My mother-in-law smiled as she watched me t3mble d0wn the stairs. When I woke up in a hospital bed, I signed the divorce papers and disappeared without giving anyone an explanation

Within seven days, the Vance name was dragged through the mud. Without Vanguard Holding’s financial backing, Dominic’s construction projects ground to a screeching halt. Subcontractors walked off the jobs, demanding payment.

Dominic sat in his office, his head in his hands. The air conditioning had been turned off because the utility bills hadn't been paid.

The door burst open, and Victoria marched in, her face flushed with anger. "Dominic! The bank just repossessed my Mercedes! This is an outrage! Call your contacts at Vanguard! Demand to speak to the CEO!"

"I’ve tried!" Dominic yelled, slamming his hands on the desk. "They won't take my calls! Everything goes through their legal counsel, Sophia Sterling. And she just told me that if we aren't out of the mansion by next Friday, the police will remove us!"

"This is that little witch Audrey's doing!" Victoria hissed. "She must have seduced someone at Vanguard to ruin us!"

Dominic looked at his mother, a sudden realization dawning on him. "Audrey didn't even have enough money to buy a new dress, Mother. How could she influence a multi-billion-dollar holding firm?"

Just then, an elegant, gold-embossed envelope arrived on his desk. Dominic opened it with trembling hands.

It was an invitation to the Independence Business Gala. At the bottom, a handwritten note read: One final opportunity to meet the Chairperson of Vanguard Holdings and settle your debts.

Dominic’s heart leaped. "This is it," he breathed. "The Chairperson wants to meet us. If I can convince them to reinstate the funding, we can pay off the banks, fix the company, and I can handle the divorce later."