Chapter 9
1506 Words
Elena should have listened to Adrian.
That was the first thought that crossed her mind when she realized what she had done.
It was already past six in the evening, and the executive floor was nearly empty.
Most of the employees had gone home.
Elena remained in her office, surrounded by reports, financial statements, contracts, and notes.
She had spent the entire afternoon tracing the twenty-three million dollars Adrian had shown her.
The money had moved through three subsidiary companies before disappearing into an overseas investment account.
She had found the first transfer.
Then the second.
But the third had been deliberately concealed.
Whoever was doing this understood the Black Empire's accounting system.
They knew which transactions would attract attention and which ones wouldn't.
Elena leaned back in her chair.
“This is ridiculous.”
Grace looked up from her laptop.
“What?”
“I've been staring at these numbers for four hours.”
“You've also refused dinner.”
“I forgot.”
“You always forget to eat when you're stressed.”
Elena sighed.
“I don't have time to be stressed.”
Grace gave her a look.
“You're twenty-five, not forty-five.”
Elena smiled.
“Thanks.”
A notification appeared on her computer.
URGENT — MADISON HEIGHTS INVESTMENT
Elena opened it.
Her eyes widened.
The international investor had requested an emergency meeting.
Tonight.
Not tomorrow.
Not next week.
Tonight.
Grace came closer.
“What happened?”
“They're threatening to withdraw from Madison Heights.”
“Because of the financial problems?”
“I don't know.”
Elena grabbed her coat.
“Find out who requested the meeting.”
Grace checked the email.
“It's from their representative.”
“Name?”
“Richard Lawson.”
Elena nodded.
“I know him.”
Grace looked surprised.
“You do?”
“Barely. He attended two Black Empire events last year.”
Elena picked up the Madison Heights file.
“I'm going.”
Grace frowned.
“Alone?”
“Yes.”
“Elena—”
“I'll be fine.”
She left before Grace could argue.
---
The meeting took place at a private hotel in Midtown.
Elena arrived ten minutes early.
Richard Lawson was already waiting.
He stood when she approached.
“Miss Sinclair.”
“Mr. Lawson.”
They shook hands.
He gestured toward the chair.
“Please.”
Elena sat.
“I understand you have concerns about Madison Heights.”
Richard nodded.
“Serious concerns.”
“About the project?”
“About the company managing it.”
Elena's expression tightened.
“Black Empire Holdings has a strong reputation.”
“It does.”
“Then what changed?”
Richard looked at her.
“You did.”
Elena frowned.
“Me?”
“You're the new successor.”
“I'm on probation.”
“Exactly.”
He placed a folder on the table.
“Our investment committee isn't comfortable moving forward while the leadership of the project is uncertain.”
Elena opened the folder.
“Who told them I was uncertain?”
Richard didn't answer.
She looked up.
“Mr. Lawson.”
He finally spoke.
“There are rumors.”
“What rumors?”
“That the Sinclair family is divided.”
Elena's jaw tightened.
“That doesn't affect the project.”
“It affects investor confidence.”
She knew he was right.
She closed the folder.
“What would make your committee comfortable?”
Richard hesitated.
“A guarantee.”
“From whom?”
“You.”
Elena stared at him.
“What kind of guarantee?”
“That the project will remain under your supervision.”
Elena thought about it.
It was exactly the opportunity she needed.
If she could secure the investment herself, the board would have to take her seriously.
She straightened.
“You have my guarantee.”
Richard looked surprised.
“You're prepared to personally guarantee the project's success?”
Elena hesitated.
There was something about the way he had phrased the question.
But she had already said it.
“Yes.”
Richard smiled.
“Then we have an understanding.”
He extended his hand.
Elena shook it.
The moment she left the hotel, her phone rang.
Grace.
“Elena, where are you?”
“On my way back.”
“Did you meet Richard Lawson?”
“Yes.”
“Did you sign anything?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Elena frowned.
