Chapter 1 – Article Nine
Marcus barely slept.
Not because of guilt.
Because of excitement.
By sunrise, he imagined himself standing before the board as the unquestioned chairman of Whitmore Hospitality International. Amelia was gone. Vanessa was already planning renovations to the penthouse suite. Their divorce papers were waiting on his attorney's desk.
Everything was finally his.
Or so he believed.
At exactly 7:45 a.m., Marcus stepped out of the elevator onto the executive floor.
Something felt different.
The receptionist, Claire, who had greeted him every morning for nearly a decade, didn't smile.
Instead, she stood.
"N-good morning, Mr. Whitmore."
Her voice trembled.
Marcus frowned.
"Where's everyone?"
"The board has already arrived."
"They started without me?"
She lowered her eyes.
"They requested that you wait."
Marcus laughed.
"They requested?"
Before Claire could answer, two uniformed corporate security officers approached.
Not hotel security.
Corporate security.
The elite division that protected shareholders and handled executive investigations.
"Mr. Whitmore."
The older officer spoke professionally.
"Please surrender your executive access card."
Marcus stared.
"What?"
"Your credentials have been suspended pending board instruction."
His smile disappeared.
"There must be some mistake."
"I'm afraid there isn't."
Marcus pulled out his phone.
No signal.
His company email refused to load.
His executive access app displayed one sentence.
ACCESS REVOKED
"What the hell is going on?"
Neither guard answered.
Across the hallway, the massive conference room doors slowly opened.
Inside sat every board member.
Every senior executive.
Every corporate attorney.
And at the far end of the polished walnut table...
Amelia.
She wore a navy suit instead of yesterday's rain-soaked coat.
Her hair was neatly tied back.
No jewelry except her mother's sapphire brooch.
The very one Vanessa had worn the night before.
Marcus froze.
Vanessa whispered behind him.
"Why is she sitting there?"
Because everyone else had already stood when Amelia entered.
Not one person remained seated.
The chairman himself addressed her first.
"Good morning, Chairwoman Sinclair."
May you like
Marcus blinked.
Chairwoman?
