Chapter 4 - The Boardroom Initiation
The elevator doors opened quietly.
I stepped out onto the top floor of the Mercer Tower. The penthouse office overlooked the entire city skyline, a sea of lights that my father apparently owned.
“Welcome to the real world, Daniel,” my father said, stepping out beside me.
He had finally taken off the cheap charcoal jacket. Underneath, his posture had changed. He walked with a ruthless authority I had never seen before.
A dozen executives in sharp suits were waiting around a massive mahogany table. As soon as my father entered, they all stood up.
“Sit,” my father commanded.
They sat in perfect unison.
“Gentlemen, this is my son, Daniel,” he said, gesturing to me. “He is the sole heir to Mercer Global. He will be shadowing Marcus starting tomorrow.”
A few executives looked at me with hidden skepticism. I was still wearing my wedding tuxedo, soaked from the rain.
“Mr. Mercer,” a gray-haired executive named Sterling spoke up. “With all due respect, we have an immediate crisis. Richard Hale’s creditors are demanding to know if we are backing his debt.”
“We hold his primary loans, correct?” I asked, surprising myself by speaking up.
Sterling looked at me, raising an eyebrow. “Yes, sir. Through a shell company. We hold twenty million of his debt.”
My father looked at me, a silent question in his eyes. He was letting me make the call.
I thought about Lorraine’s sneer. I thought about Vanessa’s laugh.
“Call it in,” I said.
Sterling blinked. “Sir, if we call in a loan that large without notice, Hale Enterprises will default by Friday. They will face immediate bankruptcy.”
“Did I stutter, Sterling?” I asked, keeping my voice perfectly calm.
The room fell dead silent. Even my father looked slightly surprised by my tone.
“No, sir,” Sterling said, typing quickly on his tablet. “Filing the demand notice now.”
“Wait,” my father intervened gently. “Not yet.”
I looked at him, frustrated. “Why wait? They humiliated you.”
“Because a quick death is a mercy,” my father said, his eyes narrowing. “Richard Hale is desperate. If we crush him tonight, he files for bankruptcy and hides his personal assets. We want him to panic. We want him to make a mistake.”
Marcus nodded in agreement. “If he thinks he can still salvage the wedding, he will leverage his personal estate to float the company.”
“Let him think there’s hope,” my father instructed the board. “Ignore his calls. Let him sweat.”
I slowly nodded, understanding the game. This wasn't just about money. It was about chess.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out.
It was a text from Vanessa: Daniel, please. I’m so sorry. I love you. Let me explain. I’m waiting outside your apartment.
May you like
I showed the screen to my father.
He smiled, a cold, calculated expression. “Go to her, Daniel. Let’s see how good of an actress she really is.”
