Chapter 3 - The Corporate Takeover
The color completely vanished from Daniel’s face. He stared at the documents spread across the table, his eyes darting frantically over the flight logs, the lounge check-ins, and the clear, high-resolution photo of him kissing Vanessa at the priority exit.
"Clara... wait. Let me explain," he stammered, his voice dropping to a panicked whisper as he looked around the restaurant to see if anyone was watching. "This isn't what it looks like. Vanessa and I... it’s strictly professional. A consulting arrangement that got slightly blurred, but it’s completely meaningless—"
"Meaningless enough that you used my family’s corporate credentials to fund her luxury travel?" I interrupted, cutting through his excuses like a knife. "Meaningless enough that you texted me love poems from a hotel lobby while she was standing right beside you?"
"Please, Clara, don't do this here," Daniel pleaded, leaning forward, his mask of corporate confidence completely shattered. He tried to reach for my wrist, but I pulled back sharply, giving him a look so cold it made him recoil. "We can talk about this at home. We can go to counseling. I'll cut ties with her tomorrow. I swear to God, I'll fix it."
"You won't have to worry about cutting ties with her, Daniel, because you won't have a company to work for by tomorrow morning," I said calmly, picking up my napkin and laying it across the table.
Daniel froze. "What are you talking about?"
"My father saw the reports this afternoon," I said, watching the absolute terror register in his eyes. "When I showed him how you abused our family’s hospitality pass to carry on an affair while embezzling travel expenses through corporate accounts, he didn't hesitate. Your position as Vice Director of Operations at Cross Enterprises was terminated at 4:00 PM today."
Daniel slammed his hand onto the table, causing the silverware to rattle. Several diners at nearby tables turned to look. "He can't do that! I have a contract! I brought in millions in revenue for this firm!"
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"You brought in liabilities," I corrected him, standing up smoothly from my chair. "And as for our marriage? My divorce attorney already filed the papers an hour ago based on adultery and financial fraud. You’ll find a process server waiting at our front door when you get home."
I tossed a single twenty-dollar bill onto the table to cover my sparkling water, looked down at him one last time, and turned away without looking back. Let him drown in the wreckage he had built.
