Chapter 4 - The Boardroom Execution
At exactly 11:55 AM, Andrew, Brenda, and Margaret walked into the towering glass lobby of Vanguard Holdings.
They looked like ghosts. Andrew's designer suit was wrinkled. Margaret clutched her expensive handbag as if it were a life preserver. Brenda trailed behind, nervously checking her phone.
They were escorted to the top floor, stepping into a massive, sunlit boardroom that overlooked the entire city.
At the head of the long mahogany table, a high-backed leather executive chair was turned away from them, facing the skyline. Two terrifyingly quiet security guards stood by the doors.
"Excuse me," Andrew started, clearing his throat, trying to summon the arrogant authority he had wielded just last night. "I demand to know why Vanguard has unlawfully frozen my operating accounts. I have been a model partner—"
The leather chair slowly rotated.
The words died in Andrew's throat.
I sat there, dressed in a sharp, tailored white suit, a multi-million-dollar diamond necklace resting against my collarbone. My hair was perfectly styled, and my posture radiated absolute, undeniable power.
Andrew's jaw dropped. His eyes widened until they looked like they might shatter.
"Mariana?" he whispered, his voice cracking.
Margaret gasped, taking a stumbling step backward. "What... what are you doing sitting there? Get out of that chair! Are you the secretary?!"
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table, and smiled.
"Hello, Andrew. I told you tomorrow morning, every single one of you would be begging for my forgiveness."
"You..." Andrew stammered, pointing a shaking finger at me. "You can't be... Vanguard Holdings is owned by the Escalante family..."
"And my name," I said, my voice cutting through the room like a blade, "is Mariana Escalante."
Brenda let out a choked noise, her hands flying to her mouth.
"For four years, you called me poor," I said softly, standing up. "You mocked my clothes. You mocked my family. You treated me like a stray dog you graciously allowed to sleep on your porch."
I walked slowly around the table, my heels clicking against the polished floor.
"When your company was bleeding to death two years ago, I bought your debt. I paid for the marble floors you walked on. I paid for the cars you drove. I even paid for the credit card you used to buy your mistress her cheap jewelry."
I stopped right in front of him.
"I gave you an empire, Andrew. And last night, you slapped me across the face to impress a parasite."
Andrew fell to his knees. The realization crashed down on him, crushing his ego, his pride, and his entire reality in a single second.
"Mariana... please," he begged, tears streaming down his face. "I didn't know... I swear I didn't know! It was a mistake! I was stressed! Brenda manipulated me!"
"Hey!" Brenda shrieked, stepping away from him. "Don't put this on me!"
"Oh, Brenda," I smiled, pulling a remote from my pocket. "I haven't forgotten about you."
I pressed a button, and the massive screen behind me flickered to life. It played high-definition security footage from the mansion's living room, taken hours before the party.
The video clearly showed Brenda opening Margaret's jewelry box, taking out the emerald necklace, and stuffing it into the lining of her own crimson clutch.
Margaret turned to Brenda, her face purple with rage. "You thief! You set her up!"
"I had security cameras installed in every room to protect the estate assets," I said smoothly. "You really thought you were smarter than me, Brenda?"
Brenda lunged for the door, but the two security guards instantly blocked her path, grabbing her by the arms.
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"Let me go!" she screamed.
"The police are waiting for you in the lobby," I said, looking at her with cold indifference. "Grand larceny is a serious crime. Enjoy the consequences."
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