Chapter 4 - The Countermove
I looked at Julian, a cold sense of anticipation settling over me.
"Let her up," I instructed quietly.
The board members watched in silence as I sat back down at the head of the table.
Two minutes later, the mahogany doors swung open.
Charlotte marched into the room, wearing a designer trench coat and glaring at me.
She expected to find a crying, broken housewife.
Instead, she found me sitting in the seat of power, surrounded by billionaires.
Her arrogant stride faltered slightly.
"Gavin wants you to come back to the penthouse," Charlotte said, crossing her arms defensively.
I let out a slow, dark laugh that echoed in the quiet room.
"Tell Gavin he can keep the penthouse, and the cheap wine," I replied effortlessly.
Charlotte narrowed her eyes, stepping closer to the table.
"You think you are so smart, Sabrina," she sneered.
"But Gavin legally tied you to forty million dollars in fraudulent debt."
The board members shifted uncomfortably in their expensive leather chairs.
Charlotte smiled, thinking she had just played her winning card.
"If you don't unfreeze the acquisition money today, Gavin will send those documents to the FBI," Charlotte threatened.
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the polished wood.
"Julian," I said softly without breaking eye contact with Charlotte.
Julian stepped forward and handed Charlotte a thick manila envelope.
She frowned and ripped it open.
She pulled out a stack of high-resolution surveillance photographs.
Charlotte's face instantly drained of all color.
The photos showed Charlotte meeting secretly with the CEO of SwiftFreight's biggest corporate rival.
"You are not just a mistress, Charlotte," I explained calmly.
"You are a corporate spy who has been selling Gavin's trade secrets for two years."
Charlotte dropped the photos onto the floor, her hands shaking violently.
"If I send those photos to Gavin, he won't just fire you," I promised her.
"He will probably kill you."
Charlotte swallowed hard, completely trapped in her own web of lies.
"What do you want?" she whispered in defeat.
"I want you to go back to Gavin and tell him I am crying and begging for forgiveness," I ordered.
Charlotte nodded quickly, desperate to save her own life.
"And tell him I will meet him tonight at the logistics industry charity gala," I added.
I signaled to the security guards standing by the door.
"Now throw her out of my building," I commanded.
The guards grabbed Charlotte by her arms and dragged her out of the boardroom.
The committee members stared at me with newfound, absolute respect.
Julian leaned down again, handing me a small, encrypted flash drive.
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"We hacked Charlotte's phone while she was in the lobby," Julian whispered.
"She has been planning to poison Gavin tonight at the gala."
