Chapter 1 - Fire the Director Immediately**
The champagne dripped slow.
One droplet tracked down the center of my dress, then another.
Daniel was still laughing, arm slung heavy around Vanessa’s waist, when Eleanor’s voice came through the phone—crisp, unhurried, absolute.
"Done, Mrs. Mercer. Notice of termination is issued and filed. Access cards revoked. Email and system credentials suspended effective this exact second."
I didn’t look away from my husband.
"Thank you, Eleanor."
I ended the call and slipped the phone back into my clutch.
For three full seconds, nothing happened.
Then Daniel frowned.
"Who was that? Your farm-hand cousin? Did you call someone to come pick you up?"
A low murmur rippled through the room. Guests were shifting, glancing between us.
"Daniel," I said quietly. "You’ve just been fired."
He blinked.
Then he laughed—loud, barking, incredulous.
"Fired? By who? You?"
"By the board," Chairman Robert Lang said from behind him. His voice was thin.
Daniel turned. His smile faltered when he saw Lang’s face—pale, drawn, tight with dread.
"Robert? What is this?"
Lang’s eyes flicked to me, then back.
"Her family trust holds thirty-eight percent of this company, Daniel. She didn’t marry into it. She owns it."
The room went dead quiet.
Daniel looked at me. Really looked at me—like he was seeing me for the first time in six years.
"You…"
"My grandfather founded Harlow Capital," I said. "He built this company before you ever heard the name Vantage Meridian."
Daniel’s face went red. Then white.
"That’s impossible. You’re just—you’re you."
Vanessa stepped forward, chin lifted. "Robert, this is absurd. Daniel is Regional Director—"
"Was," Lang corrected. "Effective immediately."
Daniel’s hands curled into fists at his sides. He looked at me, at Lang, at the guests holding up phones.
"This is a setup," he snarled. "You planned this. You married me just to—"
"I supported you for six years," I said. "I paid for your suits. I hosted your dinners. I stayed quiet when you came home late." I smoothed the hem of my dress—once, twice. "I wanted to believe the man I married was real."
I turned toward the doors.
"Security will escort you both out now," I said without looking back.
A guard appeared at each of their sides.
May you like
Daniel’s voice cracked. "Claire—wait. We can fix this. I made a mistake—"
"You made a choice," I said, and kept walking.
