Chapter 4 - Enter the Wolf
The corporate headquarters of Vale Industries was a tower of glass and steel in the heart of the city. Elena stepped out of a black town car, the charcoal suit fitting her like armor. Flashes of cameras blinded her, reporters shouting questions she ignored. Mr. Sterling walked closely behind her, a steadying presence. Inside the executive elevator, a tall man in a midnight-blue suit stepped in just before the doors closed. He had piercing green eyes and a smirk that suggested he knew everyone's secrets. “Going up, Your Highness?” he asked lazily. Sterling cleared his throat. “Elena, this is Julian Vance. He is an independent proxy advisor and one of the largest minority shareholders in Vale Industries.” Julian extended a hand. “I specialize in corporate warfare. And right now, Miss Vale, you are the most interesting bomb I’ve ever seen.” Elena didn’t take his hand immediately. She looked at his manicured fingers, comparing them to her own, which still bore tiny scars from years of polishing silverware. She finally shook it. His grip was firm, testing. “I don’t need an advisor, Mr. Vance,” Elena said. “You do if Marcus Laurent is waiting in the boardroom,” Julian replied, his smirk fading into serious calculation. He was right. When the elevator doors opened to the top floor, the atmosphere was suffocating. Marcus Laurent sat at the end of the long mahogany table, looking like a vulture ready to feast. Celeste sat next to him, glaring at Elena with unchecked hatred. Lady Victoria was there too, avoiding her son's eyes. “Let’s skip the pleasantries,” Marcus barked as Elena entered. “This little stunt changes nothing. The girl gets a quiet payout, and the merger proceeds.” Elena walked past the empty chairs. She remembered every dinner party where Marcus had ignored her existence while she poured his scotch. She reached the chair bearing the Vale crest at the head of the table. And she sat down. “I am not here for a payout, Mr. Laurent,” Elena said, her voice echoing in the silent room. “I am here to audit the last twelve years of this company's leadership.”
