Chapter 4 - The 42nd Floor
The elevator doors parted with a muffled chime, revealing a reception area that looked like a modern art museum. High ceilings, floor-to-ceiling panoramic glass walls looking out over Lake Michigan, deep mahogany wood paneling, and plush midnight-blue carpeting that swallowed the sound of her footsteps.
Waiting near the entrance was a woman in her late fifties with sharp, silver-streaked hair, wearing an impeccably tailored charcoal pantsuit and wire-rimmed glasses.
“Ms. Carter,” the woman said, extending a hand with firm warmth. “I’m Evelyn Cross. Thank you for being punctual.”
“Thank you for having me, Ms. Cross,” Stella said, returning the handshake firmly. “I must admit, I’m still entirely in the dark about why I’m here.”
“All your questions will be answered momentarily,” Evelyn said with an enigmatic, knowing smile. “Follow me, please.”
Evelyn led her down a wide, soundproofed hallway lined with black-and-white architectural photographs documenting the fifty-year history of Bennett Industries. They reached a set of towering double doors made of frosted glass and brushed brass.
Evelyn pushed the doors open, gesturing for Stella to step inside.
The executive office was vast. A massive mahogany desk sat before a panoramic window offering a breathtaking view of the Chicago skyline. Behind the desk, facing the window, stood a high-backed leather chair.
Beside the desk stood Marcus Vance.
The moment Marcus saw Stella enter the room, his face twisted into an expression of sheer disgust and disbelief. He adjusted his silk tie, his chest puffing out with hostile territorialism.
“What the hell is this?” Marcus snapped, turning indignantly toward Evelyn. “Evelyn, why is this girl here? I specifically informed HR that her candidacy was terminated yesterday morning. She showed up nearly half an hour late to a critical interview looking like a grease monkey from a chop shop. She is completely unqualified, undisciplined, and—”
“That is quite enough, Marcus,” Evelyn interrupted, her voice dropping into an icy, dangerous register.
“No, it isn't enough!” Marcus pressed, his voice rising in petulant arrogance. “I am the Senior Hiring Director of this division. If junior HR staff are going to undermine my executive authority by inviting rejected applicants directly to the penthouse floor, it makes a mockery of our corporate hierarchy! Who authorized this girl’s presence in this building?”
The leather chair behind the mahogany desk slowly pivoted around.
The room fell into a heavy, suffocating silence.
Sitting in the chair was a man in an immaculate navy three-piece suit, an Egyptian cotton shirt, and an antique gold watch. His white hair was neatly combed back, and his piercing blue eyes were fixed with laser precision upon Marcus Vance.
Stella’s breath caught in her throat. She stumbled back half a step, her eyes widening in utter shock.
It was Arthur.
The old man with the blown serpentine belt on the shoulder of Interstate 94.
Except he wasn't just Arthur. He was Arthur Bennett, the reclusive billionaire founder, majority shareholder, and Chairman of the Board of Bennett Industries.
“I authorized it, Marcus,” Arthur said. His voice was quiet, calm, and utterly terrifying in its absolute authority.
Marcus Vance’s face instantly drained of all color. His jaw dropped open like a broken hinge. His hands began to shake at his sides, his arrogance evaporating into pure, unadulterated panic.
“M-Mr. Bennett...” Marcus stammered, his voice cracking like dry wood. “You... you’re back in Chicago? We—we weren't expecting you until next week’s shareholder summit—”
“Clearly,” Arthur Bennett replied, leaning forward and resting his forearms on the polished mahogany desk. “Because if you had expected me, Marcus, you might have taken the trouble to hide your incompetence and arrogance behind closed doors.”
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Arthur turned his gaze toward Stella. The severe expression on his face instantly softened into the warm, youthful smile she remembered from the roadside.
“Good morning, Stella,” Arthur said gently. “You’ll be pleased to know they replaced the tensioner pulley, just as you instructed.”
