Chapter 5 - Sole Owner of the Empire
One year later, the Charlotte skyline looked beautiful from the expansive windows of my corner office.
Carter Vale Interiors was no longer a regional business. Under my absolute, unhindered leadership as the eighty-four percent majority owner, we had expanded into two new states and secured our largest commercial contract to date. The toxic, suffocating atmosphere Daniel had cultivated was gone, replaced by a loyal, brilliant team of executives who actually respected the woman at the helm.
I sat at my massive glass desk, reviewing the quarterly earnings report, when Martin knocked on the open door. He walked in, holding two cups of artisanal coffee, handing one to me with a warm smile.
"Profits are up twenty-two percent this quarter, Claire," Martin announced, sitting in the leather chair across from me. "The board is ecstatic. Richard wants to host a celebratory dinner next week."
"Tell Richard I'll be there," I smiled, taking a sip of the hot coffee. "But no red wine on the menu."
Martin laughed, shaking his head. "I still can't believe how flawlessly you pulled that off. Speaking of the past... did you see the news this morning?"
I hadn't. I had stopped paying attention to Daniel’s tragic downward spiral months ago, focusing entirely on rebuilding my life and my company.
"The federal judge handed down the sentencing yesterday," Martin said, pulling up an article on his tablet. "Daniel got six years in a federal penitentiary, plus full restitution. Zachary Lawson got four years. And Brooke..." Martin paused, a smirk playing on his lips. "Brooke managed to avoid jail time by testifying against them both, but she was hit with massive civil penalties. She filed for bankruptcy last week. She's currently working at a fast-food drive-thru in a suburb of Raleigh."
I looked out the window at the city I had helped build.
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Daniel had wanted me to be hysterical. He had wanted me to scream, to cry, to break down so he could paint me as the crazy, unstable wife and steal the empire we built. He severely underestimated the silent, lethal power of a woman who knows exactly what she is worth.
I took another sip of my coffee, turning my attention back to the massive pile of contracts on my desk. I had a company to run, an empire to expand, and a beautiful, unbothered life to live. The trap had closed exactly as I designed it, and I was the only one left standing.
