Chapter 3 - THE TABLES TURN IN THE MARBLE HALL
Eleanor slowly turned around to face Richard Sterling.
The grief in her eyes evaporated instantly,
replaced by a glacial, terrifying wrath.
Guards,
she commanded,
pointing a steady finger at my husband,
grab him.
The two security guards hesitated for a split second,
then looked at the gold-embossed lapel pins of their uniforms bearing the Crawford crest.
They moved with terrifying precision,
seizing Richard by his expensive Italian wool shoulders.
Get your hands off me,
Richard roared,
his face flushing a furious crimson.
Do you know who I am,
I am Richard Sterling,
I am the lead developer for the Northside expansion,
I am a major stakeholder in this very hotel group.
Not anymore,
a cold, velvet voice echoed from the top of the grand staircase.
It was Marcus Vance,
the chief legal counsel of Crawford Holdings,
who had just stepped out of the private elevator.
Marcus adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses,
looking down at Richard like an entomologist inspecting a repulsive beetle.
As of three minutes ago, Mr. Sterling,
Marcus announced smoothly,
the board has voted unanimously to terminate all financial partnerships with Sterling Enterprises.
Your corporate credit lines have been revoked,
and your personal accounts associated with our banking affiliates are currently being frozen under emergency audit provisions.
Richard stopped struggling,
his eyes bulging in absolute horror.
You can't do that,
Richard choked out,
his voice cracking into a pathetic squeak,
we signed contracts,
we have multi-million-dollar developments in motion.
Contracts are written by men,
Marcus replied with chilling calm,
and they can be torn up by the people who own the ink.
And more importantly, Mr. Sterling,
Marcus added,
stepping down onto the lobby floor,
you just committed a criminal offense,
unlawfully evicting, harassing, and abandoning a pregnant citizen in a public space.
And not just any citizen,
May you like
he turned, bowing slightly toward me,
you committed these acts against the sole biological heir and future chairperson of the Crawford Hotel Group.
