Chapter 4 - The First Domino
The grand ballroom of the Astoria Hotel was bathed in the glow of a thousand crystal chandeliers.
This was the crown jewel of high society, and tonight, it belonged to Gavin Barrett.
He stood on the main stage, wearing a bespoke tuxedo, raising a glass of champagne. Lena stood right beside him, draped in diamonds that used to belong to my mother. Celina was in the front row, beaming with pride as she mingled with senators and business tycoons.
"My late father-in-law was a visionary," Gavin lied smoothly into the microphone, his voice echoing across the silent room. "But he left this company in the past. Tonight, we move into the future. I am proud to announce the restructuring of Summit Enterprises!"
The crowd erupted into applause.
Gavin smiled down at Lena, who leaned in to whisper something in his ear. They looked invincible.
"Wait!" a booming voice interrupted.
The heavy mahogany doors at the back of the ballroom slammed open.
The applause died instantly. A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the room as the crowd parted like the Red Sea.
I stepped through the doors.
I wore my blood-red suit, black stiletto heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. The diamonds on my neck flashed under the chandeliers, but they were nothing compared to the ice in my eyes.
Alexander Thorne walked a half-step behind me, a silent, terrifying guardian.
Gavin's face went completely pale. The champagne glass in his hand trembled, spilling liquid over his expensive shoes.
"Naomi...?" he whispered into the microphone, forgetting it was on.
Celina gasped, dropping her purse. "Security! Get that homeless trash out of here!"
Two guards rushed forward, but Alexander simply raised a hand. A dozen of his own private security detail, dressed in all black, stepped out of the shadows and blocked them effortlessly.
"Hello, Gavin," I said, my voice echoing clearly without the need for a microphone. I walked straight down the center aisle, feeling the shocked stares of hundreds of guests.
"You have some nerve showing your face here," Lena hissed, stepping in front of Gavin defensively. "You own nothing. You are nothing."
I laughed. It was a cold, sharp sound that made Lena flinch.
I stopped at the edge of the stage and looked up at my ex-husband.
"You're right, Gavin. I don't own a single share of Summit Enterprises anymore. I signed them all over to you."
Gavin swallowed hard, trying to regain his composure. "Then get out before I have you arrested for trespassing."
"But," I continued, pulling a crisp, golden document from my coat, "what I do own is Apex Holdings."
The color drained from Gavin's face completely. He knew that name. He had spent the last three months frantically trying to figure out who owned the phantom company bleeding him dry.
"Apex Holdings is the legal owner of every patent, every building, and every piece of intellectual property Summit uses," I announced loudly to the room.
I tossed the document onto the stage. It landed perfectly at Gavin's feet.
"And as of midnight tonight, Summit Enterprises has defaulted on its royalty payments. So, I am formally seizing all your assets. You aren't merging anything tonight, Gavin. You're bankrupt."
The ballroom erupted into chaos.
Reporters began flashing cameras, shouting questions. Investors who had just clapped for Gavin were now screaming into their phones, trying to pull their money out.
"You bitch!" Celina screamed, rushing toward me, her claws outstretched.
Before she could even get close, Alexander stepped in smoothly, catching her wrist with terrifying precision.
"Touch her," Alexander whispered, his voice low enough for only Celina to hear, "and I will personally ensure you spend the rest of your life in a cardboard box."
He let her go, and Celina stumbled back in terror.
I looked at Gavin one last time. He looked like a man who had just watched his entire world burn down.
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"Without my father, you are nothing," I echoed his exact words back to him. "Enjoy the debt, darling."
I turned on my heel and walked out of the ballroom, leaving the ashes of his empire behind me.
