Chapter 5: Unbothered
Chapter 5: Unbothered
Six months later, the name Andrew was nothing more than a cautionary tale in the financial district.
The news cycled through his downfall quickly: a disgraced CEO, stripped of his assets, currently working as a mid-level shift manager at a logistics firm just to pay off his personal debts. Margaret was practically banished from high society, living in a cramped one-bedroom apartment, while Brenda had quickly attached herself to a septuagenarian real estate developer in Florida.
I stood on the balcony of the Escalante headquarters, the city lights reflecting in the glass. The air was crisp, the night sky clear.
Behind me, the television played a muted broadcast of Forbes' latest 'Women to Watch' segment. My face was on the screen.
David stepped onto the balcony, holding two crystal glasses of champagne. He handed one to me. "The acquisition of the European tech firm just closed, Ms. Escalante. Market shares are up another four percent."
"Excellent work, David," I said, clinking my glass against his.
I took a sip of the champagne, letting the cold, crisp taste ground me. I hadn't just survived the fire they tried to throw me in. I had become it. They had wanted a docile, fragile girl they could mold and abuse. They got a titan instead.
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I looked out over the sprawling city, a kingdom that was entirely mine.
The debt was paid. The war was won. And I was just getting started.
