Chapter 7 - The Downfall(Word Count: ~1,800 words)
Director Klaus slowly closed his leather notebook. He stood up, clicked his silver pen shut, and buttoned his suit jacket.
“Gentlemen,” Klaus said, looking at Bradley Stern with deep contempt, “The European syndicate is immediately withdrawing our $15 million investment offer. Furthermore, our legal department will be filing a formal complaint with the Massachusetts Financial Regulatory Authority regarding these accounting irregularities.”
“Klaus, please!” Evan begged, rounding the table and practically throwing himself at the investor’s feet. “It’s a misunderstanding! My wife—my ex-wife—is framing this to ruin me! I can fix the software! I can pay back the account!”
Klaus pulled his arm away from Evan’s reach with absolute disgust. “You are a fool, Mr. Carter. You had a brilliant financial mind handling your operations, and you treated her like an enemy. Good day.”
The European delegation marched out of the room, shutting the heavy glass doors behind them.
The second the door closed, Bradley Stern turned on Evan like a rabid wolf.
“You absolute, incompetent idiot!” Bradley roared, slamming both fists onto the table. “You just killed a $15 million deal! You committed financial fraud using corporate funds for your private brownstone?!”
“Bradley, listen to me—” Evan whimpered.
“No, Evan, YOU listen to ME!” Bradley screamed, his face inches from Evan’s. “You are officially suspended from Carter Capital, effective immediately! Hand over your keycard and your company phone! The board of directors will be meeting at 2:00 PM to initiate your formal termination and removal as managing partner!”
“You can’t fire me!” Evan yelled, his voice cracking hysterically. “My name is on the door!”
“And tomorrow, we’re changing the locks!” Bradley spat. He turned to me, bowed his head slightly in professional respect, and stormed out of the conference room.
Now, only Evan and I remained in the vast, glass-walled room overlooking the Boston skyline.
Evan stood there, trembling, his designer suit looking rumpled and absurd. He slowly turned toward me, his eyes wide with a terrifying mix of sorrow, rage, and realization.
“Why, Natalie?” he whispered, his voice trembling. “Why would you do this to me? I made a mistake on Sunday! I yelled at you! I was stressed! But you... you completely destroyed my life in forty-eight hours!”
I packed my laptop neatly into my leather briefcase and zipped it shut. I walked over to where Evan stood, stopping just two feet away from him.
“You didn't ruin your life today, Evan,” I said softly. “You ruined your life four years ago when you started believing that my generosity was your entitlement.”
“I loved you!” Evan cried out, tears finally streaming down his face. “We were a team!”
“We were never a team, Evan,” I corrected him coldly. “A team respects both players. You thought I was your property. You thought because your family had an old name and an old house, you were superior to me. You let your mother demean me, you took credit for my career, and then you stood in front of twelve people and told me to get out of your house.”
Evan swallowed hard, unable to look me in the eye.
“I left your house, Evan,” I continued, leaning in slightly. “And I took everything that actually built you with me.”
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I picked up my briefcase, turned my back on him, and walked out of the boardroom.
Behind me, I heard the heavy sound of Evan collapsing into a leather chair, sobbing silently into his hands.
