Chapter 7 - The Mistress's Arrival
The dust from Julian's arrest had barely settled when the heavy oak doors of the boardroom swung open a second time.
This time, it wasn't the federal marshals. It was Chloe Marr.
She stood in the doorway, breathless and flushed, wearing an expensive designer trench coat that was slightly rumpled, her blonde hair falling loosely around her shoulders. She had clearly just stepped off a private flight from Napa, expecting to find Julian waiting for her in his corner office with champagne and excuses.
Instead, she walked into a room full of shell-shocked executives, an empty chair at the head of the table, and me standing at the front with Arthur Vance and the board of directors.
Chloe stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes darting around the room before landing squarely on me. A flash of defensive arrogance crossed her features, quickly masking her underlying panic.
"Evelyn," Chloe said, tossing her head back with a forced, brittle smile. "I heard there was some commotion downstairs. Where is Julian? The board meeting was supposed to be wrapped up twenty minutes ago, and we have a press briefing in New York next week regarding the retail expansion."
Nobody answered her.
The senior directors stared at her with open disgust. Even Thomas Vance, who had previously approved her communications budget, looked away as if she were dirt on his shoe.
I walked slowly down the length of the mahogany table, my heels clicking sharply against the floor, until I stopped just a few feet away from her.
"Julian won't be making the New York press briefing, Chloe," I said, my voice carrying a quiet, razor-sharp edge that made her flinch.
Chloe's forced smile faltered. "What are you talking about? He’s the CEO. He doesn't miss keynotes."
"He missed them," I replied smoothly, "because federal marshals arrested him five minutes ago for corporate embezzlement and wire fraud. He's currently sitting in a holding cell downtown, wearing handcuffs that match his bespoke suit."
Color drained entirely from Chloe’s face. She staggered back a half-step, her hands flying up to clutch the lapels of her coat. "Arrested? No... that's ridiculous. You're lying. You're just bitter because—because he didn't want you anymore!"
"Am I?" I raised an eyebrow, gesturing to Arthur Vance, who stepped forward and handed Chloe a legal document.
"That," Arthur said coldly, "is an administrative suspension notice terminating your employment with Vale Meridian effective immediately, accompanied by a federal subpoena to testify regarding corporate funds used to finance your private resort stays in Napa."
Chloe stared at the paper as if it were written in a foreign language. Her hands shook so violently she nearly dropped it. "You can't fire me! I control the public relations department! I know every secret this company has!"
"And now you'll get to share them all with a federal grand jury," I said softly, stepping closer until I was looking straight into her terrified eyes. "Clean your desk out by noon, Chloe. Security has already been instructed to escort you off the premises the second you touch the elevators."
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Chloe opened her mouth to scream, to threaten, to lash out, but no sound came out. She turned around blindly and bolted out of the boardroom, her heels clacking frantically down the hallway as her corporate world collapsed around her.
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