Robert didn’t look the least bit unsettled. Instead, he stepped back as I approached and inclined his head with deliberate respect.
“Madam President,” he murmured, loud enough for the nearest tables to hear.
I adjusted the microphone slightly. “Good evening. For those of you who haven’t met me, my name is Emily Montgomery.”
Across the room, I caught sight of Jason and Lauren standing rigid beside the bar. The color had drained from their faces, leaving behind an expression of naked panic.
“Just a few minutes ago,” I continued evenly, “my husband introduced me to your CEO as his nanny. And his sister poured wine on me because she assumed I was hired help.” Gasps rippled through the ballroom like a sudden gust of wind.
“I want to make one thing perfectly clear,” I said, my voice steady but cold. “I am not employed by Jason Cárdenas. And I certainly do not answer to a man who discards his own family to polish his ego.”
Whispers ignited around the tables, spreading faster with each word.
“I am the sole owner of Zenith Group,” I went on. “The investor who pulled this company back from the brink of collapse. Ultimately, I decide who remains on payroll.”
Jason’s complexion turned ashen. For a fleeting second, I thought he might actually faint—but I wasn’t finished.
“Jason Cárdenas,” I declared, lifting my hand and pointing directly at him, “you are terminated, effective immediately. A man without integrity has no place on my executive team.”
“That’s absurd! She’s lying! She’s insane!” Jason shouted, lunging toward the stage. Two security guards intercepted him before he made it halfway, gripping his arms firmly.
“And Lauren,” I added, shifting my gaze to his sister, “the company car you’re driving is part of Jason’s compensation package. Since that package no longer exists, you’ll need to arrange your own transportation tonight.”
The guards escorted Jason out as he struggled and cursed, sweat staining his collar. Lauren trailed behind, sobbing openly, mascara streaking down her cheeks.
I stepped off the stage, the applause and murmurs blending into a dull roar behind me, and headed for the exit. I needed air—real air—away from the suffocating scent of perfume and betrayal.
In the parking lot, Jason wrenched himself free and ran toward me, desperation etched across his face.
“Emily, please!” he cried, breathless. “It was a joke. I was nervous. I just wanted the board to take me seriously.”
“You wanted to look powerful by making me look small,” I replied coolly as my driver opened the car door.
Lauren approached, still weeping, claiming she’d had too much to drink, that she hadn’t meant any harm. I regarded her without emotion. For years, I had quietly paid off her mounting debts, settled her maxed-out credit cards, rescued her from one financial disaster after another. Not once had she shown me gratitude—only contempt.
I reached into my handbag and withdrew a thick white envelope I had prepared weeks earlier, long before tonight’s humiliation.
“I think this belongs to you,” I said, holding it out to Jason, my voice calm and final.