CHAPTER 2 — "Move Aside... That's My Boss."
The marble lobby fell completely silent.
Employees who had been laughing seconds earlier now stood frozen.
The CEO, Richard Hamilton, walked forward without saying a word.
He wasn't looking at Vanessa.
He wasn't looking at the executives.
His eyes were locked on Emily.
Vanessa forced a confident smile.
"Good morning, sir. We were just removing an unwanted visitor."
Richard didn't even acknowledge her.
Instead, he stopped only inches from Emily.
For a long moment...
Neither of them spoke.
The entire building held its breath.
Then Richard slowly lowered his head.
Not a polite nod.
A deep, respectful bow.
His voice shook with emotion.
"...Welcome back, Boss."
No one moved.
No one breathed.
The receptionist's pen slipped from her hand.
A security guard actually stepped backward.
Vanessa blinked repeatedly.
"What... did you just call her?"
Richard turned sharply.
His expression became ice cold.
"I said..."
"She's my boss."
Shock spread across every face.
Vanessa laughed nervously.
"Sir... I think you've made a mistake."
Richard looked directly into her eyes.
"I never make that mistake."
He carefully took the tiny silver key from Emily's hand.
Holding it up for everyone to see.
"This key doesn't open a door."
"It opens the Founder Vault."
Confused whispers echoed throughout the lobby.
Founder Vault?
Almost nobody had heard those words before.
Richard continued.
"Twenty-two years ago..."
"A brilliant young entrepreneur saved this company from bankruptcy."
"She never wanted publicity."
"So she hid behind anonymous investment firms."
"The board promised to protect her identity."
Vanessa frowned.
"But... that's impossible."
Richard looked at Emily with unmistakable respect.
"Meet the true majority owner of Hamilton Global Holdings."
Gasps filled the room.
Several executives turned pale.
One board member quietly sat down because his legs could no longer support him.
Vanessa shook her head.
"No."
"No... that's impossible."
"She dresses like..."
Emily interrupted gently.
"...Like someone who doesn't need to prove she's rich."
The sentence hit harder than a slap.
Richard smiled.
"Miss Carter requested complete anonymity."
"She wanted to know what kind of company we had become."
He slowly turned toward Vanessa.
"And unfortunately..."
"You've given her the answer."
Vanessa's confidence disappeared.
Her hands started trembling.
Because she suddenly remembered every insult.
Every laugh.
Every cruel word.
And every employee in that lobby had witnessed it.
Emily finally spoke again.
"I've seen enough."
Richard asked quietly,
"Should I call the board?"
Emily nodded once.
"Immediately."
Within minutes...
Emergency notifications reached every director across the country.
The message contained only seven terrifying words:
"The Founder Has Returned. Mandatory Attendance. No Exceptions."
Vanessa stared helplessly.
For the first time in years...
She realized her career might already be over.
But she had no idea...
Emily hadn't returned merely to fire someone.
She had returned because someone inside Hamilton Global had stolen billions.
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And the guilty person...
Was standing in that very lobby.
