Chapter 5 - A New Empire
By afternoon, the transition was complete.
The corporate sign outside the eighth-floor offices of Holloway & Pierce had already been unscrewed, replaced by temporary brass lettering reading Vale-Carter Global Analytics. Marcus Holloway was escorted out of the building by building security, carrying his personal belongings in a small cardboard box just like the ones he had forced junior analysts to pack whenever he fired them on a whim.
Vanessa Cole didn't even wait to be fired formally; she packed her designer handbag, burst into tears by the elevator banks, and fled the building before the noon lunch hour, permanently blacklisted from every major financial institution in downtown Chicago.
Inside the newly renovated corner office—the one Marcus had occupied for five years while stealing my work—the sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, illuminating the sweeping skyline of the city.
I sat down behind the heavy mahogany desk, placing my laptop and my ceramic coffee mug neatly in the center.
Adrian stood by the window, hands in his pockets, watching the bustling traffic far below. He turned around with a soft, satisfied smile.
"Well, Managing Partner Carter," Adrian said, leaning against the edge of the desk. "How does the view look from the top?"
I looked out at the city, thinking back to the lonely cubicle where I used to sit in silence, watching people like Vanessa and Marcus build their entire identities on smoke, mirrors, and cruelty.
"It looks a lot cleaner," I replied, smiling up at him. "And the risk model is finally under new management."
Adrian chuckled, walking over to extend his hand across the desk. "Shall we get to work, then? We have an entire global portfolio to rebuild."
I took his hand in a firm, confident grip, feeling the solid, unshakable weight of victory.
May you like
"Let's do it," I said.
Sometimes, getting sent on a blind date by your worst enemy turns out to be the best thing that ever happens to you. You just have to make sure you hold all the cards when you sit down at the table.
