Chapter 5: The Reflection of a Fallen King
Marcus Thorne found himself in a reality he hadn't prepared for. With his assets frozen and his reputation in tatters, the "billionaire" found that he had very few friends. The people who had flocked to him at the gala were the first to delete his number.
He tried to start over, but every door he knocked on was already closed. Sarah Vance had sent a private memorandum to every major investment bank in the country, detailing the ethical breaches she had discovered during her audit. Marcus was effectively blacklisted from the American corporate landscape.
May you like
He spent his nights in a modest hotel room, staring at the television as the news cycles discussed his downfall. He thought back to the ballroom. He thought about the tray, the wine, and the woman in the suit. He realized, with a clarity that was both painful and absolute, that he had never actually possessed power. He had only possessed a temporary status—a status he had squandered the moment he looked down on someone he didn't recognize.
Meanwhile, Sarah Vance continued her work. She didn't celebrate the destruction of Marcus Thorne. She simply moved on, focusing on the next initiative, the next merger, and the next project that would expand the Vance Global footprint.
