Chapter 6 - Shattering the Glass Tower
The imposing glass-and-steel monolith of Robles Logistics dominated the Santa Fe skyline, a towering monument to corporate ruthlessness and unchecked power. Inside the lobby, polished marble floors reflected the severe, modern art installations, and security guards in sharp suits monitored every visitor with hawk-like precision.
When Valeria pushed through the revolving glass doors, her heavily pregnant frame and determined stride immediately drew the attention of the front desk receptionist.
“Excuse me, ma’am, appointments are required—” the receptionist began, standing up.
“Tell Elias Robles that Dr. Valeria Torres is downstairs in the lobby,” Valeria interrupted, her voice carrying an absolute, razor-sharp authority that made the receptionist hesitate. “And if he refuses to come down, tell him I’ll walk straight up to the executive boardroom and scream his name from the balcony. Try me.”
Before the receptionist could press the security call button, the elevator bank chimed. The doors slid open, and Elias stepped out. He was holding a stack of corporate reports, engaged in a low-voiced conversation with his vice president of operations.
Then he saw her.
Valeria stood near the center of the lobby, her eyes blazing with a furious, righteous fire, clutching the manila folder of forged disciplinary notices against her chest like a shield.
Elias stopped dead in his tracks. He dropped the reports—papers fluttering uselessly onto the polished marble floor—and dismissed his VP with a frantic wave of his hand.
“Valeria?” he murmured, rushing across the lobby, ignoring the stunned stares of dozens of corporate employees. “What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here—if my mother sees you—”
“Your mother just dropped a nuclear bomb on my career, Elias!” Valeria shouted, stepping right up to him, shoving the manila folder against his chest. Read that! Go ahead, read what your precious family just filed with the medical board!”
Elias snatched the papers from her hands. As his eyes scanned the fabricated ethics complaints, the administrative suspension notices, and the clear signature of the executive health commissioner—a man on his mother’s payroll—all the color drained from his face. His jaw clenched so hard a muscle twitched violently in his cheek.
The corporate mask of the cool, calculating executive shattered completely, replaced by a dark, murderous rage.
“She did this,” Elias whispered, his voice trembling as he gripped the papers until they tore. “She actually did this.”
“She’s trying to destroy my license, my reputation, and my livelihood,” Valeria said, her voice finally cracking with the emotional exhaustion of the past week. Tears spilled down her cheeks, though she angrily wiped them away. “She wants me helpless, Elias. She wants me completely broken so she can control every aspect of my life—and our child’s life.”
Elias didn’t hesitate for another second. He grabbed Valeria gently by the arm, his touch fierce yet protective.
“Come with me,” he said.
“Where?”
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“To the boardroom.”
Before Valeria could protest, Elias pulled her toward the private executive elevators. The security guards moved to intercept them, but one look at Elias’s terrifying, volcanic expression made them step back immediately. They keyed in the private biometric override, and the elevator doors slammed shut, rocketing them upward toward the top floor of the empire.
