Vivian could not take it anymore.She got into her car. Started driving with no destination in mind.She just needed to get away.. From everything.Her hands gripped the steering wheel too tight. Her foot pressed the gas pedal harder than it should.The speedometer climbed. 50. 60. 70.She did not care.The streets were empty.. Just her and the road and the anger burning in her chest.Everything had fallen apart.Marcus hated her. The public hated her. She had no money. No friends. No future.And Ethan was still walking around like nothing had happened.Vivian's vision blurred. Tears. She wiped them away with one hand.The car swerved slightly. She corrected it.80 miles per hour now.She thought about everything she had lost. Her marriage. Her reputation. Her life.All because of him.All because Ethan refused to stay down...and be destroyed.The light ahead turned red.Vivian did not slow down.She ran through it.Horns blared. Headlights flashed.A truck came from the left. She did

Gerald called a private meeting the next morning.Only board members. No Claire.They met at Gerald's private office downtown. Expensive furniture. Floor-to-ceiling windows. The kind of place where power moves were planned.Patricia arrived first. Then Howard. Then the other five board members filed in one by one.Gerald waited until everyone was seated. Then he closed the door."We have one week," he said. "Claire is either going to introduce the chairman or she is not. Either way, we need to be ready."Howard nodded. "What are you thinking?""I am thinking we force her hand. Publicly."Patricia frowned. "How?"Gerald walked to his desk and pulled out a folder. "We organize a company-wide event. Something big. Formal. We invite employees, investors, media. Make it look like a celebration.""A celebration of what?" one of the other board members asked."Sterling Global's anniversary. Thirty years in business. We frame it as a milestone event."Howard caught on immediately. "And we use

Gerald was not finished.He stood at the podium, looking out at the crowd with a satisfied expression. The humiliation of Ethan had gone exactly as planned. Now it was time to go after Claire."Ladies and gentlemen," Gerald said. "I want to address something that has been concerning the board for quite some time."The room went quiet again."As you all know, Sterling Global has faced some challenges recently. Our stock has been volatile. Investor confidence has wavered. And there have been questions about how company resources are being allocated."Claire stiffened. She knew where this was going.Gerald continued. "The board has conducted an internal review. And what we found is... troubling."He pulled out a document. Held it up for everyone to see."This is a summary of expenses over the past six months. Expenses that were authorized by our CEO, Miss Claire Sterling."Patricia stepped forward. "What we discovered is that a significant portion of company funds have been directed towa

Patricia stared at her phone screen. The email had arrived at 6:47 AM. She read it three times before it sank in. TERMINATION NOTICE She called Howard immediately. Her hands were shaking so badly she almost dropped the phone. "Howard, did you—" "Yes," he said. His voice was flat. "I got it too." "This cannot be real. Someone is playing a joke." "It is not a joke. I already called HR. They confirmed it." Patricia sat down heavily on her couch. "But who would... Gerald said Claire denied doing it." "I know." "Then who?" Howard did not answer. Patricia ended the call and immediately dialed another board member. A woman named Linda. Linda answered on the first ring. "Patricia?" "Did you get—" "Yes. Twenty minutes ago." Patricia felt her chest tighten. "How many of us?" "I do not know. Let me check." Patricia waited. She could hear Linda typing on her computer. "Five of us so far," Linda said. "You, me, Howard, Gerald, and Thomas." "Five board members fired in one morni

Gerald stood on the sidewalk outside Sterling Global headquarters.People brushed past him. Rushed into the building. Talked on phones. Carried coffee cups. Living their normal lives.He just stood there. Staring up at the glass tower.His phone buzzed in his pocket. He ignored it.It buzzed again. And again.Finally, he pulled it out. Patricia calling.He answered."Did you find anything at legal?"Gerald's voice came out flat. "The chairman is real."Silence."What?""The seal. The authorization code. Eight years old. It's all real."He could hear Patricia breathing on the other end. Fast. Shallow."Gerald, that's impossible. We would have known—""We didn't." He hung up.---An hour later, they gathered at Gerald's house.His home office was too small for six people but no one complained. Patricia sat on the leather couch. Howard leaned against the bookshelf. Linda and Thomas took the chairs. Two other board members stood near the door.All of them held termination notices. White p