Chapter 4
Liam stood tall.
Calm.
In complete control.
“Most of you know me as Liam Carter,” he said. “The quiet guy who sells insurance.”
A few people nodded, confused.
“That’s true,” he said. “But it’s not the whole truth.”
He paused.
Let the silence build.
“I am also the sole owner and CEO of Hale Corporation.”
The reaction was immediate.
Shock.
Disbelief.
A man at a front table dropped his champagne glass.
It shattered on the marble floor.
No one even looked down.
Hale Corporation was the biggest employer in the state.
The company that ran the banks, the hospitals, the factories, half the businesses in town.
Half the people in that room worked for Hale.
Or had spouses who did.
Or kids who wanted to.
Beatrice stopped screaming.
She stared at Liam, mouth hanging open, eyes bulging.
Chloe went so pale she looked like she might faint.
“For the last year,” Liam said, “I have personally overseen the investigation into Beatrice Hale’s fraud, theft, and arson.”
He looked right at Beatrice.
“Every contract your event company ever had with Hale subsidiaries is terminated, effective immediately. Every line of credit extended to you by Hale Bank is frozen. Your house, your cars, every asset you own is currently being seized to repay the money you stole from Audrey.”
Beatrice made a small, gurgling sound.
Like she was choking on her own tongue.
“For those of you in this room who laughed at my wife today,” Liam said, his voice going cold, “I want you to remember this moment.”
He swept his gaze over the crowd.
Over every person who’d snickered. Who’d stared. Who’d called me a freak behind my back.
“Hale Corporation does not tolerate cruelty,” he said. “We do not reward people who mock survivors. We do not employ bullies. Starting Monday morning, every single one of you will be called in for a performance review. And I will be personally deciding who stays… and who goes.”
Panic exploded through the room.
People jumped up.
Apologies pouring out of their mouths so fast they tripped over each other.
Audrey, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it.
I never laughed, I swear.
She made me do it, Beatrice put me up to it.
I ignored them.
All of them.
I looked at Liam.
At the man who’d not only loved me when I thought I was unlovable.
But who’d spent a year quietly, methodically making sure no one would ever hurt me again.
Tears burned my eyes.
Not sad tears.
Not scared tears.
Relief.
So much relief it felt like my chest might burst.
Liam looked back at me.
His cold, CEO expression melted.
Replaced by that soft, warm smile only I got to see.
He held out his hand.
I took it.
“Are you okay?” he whispered.
I nodded.
I was more than okay.
For the first time since my mom died, I was free.
Then I saw the uniforms.
May you like
Two police officers, standing in the open doorway of the ballroom.
They walked straight toward Beatrice and Chloe.
