Chapter 5: Locked Out
Marcus stormed into the hallway when Adrian arrived with four security officers.
“What is this?” Marcus demanded.
Adrian stood straighter than he had downstairs.
“Your executive access has been suspended by the board.”
“I am the chief executive officer.”
“Not at this time.”
Marcus laughed in disbelief.
“I hired you.”
“The company hired me.”
“I am the company.”
Adrian’s expression did not change.
“No, sir.”
Celeste emerged from the bedroom wearing the silk robe.
Two officers looked away in embarrassment.
Marcus stepped toward Adrian.
“You will all be unemployed by morning.”
Adrian held out his hand.
“Your hotel key, corporate phone, and executive identification card.”
Marcus stared at him.
Then he pulled out his phone and called the board chairman again.
This time Theodore answered.
Marcus froze when he heard the older man’s voice.
“Theodore?”
“Mr. Vale.”
“What is happening?”
“You have been suspended.”
“You can’t do that.”
“I already did.”
Marcus lowered his voice.
“This is because of Isabella.”
“This is because of you.”
Marcus paced toward the window.
“I built this company.”
“No,” Theodore replied. “You managed assets purchased with Laurent capital, expanded through Laurent guarantees, and protected by Isabella’s judgment.”
Marcus looked at Celeste.
She had gone pale.
“What are you saying?”
“I am saying that you mistook authority for ownership.”
Theodore allowed the silence to stretch.
“Laurent Capital controls sixty-two percent of Vale-Crest. Isabella controls twelve percent. You own eight.”
Marcus gripped the phone.
“That’s impossible.”
“The documents have carried your signature for eleven years.”
Marcus remembered the contracts.
Hundreds of pages.
Holding structures he had never bothered to study because he assumed Isabella’s father was merely an investor.
“You tricked me.”
“No,” Theodore said. “You failed to read.”
The line disconnected.
At 11:57 p.m., Marcus and Celeste were escorted through the same lobby where Isabella had been humiliated.
Employees watched again.
This time nobody looked away.
At 11:59, the hotel doors closed behind Marcus.
He stood beneath the flashing city lights with no coat, no car, and no authority.
May you like
Midnight arrived.
The empire remained inside.
