Chapter 2 - The Anniversary Surprise
When the waiters began clearing the dinner plates to make way for dessert, Margaret tapped her fork against her crystal wine glass. The room fell silent.
"Family," Margaret announced, standing up and casting a warm, motherly gaze down at Claire, pointedly ignoring me. "Tonight was supposed to be about the past, but instead, I want to toast to the future. To new beginnings, true love, and to people who finally fit into the fabric of this family."
Claire beamed, resting her head on Daniel’s shoulder. "Thank you, Margaret. I just feel so incredibly welcomed."
"Actually," I said.
My voice wasn't loud, but it cut through the room like a razor blade. All twenty-five heads snapped toward the far end of the table. I stood up, smoothing the skirt of my designer gown, and picked up my clutch.
"I have a toast as well," I continued, walking slowly down the length of the long table. The relatives watched me with wide, nervous eyes. Daniel swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing.
"Eleanor, sit down," Margaret hissed, her face flushing with anger. "Don't ruin this."
"I wouldn't dream of ruining it, Margaret. It’s my anniversary, after all," I smiled, stopping directly behind Daniel’s chair. I reached into my clutch and pulled out a thick, cream-colored envelope. I dropped it onto Daniel’s empty dessert plate. "I brought a gift."
Claire scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Is this a desperate letter begging him to stay? Because that is just sad."
Daniel’s hands were shaking as he picked up the envelope. He broke the wax seal and pulled out the legal documents inside. As his eyes scanned the first page, the arrogant, confused expression on his face dissolved into pure, unadulterated horror. The blood drained from his face so fast he looked like a corpse.
"Daniel?" Margaret asked, sensing the sudden shift in the atmosphere. "What is it?"
"It’s a termination notice," I announced cheerfully, looking around the silent table. "As of 10:17 this morning, Vanguard Logistics was officially restructured. Due to severe financial mismanagement and the embezzlement of corporate funds—specifically the eighty thousand dollars Daniel used to pay for Claire's luxury condo and their little hotel escapades—the majority shareholder invoked the fraud clause."
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Daniel looked up at me, his eyes wide with a frantic, begging terror. "You... you're Vanguard Holdings? The silent partner? No. No, that’s impossible. You don't have that kind of money!"
"I do," I replied softly. "And now, I have yours, too. Your shares have been legally seized to cover the debt you stole from the company. You are officially unemployed, completely broke, and locked out of the corporate accounts."
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