Chapter 2: The Name That Shouldn’t Exist
702 Words
The knock came again.
Harder this time.
Mara didn’t answer immediately.
She was still staring at the screen.
Vance & Co. internal systems temporarily restricted.
She blinked once.
Then again.
What… is this? she whispered.
Her assistant’s voice came shaky from outside. Mara… there’s someone here. He says it’s urgent.
I said no meetings today.
I tried, but he won’t leave.
Mara shut her laptop slowly.
Something in her chest tightened.
Who is he?
A pause.
I… don’t know. He just said it concerns the company.
That made her pause.
No name.
No warning.
Just confidence.
She stood up.
Send him in.
The door opened.
A man walked in.
Not aggressive.
Not loud.
Just calm.
Too calm.
He held a thin black folder in one hand.
Mara Vance?
Yes.
I’m from Linton Legal Advisory.
She frowned slightly. Never heard of it.
That’s fine. He stepped forward and placed the folder on her desk. Most people haven’t.
Mara didn’t touch it.
What is this about?
He didn’t sit.
That was the first thing she noticed.
People usually sat when they came to deliver bad news.
This man didn’t.
Instead, he looked at her like he already knew how the room would end.
There was a recent acquisition involving your company.
Mara’s stomach dropped slightly.
Acquisition? she repeated.
Yes.
No one told me anything about that.
That’s because it was private.
A cold silence spread.
Mara laughed once, but there was no humor in it.
Private? You can’t just buy a company like mine in secret.
You can, he said simply. If you have enough money.
That hit harder than it should have.
Mara straightened. Say the name.
The man hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then…
Kane Holdings.
The air changed.
Even her assistant outside seemed to go quiet.
Mara frowned.
Kane… what?
Kane Holdings.
She stared at him.
Blank.
Nothing.
It didn’t ring a bell.
I don’t know that company.
You should, he said quietly.
Mara grabbed her phone immediately. Richard.
He answered fast. Yes?
Look up Kane Holdings. Now.
A pause.
I’m already on it.
She waited.
Seconds felt too long.
Too heavy.
Then…
Richard’s voice changed.
…Mara.
What?
Call me back in the office.
She didn’t move.
I said what is it?
Silence.
Then…
It’s big.
Her grip tightened on the phone.
How big?
Another pause.
Too big.
The call ended.
Mara stood still.
Then slowly, she turned back to the man.
What does Kane Holdings want with my company?
He opened the folder.
And slid a document across her desk.
We acquired majority shares this morning.
The words didn’t fully register at first.
Then they did.
Mara shook her head slowly.
No.
Yes.
No. Her voice sharpened. That’s not possible.
It already happened.
Her heart started beating faster.
Who approved this?
The board.
That hit like a slap.
Mara froze.
The board? she repeated slowly.
Yes.
Her breath got stuck.
No, she whispered. They wouldn’t.
But even as she said it, she already knew.
They would.
Pressure had been building for weeks.
She saw it in meetings.
In silence.
In avoidance.
They were looking for an exit.
And now they had one.
Mara grabbed her desk hard.
So they sold me out.
The man didn’t respond.
That silence confirmed everything.
Her phone started buzzing again.
Then again.
Richard.
She answered immediately.
What is happening?
His voice was rushed.
The banks just froze transactions over five million.
Mara closed her eyes for half a second.
No.
Mara, payroll…
No.
There’s panic already. People are calling HR.
Mara’s throat tightened.
Her employees.
Her staff.
People who trusted her.
She turned sharply to the legal representative.
Fix it.
That’s not my role.
Then whose role is it?
He didn’t answer.
Because they both knew.
Mara grabbed her coat.
I need to speak to my board.
The man stepped aside.
But before she walked out…
He spoke quietly.
One more thing.
Mara stopped.
Slowly turned.
What now?
He hesitated again.
Then placed a second document on the desk.
This was requested to be delivered personally.
Mara stared at it.
What is it?
Meeting confirmation.
She frowned.
For who?
The man looked up at her.
And said it clearly.
Mr. Kane will see you now.
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