Chapter 4

Leon's guard instinctively reached for his firearm, but I raised a trembling hand to stop him.

"Stand down," I commanded.

The guard gritted his teeth and retreated back to the hallway.

I did not want anyone else interfering. This was a debt solely between Arthur and me.

I lay on the freezing floor, watching Arthur and Anna walk out the front doors.

Blood dripped steadily from my bandages, blooming into horrifying red puddles against the white marble. I did not shed a single tear. I had already cried all the tears I had left back in Warehouse Four.

Dragging myself up slightly, I pulled out my phone and dialed the family's lead attorney.

"Draft a legal termination document," I instructed coldly. "I want every single ounce of authority granted to Arthur completely revoked. Furthermore, seize that penthouse apartment and freeze Anna's trust accounts immediately."

The lawyer's professional voice came through the speaker. "Understood. Shall I execute these orders right now?"

"No," I replied, wiping a smear of blood from the corner of my mouth. "Hold everything until the family gala tomorrow night."

I was going to rip off Arthur's hypocritical mask in front of the entire high society.

The annual family gala was the crown jewel of our multinational empire's social calendar, attended by every core board member and elite business partner.

I sat quietly at my vanity while my makeup artist applied a heavy layer of concealer to hide my deathly pale complexion.

I chose a high-necked, long-sleeved black evening gown that perfectly concealed the thick bandages wrapped around my ribs. The flowing, voluminous skirt easily hid the bulky cast on my leg.

Gripping a sleek, black-and-gold walking cane, I looked exactly like the ruthless, iron-fisted CEO I had always been.

Leon leaned lazily against the doorframe, holding a flute of champagne.

"Are you absolutely certain you want to drag your battered body to a ball?" he asked smoothly. "You could hand the reins to me. I guarantee I can make them wish they were dead."

I fastened my family's heirloom diamond necklace around my throat.

"Some acts of vengeance are only satisfying when you execute them yourself," I replied.

The grand ballroom was a sea of dazzling lights and glamorous elites. Leaning heavily on my cane, I made my way toward the head table. Every single step sent a drilling spike of pain up my shattered leg, but I kept my posture impossibly straight.

Whispers rippled through the elegant crowd.

"Why is she using a cane?" someone murmured.

"I heard she ran into a little accident a few days ago," another gossiped.

I took my seat at the center of the head table, surveying the room. Suddenly, the grand double doors swung open, instantly drawing the attention of the entire hall.

Arthur strutted inside, looking incredibly arrogant in a bespoke tailored suit.

Clinging tightly to his arm was Anna, still wearing my mother's burgundy velvet gown.

Draped in an exorbitant ruby set that Arthur had shamelessly charged to my secondary card, Anna was a textbook definition of a vain peacock, soaking up the collective gasps of admiration.

As my chief bodyguard, Arthur's job was to stand silently in the shadows behind me, scanning the perimeter for threats. Instead, he was parading his date around as if he owned the entire place.

Several of the family elders frowned in blatant disapproval. "What on earth is Arthur doing? This is a severe breach of protocol."

Completely deaf to the criticism, Arthur marched straight up to the head table. Without even bothering to glance in my direction, he pulled out the chair directly to my right and gestured for Anna to sit.

"This is my designated seat, and since she is my date for the evening, she will be sitting right here," he announced arrogantly to the senior executive occupying the chair.

The executive looked furious but, not wanting to cause a scene, awkwardly vacated the spot.

Arthur finally turned his head, looking down his nose at me.

"I suppose you dressed appropriately for once," he judged, sounding as though he were tossing me a compliment. "But that cane is a total eyesore. Try not to ruin the mood for the rest of us."

I casually picked up my wine glass, swirling the dark red liquid. "Arthur, have you forgotten your actual place in this hierarchy?" I asked smoothly.

Arthur let out a harsh scoff and slammed his hand violently onto the table. The loud crack caused the bustling ballroom to plunge into a dead silence. Everyone turned to stare at us in utter confusion.

Unfazed, Arthur turned to face the crowd, spreading his arms wide. "Ladies and gentlemen, since we are all gathered here tonight, I have an official announcement to make," he said confidently.

He grabbed Anna by the waist, pulling her close and gazing at her with deep affection.

He declared, "Anna is not only my secretary. As of today, she will officially step up as my second-in-command. She will be working directly by my side to oversee the entire security grid of this conglomerate."

A collective gasp echoed through the room. The security grid was the absolute lifeline of our empire. Handing it over to an inexperienced young girl was pure insanity.

Anna lowered her head shyly, resting her cheek against Arthur's shoulder. "Thank you so much for believing in me, Arthur. I promise I will not let you down," she said sweetly.

Arthur shot me a deeply triumphant smirk, his eyes dancing with open provocation.

He was dead certain that I would never dare embarrass him in front of the guests. In his mind, I was still the same pushover who would tolerate his disrespect and feed his arrogance, exactly like the last three years.

I set my wine glass down, gripped my cane, and slowly pushed myself up to my feet.

The ballroom remained completely silent, and every single pair of eyes was locked onto me.

Lurking within the dim corners, Leon tugged his lips upward in a wicked grin, highly entertained by the impending chaos.

I took slow, deliberate steps toward the center stage, politely taking the microphone from the emcee.

The blinding spotlight washed over me.

Down in the front row, Arthur stood with a cocky smile, casually adjusting his tie.

Looking directly into his smug, complacent face, I let out my words deliberately.

"With everyone present tonight, I also have a major executive decision to share with you all." I paused, my gaze sweeping over the crowd. "I hereby announce the immediate termination of Arthur from his position as my chief bodyguard. Furthermore, he will be..."