Chapter 10 - THE FINAL SURPRISEWe didn't go to the board meeting. We went to the bank.
For three years, Claire had been secretly recording every illegal transaction the board members had made. She hadn't been spying on me; she had been gathering the ammo to save us both from them.
"Why didn't you show me this sooner?" I asked, looking at the mountain of evidence.
"I was waiting for you to trust me," she said with a small, knowing smile.
We walked into the board meeting together, hand in hand. We didn't fight. We didn't shout. Claire simply placed the files on the table and sat down. By the time we left, I owned 80% of the company, and every board member was under arrest.
We stood on the balcony overlooking the Chicago River. The rain had stopped, and the city lights looked like diamonds in the dark.
"So," I said, looking at the woman who had saved my empire. "What’s on the schedule for tomorrow?"
She laughed—a real, genuine sound. "I think, Mr. Vale, we take the day off."
May you like
"I think," I replied, pulling her into my arms, "that’s the best order you’ve ever given."
We were no longer boss and secretary. We were partners in every sense of the word. And for the first time, the coldest man in Chicago felt like he had finally found a home.
