Chapter 2 - Fired on the Spot
The silence in the ballroom was so heavy you could hear the crystal chandeliers humming overhead.
“Claire, stop this right now!” Daniel hissed, lunging forward to grab the microphone from my hand.
I stepped smoothly out of his reach, turning my back on him to face the audience. The guests were leaning forward, phones already slipping out of pockets and purses, screens glowing softly in the dim light.
“As many of you know,” I continued into the microphone, my tone steady and calm, “Daniel has spent the last two years presenting himself as the brilliant founder of Vanguard Tech Solutions. What he failed to mention to his family, his friends, and most of you sitting in these seats, is that I am the majority shareholder and Chief Executive Officer.”
A loud gasp rippled through the front rows. Daniel’s college buddies at Table 4 looked at each other in sheer confusion.
Patricia took a step toward me, her silver gown rustling aggressively. “You delusional little girl! You can’t speak to my son like that! You are nothing without him!”
“Patricia,” I said, turning the microphone slightly toward her. “As of 2:15 PM today—fifteen minutes before I walked down this aisle—the board of directors met via an emergency digital session. Both you and Daniel have been officially terminated from your positions at Vanguard Tech Solutions for gross financial misconduct.”
Patricia’s mouth opened, but no sound came out.
Daniel stumbled backward as if he had been struck. “You… you can’t fire me! I’m the face of the company!”
“You were an employee, Daniel. An easily replaceable one,” I replied into the mic. “And as for the corporate expense accounts you’ve both been using to finance your cars, Patricia’s designer wardrobe, and this very wedding reception—all company cards have been frozen. The hotel management has already been notified that the secondary card on file belongs to Daniel personally.”
A manager in a dark suit stepped into the back of the ballroom, flanked by two hotel security guards.
Daniel panicked. He reached into his tuxedo pocket and pulled out his phone, his thumb swiping wildly across the screen. “My card… my card isn't working!”
“Because I revoked your executive signature authority an hour ago,” I said smoothly.
Patricia looked around the room, realizing two hundred of the city’s most influential business leaders were watching her absolute humiliation unfold in real time. Her face twisted into a mask of pure fury.
“You evil, scheming witch!” Patricia shrieked, abandoning all pretense of elegance. She grabbed the heavy crystal champagne bucket from the nearest table and raised it above her head. “I’ll destroy you!”
Before she could throw it, my father stepped up from the front row, his tall frame blocking her path, while two hotel security guards swiftly restrained her arms, forcing the crystal bucket safely back onto the table.
May you like
I lowered the microphone, handed it back to the terrified lead singer of the band, and unclipped my veil.
“Keep the dress,” I whispered to Daniel as I walked past him. “You’re going to need to sell it to pay for the reception.”
