CHAPTER 2 "THE HIDDEN LIVESTREAM REACHED MILLIONS—AND THEN THE CEO'S DARKEST SECRET APPEARED ON SCREEN..."
Exactly forty-two seconds after Claire announced the share transfer...
phones across the ballroom began vibrating.
One by one.
Guests looked down.
Confused.
Then shocked.
Someone whispered,
"Why is this online?"
The hotel's livestream had been hacked.
Or so everyone believed.
Within minutes...
millions of viewers flooded the broadcast.
#JusticeForClaire
The hashtag appeared everywhere.
Grant lunged toward the camera.
"Turn it off!"
Too late.
Every insult...
Every laugh...
Every second of him tearing the maternity dress...
was already spreading across the internet.
But Claire wasn't finished.
She nodded toward the ballroom entrance.
The doors opened.
Five people walked inside.
Federal auditors.
A forensic accountant.
Two attorneys.
And...
Grant's own Chief Financial Officer.
The CFO carried six thick binders.
"I resign."
Grant froze.
"What are you doing?"
The man looked at Claire.
"I've been waiting three years for this."
He placed the binders onto the birthday cake table.
Inside were thousands of financial records.
Hidden bank accounts.
Fraudulent invoices.
Fake supplier contracts.
Money laundering.
Tax evasion.
Every document carried Grant's electronic signature.
The board members stood up simultaneously.
Investors began leaving their tables.
Sabrina's smile vanished.
Grant shouted,
"Those are fabricated!"
Claire calmly handed another folder to the lead auditor.
"No."
"They came directly from your encrypted server."
Grant stared at her.
"How?"
She answered quietly.
"Because I designed the security system."
"You only changed the passwords."
"You never realized I kept the master access."
Then came the biggest shock.
Dr. Melanie Foster walked onto the stage.
Holding an ultrasound folder.
Grant laughed nervously.
"Really?"
"You're using pregnancy now?"
Melanie looked at the audience.
"I need everyone to know something."
Claire grabbed her arm.
"No."
"It's okay."
Melanie shook her head.
"They deserve the truth."
She opened the medical file.
"Claire isn't carrying one baby."
The ballroom fell silent.
"She's carrying twins."
Grant's face drained of all color.
Twins.
The heirs to everything.
And at that exact moment...
the livestream viewers crossed thirty million.
But someone unexpected suddenly entered the ballroom.
An elderly woman wearing a simple gray coat.
May you like
Grant whispered in horror...
"Grandmother?"
