Wait. Who told you to leave?" she asked coldly, arms crossed.

"The supplier partnership agreement is crucial to the company's growth. Who gets it doesn't matter. Can't you do this for the company? Just sign it."

Amused, I raised an eyebrow. "Are you talking to me as the CEO or my wife?"

"You…"

Ella was speechless for a moment. In the end, she shouted, "I told you to give it to him! Do you hear me?"

I refused.

Two years abroad had tempered my temper, but anyone who betrayed me would be thrown out of Eblana.

I pulled out the agreement and ripped it to shreds in front of her.

Ella stood there in shock and yelled, "Liam! Are you insane?"

Dexter couldn't hold back and kicked my calf again. "You bastard!"

He shouted toward the door, "Security, get in here and beat this guy up again!"

I raised my head and met Ella's gaze. "You're going to regret this."

She laughed scornfully. "Do you really think I'm afraid of a small-time pharmaceutical scientist?"

Before security could enter, Ella's secretary rushed in. "Ms. Spencer, Mr. Wagner just arrived!"

Ella's expression shifted from shock to joy, and she hurried to greet him. "Mr. Wagner, what brings you here?"

The middle-aged man bypassed her and scanned the room. "Where's my son?"