Chapter 2: The Freeze-Out
The next forty-eight hours were a masterclass in dismantling a life.
I didn't just kick Vivian and Marcus out of the house; I evicted them from Dallas high society. The moment the mugshots hit the local news wire, Vivian’s "friends" scattered like roaches in the light.
I sat at the head of the massive mahogany conference table at Hale Construction, the very seat my father had occupied for three decades. The board of directors, men who had turned a blind eye while Vivian hijacked the company, were sweating through their custom-tailored suits.
"Gentlemen," I said, my voice echoing in the cavernous room. "Let’s keep this brief. You allowed a woman with zero corporate authority to bleed this company dry while my father was incapacitated. You have two options."
I slid a stack of folders across the polished wood.
"Option one: You sign these resignations and walk out of this building with whatever dignity you have left. Option two: I hand over the findings of my forensic audit to the SEC, and you all spend the next five years fighting federal indictments for gross negligence and embezzlement."
They didn't even read the paperwork. Pens flew. Within ten minutes, I had entirely cleaned house.
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Meanwhile, my father was finally getting real medical care. I had fired Vivian’s "specialist" and brought in the best orthopedic and rehabilitation doctors in the state. The heavy narcotics were flushed down the drain, replaced with proper pain management. The fog in his eyes was already beginning to lift.
For the first time in six years, the Hale empire was secure. But I wasn't finished. I wanted the watch back.
