Chapter 3: The Shattering of a Career
The silence that followed was heavy, punctuated only by the distant hum of airport ground equipment. Vanessa slowly lowered her black sunglasses, her eyes wide with a mixture of confusion, denial, and pure, concentrated terror. Her brain struggled to process the scene: the man who owned the global firm was kissing the woman she had just treated like a baggage handler.
"Wait..." Vanessa stammered, her voice thin and high, cracking under the pressure of the moment. "She... she is your wife?!"
David turned his head slowly. The warmth in his eyes had evaporated, replaced by an arctic, razor-sharp glare that seemed to cut straight through Vanessa’s expensive suit. He didn't smile. He didn't even acknowledge the absurdity of her question.
"You are fired," David stated, his voice chillingly calm. It wasn't an outburst; it was a death sentence for her career.
Vanessa’s knees buckled. "Mr. Vance, please! I... I didn't know! It was a mistake! I’ve worked for the firm for six years—"
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"But that is not the real reason I came back today," David continued, his voice dropping to a low, menacing growl. He signaled to his lead security officer, who stepped forward with a folder in his hand. "I came back because of what my wife discovered while I was gone. It seems you didn't just spend your time harassing employees, Vanessa. You spent your time embezzling funds from the firm to cover your offshore gambling debts."
The color left Vanessa’s face entirely. She looked at the folder, then at the security team surrounding her. Her arrogant demeanor shattered, leaving behind a pathetic, shivering shadow of the woman she had been ten minutes prior.
