Chapter 10
The heavy oak doors of the boardroom swung open. The room, filled with twenty of the most powerful executives in Colorado, fell into a deathly silence.
Meredith walked in. She didn't wear a power suit. She wore her exquisite white designer gown, the floral appliqués a stark contrast to the dark suits and ties surrounding the mahogany table. She walked to the head of the table—the seat that had belonged to Ethan just an hour ago—and stood behind it.
"Gentlemen. Ladies," Meredith began, her voice echoing perfectly in the cavernous space. "I assume you have all reviewed the transfer of equity documents."
A murmur of nervous assent rippled through the room.
"Good. Then you know that as of this afternoon, I am the majority owner and the new Chief Executive Officer of Rowe Enterprises," Meredith stated, placing her hands flat on the polished wood. "Ethan Rowe is no longer affiliated with this company in any capacity."
An older board member cleared his throat nervously. "Meredith... Mrs. Rowe. The transition is highly irregular. The press..."
"The press will be fed a narrative of Ethan stepping down to spend more time with his family, prior to a quiet divorce," Meredith cut him off smoothly. "If he contests it, we release the audit of the Dubai project and he goes to federal prison. He will comply."
She looked around the room, meeting every pair of eyes. She had won. The empire was hers.
Just as she sat down in the leather chair, her cracked phone buzzed on the table. It was a text from an unknown number.
May you like
Meredith glanced down, and her confident smile slowly faded. The text read: You took care of Ethan. But you forgot about me. Look out your window.
Meredith slowly stood up and walked toward the floor-to-ceiling glass overlooking the Denver skyline, her heart beginning to pound all over again.