“Why?”
Grace was silent for a moment.
“Because Alexander specifically told me not to let you make any commitments regarding Madison Heights without board approval.”
Elena stopped walking.
“What?”
“He sent the instruction this afternoon.”
Her stomach dropped.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“I didn't know you were meeting Lawson.”
Elena looked back toward the hotel.
She suddenly understood.
“I may have made a mistake.”
---
When Elena returned to the Black Empire, the lights were still on in Alexander's office.
She entered.
Alexander was standing behind his desk.
Victor was there.
So was Rebecca Hart.
Neither looked pleased to see her.
Alexander held up a document.
“Did you meet Richard Lawson?”
Elena nodded.
“Yes.”
“Did you make a commitment?”
Elena remained silent.
Alexander's expression hardened.
“Elena.”
“I gave him my assurance that I would personally oversee the project.”
Victor immediately spoke.
“You had no authority to do that.”
“I know.”
Rebecca's voice was colder.
“Do you?”
Elena looked at her.
“You were specifically instructed not to make commitments without board approval.”
“I understand.”
“You've been in the company for less than a week.”
“I know.”
“And you've already ignored a direct instruction.”
Elena lowered her gaze.
For the first time since becoming the probationary successor, she had no defense.
She had made a mistake.
A real one.
Not a mistake she could explain away.
Not a mistake she could blame on someone else.
She had acted too quickly.
Alexander placed the document on his desk.
“The investor has interpreted your statement as a formal commitment.”
Elena's stomach tightened.
“Can we correct it?”
“Perhaps.”
“Then I'll fix it.”
Victor laughed bitterly.
“You don't understand.”
Elena looked at him.
“Then explain.”
“If the investor withdraws because of your commitment, the board could hold you responsible.”
She turned toward Alexander.
“Is that true?”
“Yes.”
Silence.
Elena swallowed.
“How much could this cost?”
Rebecca answered.
“Potentially hundreds of millions.”
Elena closed her eyes for a moment.
Her first major decision had just become her first major mistake.
And everyone knew it.
Alexander walked toward her.
“You wanted to prove you could lead.”
“Yes.”
“Then learn something tonight.”
Elena looked up.
“What?”
“Leadership isn't about making decisions quickly.”
He paused.
“It's about knowing which decisions you have the authority to make.”
His words hurt because they were true.
Elena nodded.
“I understand.”
Alexander's expression softened slightly.
“Good.”
She turned toward the door.
“Elena.”
She stopped.
“Don't let one mistake become another.”
She looked back.
“What do you mean?”
“Don't panic.”
Elena nodded.
“I won't.”
She left the office.
Outside, Victor was waiting.
He looked at her.
“You should withdraw from the succession.”
Elena stopped.
“What?”
“You've proven what I've been saying.”
“That I made one mistake?”
“That you're not ready.”
Elena stared at him.
Then she smiled.
Not because she found his words funny.
Because she had finally understood something.
Victor wanted her to quit.
And she wasn't going to give him that satisfaction.
“I made a mistake,” she said quietly.
Victor's expression hardened.
“Yes.”
“But I haven't failed.”
She walked past him.
Victor watched her disappear down the corridor.
Inside her office, Elena shut the door and dropped her handbag onto the chair.
She stared at the Madison Heights file.
Then she picked it up.
If she had created the problem, she would fix it.
She didn't care how long it took.
She didn't care how difficult it became.
And she certainly didn't care how many people wanted her to fail.
Her phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
Elena stared at the screen.
Another message appeared.
Everyone makes a first mistake.
Her blood ran cold.
A second message followed.
Yours won't be your last.
Elena slowly lowered the phone.
Someone had been watching her.
Someone knew about the meeting.
Someone knew about her mistake almost immediately.
And suddenly, the failure she had feared wasn't the thing that frightened her most.
It was the possibility that her mistake had been exactly what someone wanted her to make.
End of Chapter 9
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