Chapter 5: The Boardroom Execution
523 Words
Lucas straightened his tie in the reflection of the Divine Group’s gold-tinted glass doors. Beside him, Sarah was busy reapplying her lipstick, looking around the opulent lobby with hungry eyes.
"See, Lucas? This is where we belong," Sarah whispered, tucking her arm into his. "Once you sign this contract, we’ll be rubbing shoulders with the elite. Not like that pathetic life you had with Avery."
"You’re right," Lucas said, adjusting his lapels. "This meeting is the start of everything."
They were led to the executive floor by a stony-faced assistant. Lucas felt a surge of pride. He had spent months trying to get an audience with the decision-makers here. Today, he was going to prove he didn't need a "rural burden" holding him back.
The double doors to the main conference room swung open. Lucas marched in, a practiced smile on his face.
"Good morning, I’m Lucas from—"
The words died in his throat.
At the far end of the long marble table, framed by a floor-to-ceiling view of the city skyline, sat a woman in a tailored charcoal suit. Her hair was perfectly styled, and her presence commanded the room so completely that the other board members seemed to fade into the background.
It was Avery.
"Avery?" Sarah shrieked, breaking the professional silence. "What are you doing here? Did you get a job as a cleaning lady? Security! Why is this woman sitting in that chair?"
Avery didn't even look at Sarah. Her eyes, cold and sharp as diamonds, were fixed solely on Lucas.
"Mr. Lucas," Avery said, her voice smooth and dangerous. "You’re late. And in this building, we don't tolerate waste—especially wasted time."
"Avery, stop this charade," Lucas stammered, his heart hammering against his ribs. "Is this another stunt? How much did you pay to sit there?"
"Sit down, Mr. Lucas," one of the senior board members barked, his face red with indignation. "You are speaking to Avery Divine, the Chairperson of the Divine Group and the woman who owns the very air you're breathing in this room."
Lucas felt the floor tilt beneath him. The "stunt" Sarah had dismissed was a reality that was currently crushing his world.
Avery leaned forward, sliding his proposal back across the table toward him. It was stamped with a large, red REJECTED.
"I’ve reviewed your proposal," Avery said calmly. "Your company lacks the integrity we require. In fact, I’ve decided to blackball your firm from every subsidiary we control. By the end of the business day, no reputable bank in this city will take your calls."
"You can't do this!" Sarah yelled, stepping forward. "You're just a—"
"I am the woman who just ended your career," Avery interrupted, standing up. "Security, please escort these strangers out. They no longer have any business here."
As the guards moved in, Lucas looked at Avery, finally seeing the queen he had tried to turn into a servant. The regret he felt wasn't just heavy—it was terminal.
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