Chapter 3 - BRIDE BEGS FOR MERCY AT HER KNEES, BUT A STOLEN DOSSIER EXPOSES HER DARKEST CRIME!
The chaotic scuffle between Victoria and Julian froze as Eleanor raised her hand, signaling her security team to pause. Her gaze remained completely fixed on the young waitress, who flinched, pulling her tray tightly against her chest.
"You," Eleanor said softly, her stern demeanor cracking for the very first time. "What is your name?"
"M-Maya, ma'am," the girl stuttered, lowering her head in fear. "I'm sorry... I was just cleaning up the spilled wine from earlier. I didn't mean to intrude..."
Before Eleanor could step closer, Chloe threw herself onto the floor right in front of Eleanor, grabbing the hem of Eleanor’s trousers, weeping hysterically.
"Madam Chairwoman! Please! Have mercy!" Chloe sobbed, her mascara running down her cheeks in dark streaks. "Julian manipulated me! I didn't know anything about the fake accounts! I was an innocent victim in all of this! If you destroy my family, we will have nothing left! I’ll do anything! I’ll work for you, I’ll clean for you, just don't ruin us!"
Eleanor slowly looked down at Chloe, her expression instantly hardening back into ice. "Innocent, Chloe? Is that what you call yourself?"
Eleanor snapped her fingers. Her chief security officer handed her a thick black leather folder. She threw it onto the floor right in front of Chloe’s face. Pages spilled out across the marble—photographs, bank transfers, and medical transcripts.
"Eighteen months ago," Eleanor’s voice sliced through the hall like a razor, "a promising young female executive at Vance Global was hit by a black SUV in a hit-and-run incident right outside our headquarters. She survived, but she suffered severe memory loss and was left broke, her career entirely destroyed."
Julian’s face drained of what little color he had left. He began shaking uncontrollably.
"The driver of that SUV was paid two hundred thousand dollars from a private account," Eleanor continued, looking between Julian and Chloe. "An account registered under your name, Chloe Sterling. The target was Julian’s former rival for the Regional Director position—a brilliant young woman named Maya Vance."
The entire room erupted in a collective shock. Guests gasped loudly, and even the police officers paused in disbelief.
May you like
Maya, standing by the service door, blinked in utter confusion, her hand instinctively touching her head where a faint scar was hidden beneath her hair line. "Maya... Vance?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"You didn't just try to steal an empire, Julian," Eleanor said, her eyes burning with pure fury. "You tried to murder my only daughter."
