Chapter 4 - The House of Cards Collapses
Thatcher couldn't breathe. The walls of his office were spinning.
"You owe Vanguard Holdings twenty million dollars by noon," Saraphina stated, looking at her watch. "You currently have less than eighty-five thousand dollars to your name. Therefore, as your primary creditor, I am executing a hostile takeover of your shares to satisfy the debt."
"You're taking my company?" Thatcher choked out.
"It hasn't been your company for years, Thatcher. It’s a shell. I’m just taking the furniture," Saraphina said. "My legal team is in the lobby. Security will be up in two minutes to escort you from the building. You have no equity, no house, no cars, and no credit."
Belle, who had been listening in horrified silence, finally understood the math. She looked at Thatcher, her eyes wide with panic.
"Thatcher... is she telling the truth?" Belle asked, her voice trembling. "Are you broke?"
Thatcher reached out for her. "Belle, sweetheart, listen to me. I can rebuild. We can figure this out—"
Belle slapped his hand away.
May you like
The soft, adoring mistress vanished in an instant. "Figure it out? I'm pregnant! I'm not moving into a studio apartment with a bankrupt fraud!"
She turned on her heel and stormed out of the office, slamming the heavy mahogany door behind her, leaving Thatcher completely, utterly alone.
