"The vote is canceled," Victor said smoothly, finally turning his predatory gaze onto Simon. "Because as of ten minutes ago, you no longer hold a single share of equity in this company."

The boardroom descended into a suffocating, absolute silence. The five members of the res

Four hours later, the grand ballroom of the Pierre Hotel was a blinding sea of flashing cameras and glittering chandeliers. The annual Michelin-star gala was the culinary event of the season, a highly publicized night where fortunes were made and careers were shattered.

The ballroom was a tempest of blinding white light and deafening noise. Flashbulbs erupted in a relentless, staccato rhythm, capturing the exact moment the pristine facade of Elise Thorne and Simon Croft shattered into a million irredeemable pieces.

Reporters shouted