Chapter 5 - The Colleague's Downfall
I knew exactly who the woman at the airport was.
After reviewing the video recording the previous night, I had run her face through Julian’s company directory.
Her name was Chloe Hastings.
She was the Vice President of Acquisitions at Julian's firm.
More importantly, she was the person handling the corporate funds that I had initially invested into the company.
Julian’s business wasn’t entirely his own; I owned a silent 40% equity stake because my inheritance had provided the seed money.
At 11:00 AM, I drove to the gleaming glass building of Julian’s corporate headquarters.
I didn’t go to Julian’s office.
I went straight to the boardroom, where I had pre-arranged an emergency meeting with the board of directors and the HR department.
Marcus was already there, looking sharp in a grey suit, holding a thick manila folder.
When I walked in, the five board members looked confused.
“Elena, what is this about?” asked Richard, the board chairman. “Julian isn’t even here.”
“Julian won't be joining us,” I said, taking a seat at the head of the table. “This meeting is regarding severe financial misconduct and corporate embezzlement.”
The room went dead silent.
I signaled Marcus, who began passing out copies of the documents we had gathered.
Over the past 48 hours, Marcus had hired a forensic accountant to look into the company's books.
“If you look at page three,” I instructed the board, “you will see a series of unauthorized wire transfers over the last six months.”
Richard adjusted his glasses, his face turning red.
“These funds were moved into an offshore shell company,” Marcus explained. “A company registered under the name of Chloe Hastings.”
Gasps echoed around the heavy oak table.
Julian and Chloe hadn’t just been plotting to steal my personal money.
They had been siphoning corporate funds to build a nest egg for their new life together.
“I am a 40% shareholder,” I stated clearly. “And I am formally requesting the immediate termination of Chloe Hastings, pending a full criminal investigation.”
Right on cue, the boardroom doors opened.
Chloe walked in, carrying a stack of files, completely unaware of what was happening.
She froze when she saw me sitting there.
Her smug confidence from the airport vanished instantly.
“What is going on?” she demanded, looking nervously at the board members.
“Miss Hastings,” Richard said coldly. “Please hand over your company ID and laptop to security. You are terminated, effective immediately.”
Chloe’s mouth dropped open.
“On what grounds?!” she shrieked, her perfectly manicured hands trembling.
I stood up, walked slowly around the table, and stopped right in front of her.
I leaned in close, so only she could hear me.
“On the grounds that you won't know what hit you until it’s already finished,” I whispered, repeating her exact words from the airport.
All the color drained from Chloe’s face.
She realized, in that horrifying moment, that I had heard everything.
Security guards stepped into the room, gently but firmly grabbing her arms.
As they escorted a sobbing, humiliated Chloe out of the building, I felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
She wanted my life.
Instead, she had just lost her career, her reputation, and her freedom.
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Now, there was only one thing left to do.
Evict the garbage from my home.
