No one noticed me standing there in silence, and I felt the noise of applause echoing through my chest as if it belonged to someone else entirely. I did not speak or cry, but instead turned away quietly and began canceling every financial authorization tied to his executive accounts while walking out.
By the time I reached the elevator, the celebration was still roaring behind me as if nothing had changed. By the time I reached my car, I had frozen the event budget, suspended executive spending privileges, and contacted my attorney to begin immediate action.
Before midnight arrived, I initiated the withdrawal of ninety percent of the company shares that were legally under my control through both direct ownership and family trust structures. That was when Dylan finally began calling me repeatedly, but I ignored the first twelve calls while sitting at my kitchen island reviewing numbers with my lawyer on speaker.
