Chapter 2 – The Board Chooses
The laughter downstairs vanished almost instantly.
It wasn't because the music had stopped.
It was because every phone in the ballroom seemed to vibrate at once.
Executives glanced at their screens.
Investors frowned.
Attorneys quietly stepped away to make calls.
Within seconds, the celebration had transformed into a room full of whispered conversations.
Damian forced a smile.
"Everyone, relax. There has obviously been some kind of technical mistake."
No one answered.
Andrew Collins looked up from his phone.
"It's not a mistake."
Damian's jaw tightened.
"It has to be."
"The emergency board meeting starts in twelve minutes."
"So cancel it."
Andrew hesitated.
"I can't."
"What do you mean you can't?"
"The meeting wasn't scheduled by management."
He swallowed.
"It was scheduled automatically under Article Nine of the shareholder agreement."
Damian stared at him.
"I've never heard of Article Nine."
Andrew looked almost embarrassed.
"Because your father insisted it remain confidential unless controlling ownership changed."
For the first time that evening...
Damian felt genuinely uneasy.
Upstairs, Margaret helped Evelyn into a comfortable chair beside the bedroom window.
Chicago's skyline glittered beneath the night sky.
Traffic crawled across the streets far below.
It looked peaceful.
Nothing like the storm about to consume Cross Capital.
Her phone rang.
"Miss Cross?"
"Yes."
"This is Daniel Foster from Harrington & Blake."
"I know."
"The board is assembled."
"Has everyone arrived?"
"All except Mr. Damian Cross."
Evelyn smiled faintly.
"He'll come."
"You sound very confident."
"He won't have a choice."
Daniel chuckled.
"Neither will the board."
Downstairs, Damian stormed toward his private office with Celeste rushing after him.
"What is happening?"
"Nothing."
"You don't look like nothing."
He slammed the office door shut.
"Someone hacked our banking system."
Celeste folded her arms.
"Can they do that?"
"No."
"Then why are you worried?"
Because deep inside...
He remembered something.
Years ago, his father had insisted Evelyn attend every financial meeting.
Every legal review.
Every shareholder conference.
Damian had laughed about it then.
"My wife doesn't understand finance."
His father had answered with the same sentence every single time.
"Never underestimate someone who prefers listening over talking."
At the time...
Damian assumed the old man simply liked her.
Now...
The memory refused to leave him.
Across town...
Inside the headquarters of Cross Capital...
The boardroom doors opened.
Directors quietly entered one after another.
Some had worked with Damian's father for decades.
Others represented international investment funds.
No one spoke much.
Each seat contained a thick black folder.
Across the front were four words.
Governance Transition Documents
The final chair remained empty.
Damian's.
At precisely 9:00 p.m., Daniel Foster stood.
"According to corporate bylaws, we have quorum."
A director raised a hand.
"Where is Mr. Cross?"
Daniel checked his watch.
"He has been notified."
Another director asked quietly,
"And Mrs. Cross?"
Daniel smiled.
"Already present."
Confused murmurs filled the room.
Then every monitor on the wall lit up.
Evelyn appeared by secure video connection.
She wore no jewelry.
No expensive makeup.
Only a simple gray cardigan draped over her shoulders.
She looked exhausted.
But remarkably calm.
Several older directors nodded respectfully.
One even smiled.
"Good evening, Mrs. Cross."
"Good evening."
Daniel spoke first.
"As Acting Chairwoman, would you like to begin?"
She looked directly into the camera.
"No."
The room became silent.
"I'd rather wait for my husband."
Back at the penthouse...
Damian's assistant burst into his office.
"They're waiting."
"I'm coming."
"The directors requested your immediate attendance."
Damian grabbed his jacket.
Celeste reached for his arm.
"What about the party?"
"It's over."
She blinked.
"What?"
"Go home."
Her expression hardened.
"You can't be serious."
"I said go home."
For the first time since their affair began...
Damian didn't even look at her.
He rushed toward the elevator.
As the doors closed...
His phone buzzed again.
Reminder: Board Meeting Begins.
Below it was one final sentence.
Failure to attend will not delay the vote.
For reasons he couldn't explain...
A chill ran down his spine.
Somewhere...
This wasn't Evelyn's revenge.
May you like
It felt like someone had been preparing for this long before tonight.
And he was already too late.
