Chapter 4 - The Price of Arrogance
The conference room descended into a suffocating, absolute silence.
Gillian looked from Jasper to me, her arrogant posture instantly collapsing into pure bewilderment. "Jasper... what is she talking about? Tell her she's lying!"
"She's not lying, Mom," Jasper choked out, sliding into his chair as if his legs could no longer support his weight. He looked at me, his eyes filled with a desperate, pathetic panic. "Hailey... please... why didn't you tell me? Why would you keep this a secret from your own husband?"
"Because I wanted to know who you were, Jasper," I replied, leaning forward slightly, resting my elbows on the table. "When we met, I told you my father ran a construction company. You assumed it was a tiny, struggling business. I let you believe it because I wanted a man who loved me for who I was, not for my family's wealth."
I looked over at Gillian, whose face was pale and slick with sweat.
"And for two years, I watched you and your family show your true colors," I continued. "I watched you become arrogant. I listened to your mother call me a burden. I listened to your sister mock my background. But I stayed quiet, hoping that when our son was born, you would remember what truly mattered."
My voice dropped into an icy, unforgettable tone.
"And then, five days after major surgery, while I stood outside the hospital holding our newborn son, you handed me bus fare so you could take your mother to lunch in the luxury SUV my father bought for me."
Gillian flinched, pulling her hands into her lap, unable to meet my gaze.
"Hailey, please!" Jasper begged, throwing his hands out across the table. "I made a mistake! I was stressed! I was focused on the business! I love you! We are a family! You can't do this to me!"
"You didn't care about family yesterday, Jasper," my father interrupted, slamming a heavy hand down onto the marble table. The sound echoed like a gunshot through the room. "You treated my daughter like trash on the street. You abandoned my grandson. And now, you are going to pay the bill."
My father nodded to Mr. Henderson.
"Mr. Vance," Mr. Henderson announced, pulling a second document from his folder. "Under Clause 14-B of the Apex Horizon funding agreement, the lead investor reserves the right to demand an immediate audit and full repayment of capital in the event of gross moral misconduct or breach of corporate transparency by the Chief Executive Officer."
Jasper gasped. "What? Repayment? I don't have twenty million dollars sitting in cash! The money was invested into research and development!"
"Which means Vance Dynamics is in immediate default," Mr. Henderson stated with cold efficiency. "As of nine o'clock this morning, Apex Horizon has exercised its legal right to seize all corporate assets, intellectual property patents, and operational equipment of Vance Dynamics."
"No!" Jasper screamed, jumping out of his chair. "You can't take my patents! That's my life's work!"
"It isn't your work anymore, Jasper," I said, standing up smoothly from my chair. "As majority shareholder of Apex Horizon, I have just voted to remove you as Chief Executive Officer of this company. Effective immediately."
Two private security guards walked over to Jasper, standing on either side of him.
"You have ten minutes to clear your personal belongings from your office, Mr. Vance," Mr. Henderson added. "The luxury SUV parked in the garage has already been repossessed by Robertson Global Transport. Your personal corporate credit cards have been canceled."
Priscilla let out a sharp, hysterical cry. "Repossessed? How are we supposed to get home?!"
I looked at Priscilla, then at Gillian, and finally at Jasper.
May you like
I reached into my blazer pocket, pulled out a crisp twenty-dollar bill and three loose quarters, and tossed them onto the marble table directly in front of Jasper.
"There's a transit stop right outside the building," I said, offering a small, cold smile. "It isn't even rush hour. I'm sure you'll find somewhere to sit."
