Chapter 3
By Tuesday afternoon, the corporate gossip channels were already buzzing with news from Vale International.
My assistant, Marcus, who remained deep undercover within the company's marketing department, called me via an encrypted line.
I listened to his report while the physical therapist adjusted the tension on my traction splint, the pain bringing cold sweat to my forehead.
"Adrian just called an all-hands meeting in the main auditorium," Marcus reported, his voice muffled as if he were speaking from a private stairwell.
"He brought Cassandra up onto the stage with him, introducing her as the new Vice President of Global Strategy."
"He made a comment about entering a 'new season of strength and modern vitality' for the brand."
"Everyone in the room knew exactly what he meant without him saying your name, Elena."
"They are already whisper-network circulating rumors that you are permanently paralyzed and mentally unstable from the accident."
I took a deep, shaky breath, fighting through a wave of physical agony as the therapist moved my ankle a millimeter to the left.
"Let them talk, Marcus," I managed to say, my grip tightening on the edge of the mattress until my knuckles turned stark white. "Did he mention the quarterly earnings report?"
"Yes, he claimed that under his direct guidance, profits are projected to rise by twenty percent due to a new international distribution deal."
"He is betting everything on the contract with the European retail conglomerate, Vanguard Group."
I closed my eyes, remembering the dinner parties I had hosted in our home, serving wine to the executives of Vanguard while Adrian bragged about his golf handicap.
He truly believed those relationships belonged to him because he was the man holding the microphone.
"He doesn't know that the CEO of Vanguard is my godfather's youngest brother, does he?" I asked, a low chuckle escaping my lips, ending in a gasp as my ribs protested.
"Not a clue," Marcus confirmed. "Adrian thinks he secured that deal through his own personal charisma and strategic brilliance."
"He has already authorized a ten-million-dollar manufacturing expansion based on the verbal agreement alone."
"He signed the purchase orders for the raw materials this morning, using the company's primary credit facility."
"Perfect," I said, opening my eyes to look at the sterile television screen mounted on the wall. "He is overleveraging his position based on a contract that hasn't been ratified by their compliance board yet."
"Tell our contacts at Vanguard to delay the official signing for another forty-eight hours."
"Tell them to cite a routine regulatory review as the reason for the holdup."
May you like
"Adrian will panic, but he will hide it by spending more money to project an image of absolute confidence."
"He is digging his own grave, Marcus, and he is paying for the shovel with borrowed capital."
