Chapter 3: The Enemy Inside
The next morning, I arrived at headquarters before sunrise.
The city was still gray.
The streets were wet from overnight rain, and the reflection of office lights shimmered across the pavement.
I liked mornings like that.
Quiet.
Honest.
Before the world started pretending.
But that morning, everything felt different.
Because for the first time since building Aurelia Retail Group, I wondered if someone close to me had been slowly destroying it.
At 8:00 a.m., the executive meeting began.
Six people sat around the table.
Olivia.
Marcus.
Thomas.
Two financial directors.
And my chief operating officer, Adrian Cole.
Adrian had been with me from the beginning.
He was the person who helped turn my first failing boutique into an international brand.
He was also the person I trusted most.
“Clara,” Adrian said, smiling slightly, “I heard about yesterday.””
I watched him carefully.
“And?””
He shook his head.
“Unfortunate situation.””
“That’s one way to describe it.””
He leaned back.
“Vivian Laurent is difficult. Everyone knows that.””
“Everyone?””
His smile disappeared for a second.
“Yes.””
I opened a folder.
“Then why did nobody tell me?””
Silence.
Adrian looked at the documents.
“What are those?””
“Thirty-two complaints from Maison Aurelia.””
His face changed.
Barely.
But enough.
“You knew.””
He frowned.
“Clara—”
“You knew.””
The room became uncomfortable.
Adrian sighed.
“We were handling it.””
“No.””
I pushed the folder forward.
“You were hiding it.””
His jaw tightened.
“That’s unfair.””
“Is it?””
I tapped the papers.
“Customers were humiliated. Employees were afraid. A manager physically removed someone because a wealthy person demanded it.””
Adrian looked away.
“This company has become bigger than either of us.””
“No.””
I stood.
“This company became successful because we never forgot the people inside it.””
Adrian’s expression hardened.
“You’re letting emotions cloud your judgment.””
That sentence told me everything.
Because people who believe they are right often reveal themselves when they stop pretending.
The meeting ended badly.
Nobody admitted anything.
Nobody confessed.
But secrets rarely stay hidden when money is involved.
That afternoon, Thomas sent me evidence.
Bank transfers.
Emails.
Private conversations.
My hands tightened around my phone.
Adrian wasn’t just aware of Vivian.
He had been working with her.
The leaked acquisition details.
The false partnership announcement.
The protection given to Daniel.
All of it connected.
I called Adrian.
He answered immediately.
“Clara.””
“Come to my office.””
A pause.
“Is something wrong?””
“Come here.””
Ten minutes later, he walked in.
He closed the door behind him.
“You found something.””
Not a question.
A confession hidden inside a sentence.
I placed the documents on the desk.
“Why?””
Adrian stared at them.
Then slowly sat down.
“You wouldn’t understand.””
“Try me.””
He laughed bitterly.
“You built this company believing everyone was loyal because you were loyal.””
“And?””
“And the world doesn’t work like that.””
I stared at him.
“You betrayed me.””
“I protected myself.””
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You protected your greed.””
His eyes flashed.
“You think you’re different because you wear simple clothes and talk about values?””
I said nothing.
“You’re still a billionaire, Clara. You’re still playing the same game.””
The words hurt because they came from someone who knew exactly where to aim.
But they also revealed something.
Adrian didn’t hate money.
He hated that he wasn’t the one controlling it.
“You worked with Vivian to remove me.””
He looked away.
“I worked with people who understood power.””
I stood.
“Get out.””
His eyes lifted.
“You can’t remove me.””
“Why?””
“Because tomorrow’s board meeting will prove I have majority support.””
I froze.
“What?””
He smiled.
Finally.
A real smile.
“You should have checked your own company structure before accusing your oldest friend.””
He walked toward the door.
Then stopped.
“Oh, and Clara?””
I looked at him.
“Wear something impressive tomorrow.””
“Why?””
“Because when the board votes, you’ll want to look good for the cameras.””
The door closed.
I stood alone.
Then Olivia rushed in holding a document.
“Clara.””
Her face was pale.
“What?””
She handed me the paper.
“Adrian transferred ownership shares last night.””
I read the first line.
My heart stopped.
Because the shares weren’t transferred to Vivian.
They weren’t transferred to an investor.
They were transferred to someone I knew.
Someone I trusted.
Someone whose name was impossible.
May you like
The signature at the bottom belonged to…
My father.
