Chapter 4 - The Aftermath in the Ballroom
The shredded documents fluttered down onto the white tablecloth like winter snow, landing right beside Celeste’s half-empty glass of sparkling water.
Graham lunged forward instinctively, his hands hovering over the torn papers as if he could magically glue them back together with sheer desperation. "No! Theodore, wait! You can't do that! Northstar has obligations—payroll, servers, expansion contracts—we need that capital to survive Q3!"
"Then I suggest you start liquidating your personal assets," Theodore replied with utter indifference. He turned his back on Graham and stepped toward me, his expression melting into deep familial warmth as he looked at June. "Evelyn, my dear. Let's get you out of this suffocating place. Your car is outside?"
"My car is parked in the underground lot," I answered softly, adjusting my wrap dress.
"Good. My driver will take you home. I have a few... administrative matters to finish here."
Theodore gestured to two security personnel standing near the ballroom entrance. They immediately stepped forward, positioning themselves near Graham and Celeste, ensuring neither of them could follow us.
As Theodore escorted me toward the exit, the entire ballroom parted like the Red Sea. No one dared to look us in the eye. Executives who had laughed at me twenty minutes ago now stared intently at their shoes, terrified that my uncle’s gaze might land on them next.
Celeste burst into tears, sinking back into the chair she had stolen from me, realizing her golden parachute had just exploded mid-air.
As I reached the grand mahogany doors, I paused and looked back one last time.
Graham was standing alone at the center of the ruined table, surrounded by his terrified board members. The mask of the brilliant, untouchable tech CEO was completely gone, replaced by a desperate, ruined man staring into an abyss of his own making.
Our eyes met across the vast, glittering room.
May you like
I didn't glare. I didn't look angry. I simply gave him a small, quiet nod—the exact same polite, dismissive smile he had given me when he told me to stand out of his way.
Then I turned and walked out into the cool Seattle night.
