CHAPTER 1 — THE FALL
Twelve people sat around the long glass table—men and women who had built empires, destroyed competitors, and signed deals worth more than most people would see in a lifetime.
And every single one of them stood when I entered.
Not for Daniel.
For me.
“Ms. Ward,” my chief legal officer said smoothly. “All members are present.”
I nodded once and took my seat at the head of the table.
Daniel wasn’t there yet.
He would be.
Right on cue, the doors burst open.
“Elena!”
His voice was rough. Breathless. Desperate.
Daniel Ward—former CEO—stood in the doorway like a man who had just realized the ground beneath him wasn’t solid after all.
Security moved to block him.
I lifted a hand.
“Let him in.”
He rushed forward, ignoring the eyes on him—the same eyes that once respected him.
Now?
They were assessing damage.
“Elena, please,” he said, stopping just short of the table. “This is insane. There’s been a misunderstanding—”
“There hasn’t,” I said calmly.
I slid a folder toward him.
His name was printed on the front.
Termination of Executive Authority.
His hands trembled as he opened it.
“You can’t do this,” he whispered.
“I already did.”
One of the board members cleared his throat.
“The vote was unanimous.”
Daniel looked around.
No allies.
No supporters.
Only witnesses.
His voice broke.
“You’re destroying everything.”
I leaned back slightly.
“No, Daniel,” I said softly. “I’m correcting a mistake.”
His mistake.
Marrying me without ever bothering to understand who I was.
The security team stepped forward again.
This time, I didn’t stop them.
“Escort Mr. Ward out,” I said.
“Elena—”
“Now.”
The doors closed behind him.
May you like
And just like that—
Daniel Ward ceased to exist in this company.
