Chapter 5: The Fall of the Queen
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd of VIP investors. Camille’s face drained of all color, turning a horrifying, ghostly white that clashed violently with her bright red lipstick.
"Sterling Holdings?" Camille stuttered, trying to maintain her fierce facade though her hands began to tremble uncontrollably. "That’s impossible! My family has a ten-year ironclad lease! We pay millions! You can’t just evict me!"
"The lease was signed under the jurisdiction of the Master Deed," Arthur replied smoothly, his voice carrying clearly over the panicked silence of the room. "And the Master Deed gives the owner total authority to evict any tenant who brings disrepute or hostile behavior to the management or staff. Furthermore, your family’s commercial bank accounts have been frozen due to the immediate revocation of your primary corporate lines of credit."
One of the lead investors stepped forward, his eyes wide with alarm. "Camille? Is this true? Your corporate credit is gone? The merger is based entirely on your financial liquidity!"
"No! No, it’s a mistake! It’s a trick!" Camille shrieked, her eyes darting around the room as she looked at her wealthy friends, desperately searching for an ally. But all she saw were cold, calculating looks of disgust and abandonment. In high society, financial ruin was a contagious disease, and everyone was already backing away to avoid infection.
"Guards," Arthur commanded calmly. "Remove her from the premises. Now."
"Don't you dare touch me!" Camille screamed as two large guards stepped up the stairs, firmly grabbing her by her bare arms.
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Her expensive silk gown tore slightly against the railing as she fought back, her designer heels slipping on the polished marble. She was dragged down the stairs, kicking and screaming like a hysterical child, completely stripped of the dignity she had used as a weapon against so many others.
The security team didn't just take her to the private elevator. Following Eleanor’s explicit orders, they dragged her through the grand lobby of the building, out onto the crowded, bustling sidewalk of Park Avenue, right in front of the flashing cameras of the paparazzi who had been anonymously tipped off.
