Chapter 2 - The Core of the Empire
The atrium of Vale Dynamics fell into a suffocating silence. The busy hum of morning commuters, the clicking of heels on polished marble, the soft rustle of tablets and folders—all of it ceased. Every eye in the towering glass lobby was locked onto the elevator doors.
Christopher’s face underwent a terrifying transformation. The smug, self-assured mask he had worn just eighteen hours ago in my hospital room cracked, revealing a mixture of utter disbelief and mounting fury. He took a step forward, his hand instinctively reaching out as if to push me back into the elevator, but two towering security guards immediately stepped in front of him, their expressions stone-cold.
"What is the meaning of this joke?" Christopher hissed, his voice trembling but still trying to project authority. He looked past me to the Chief Legal Counsel, Arthur Pendelton, a man who had served my family for three decades. "Arthur, have you lost your mind? She is an unemployed housewife. I am the CEO of Vale Dynamics! I built this company from a garage startup!"
Arthur did not flinch. He adjusted his wire-rimmed glasses, his expression radiating absolute, chilling calm. "Mr. Vale, you built nothing. You were hired as a proxy and later appointed as a temporary managing executive by the majority shareholder. Your employment contract, as well as your authorization to act as the public face of this corporation, has been terminated effective at 6:00 AM today."
"Terminated?" Christopher laughed, a sharp, ugly sound that echoed off the high ceilings. "I own forty percent of the shares! I am the majority stakeholder!"
"You own forty percent of Vale Dynamics Public Corp, Christopher," I said, my voice quiet, but carrying perfectly across the silent lobby. Every word cost me a surge of pain from my lower abdomen, but I stood straight, my shoulders back, channeling the strength of the women who came before me. "What you failed to understand—because you were too busy looking at your own face on Forbes covers—is that Vale Dynamics Public Corp is merely a shell. It is entirely owned and funded by Sloan Holdings. And who owns one hundred percent of Sloan Holdings?"
I stepped forward, the security guards parting to let me pass. I stopped just inches from him, smelling the familiar, expensive cologne he wore—the one I had bought him for his last birthday.
"I do," I whispered. "I am Veronica Sloan. My grandfather founded the foundation of this tech empire before your parents even met. Your forty percent is worth less than the paper your divorce papers are printed on if I pull our proprietary software licenses. And as of five minutes ago, I have."
Bianca, who had been standing a few paces behind Christopher, clutching her designer handbag, gasped. Her polished exterior shattered instantly. "Christopher... what is she talking about? She's bluffing. She's just a hysterical woman who gave birth yesterday! Look at her, she can barely stand!"
"I can stand well enough to watch you carry your trash out of my building, Bianca," I said, turning my cold gaze onto her. "As for you, your employment is also terminated. Gross misconduct, conflict of interest, and theft of proprietary company data. Security will escort you both to the lobby exit. You are not permitted to go up to the executive floor. Your personal belongings will be couriered to your respective residences."
"You can't do this!" Christopher roared, his face turning a deep, violent purple. He lunged toward me, but the Head of Security, Marcus, immediately grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back with effortless precision.
"Mr. Vale, do not make this a criminal assault matter," Marcus warned in a low, gravelly voice. "Please leave the premises peacefully."
"Veronica!" Christopher screamed as he was forced backward toward the revolving glass doors. "You think you've won? You think you can take my company? I will sue you for every penny! I will take those kids and you will never see them again! Do you hear me? Never!"
I watched him go, his desperate, ugly shouts fading as the heavy glass doors spun shut behind him. The lobby remained silent for a few heartbeats. Then, slowly, the employees began to whisper, the realization of what had just transpired washing over them.
I turned to Arthur and Marcus. "Let's go up to the boardroom. We have a lot of work to do."
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As the elevator doors closed, shielding me from the staring eyes, my knees buckled slightly. Arthur quickly caught my elbow. "Mrs. Vale—pardon me, Ms. Sloan. You should be in bed. The doctors specifically warned us—"
"I will rest when my children's future is secure, Arthur," I said, pressing a hand against my bandaged abdomen. The physical pain was intense, but the fire burning in my chest was stronger. "Christopher is going to burn everything down to save himself. We need to cut his fuel before he can even strike a match."
