Chapter 8 - The Audit of Arrogance
Claire opened the leather-bound portfolio in front of her,sliding a single sheet of paper across the polished mahogany table toward Grant Holloway.
Grant's eyes scanned the document,and the last vestige of color disappeared from his face.His hands began to shake visibly.
"This...This is impossible.Grant whispered,His voice trembled."These audit numbers..."you've called in our primary debt notes."
"Effective immediately," Marcus Vance added smoothly."Crownridge Properties is currently in default across seventeen separate commercial master leases.Bennett Holdings is exercising its legal right to seize the underlying assets,liquidate the subsidiary's remaining equity,and restructure the management board from the ground up."
"You can't do that!"Grant yelled,half-rising from his chair,Panic overriding protocol."That would bankrupt the entire company!Thousands of jobs—our entire portfolio—gone overnight!"
"You should have thought about portfolio stability before you let your senior acquisitions team spend three hundred and twenty dollars on lunch while their household operates on twelve dollars and forty-three cents,"Barala said,her voice cutting through his panic like a scalpel.
She turned her gaze back to Ethan,who sat paralyzed,his chest heaving as he stared down at the polished table.
For six years,Ethan,Claire continued quietly,obstructed forward,"I carried your weight."I paid your bills,I washed your shirts.I listened to you lecture me about what it takes to be successful.Do you know what real success is,Ethan?Real success isn't putting on a three-hundred-dollar suit and looking down at people who do the hard,unglamorous work to keep the world running."
Ethan closed his eyes.a single tear of utter humiliation cutting a clean path through his makeup-free,Ashen face."Claire..."I was wrong.I was an idiot.Please.We can talk about this.We can go back home—
"Home?"Claire let out a cold,Humorousless laugh."There is no home left in the Bronx,Ethan.And there is certainly no place for you in my life."
She stood up smoothly.Buttoning her jacket.
May you like
"Mr.Holloway,"Barala said,looking down at the shivering executive."You have twenty-four hours to clear your personal belongings out of the Crownridge offices.My legal team will be taking over operations effective immediately."
She turned and walked toward the grand double doors without looking back once.
