Chapter 4
Before the confetti from the proposal had even been swept away, Leonard made his next move.
The day after the headlines screamed his name, he had "thoughtfully" lined up the paperwork to make it official with the Quinn heiress. His efficiency would've impressed me once.
I sat in my study, tracking the updates Jack sent me.
Maggie, escorted by Leonard's assistant, had spent the entire morning at an exclusive styling salon known for its discretion and high-powered clientele.
She emerged in expensive Chanel, carrying a limited Hermès bag. Her face was expertly made up to mask her inherent awkwardness and vanity.
"Ms. Quinn, they're on their way to City Hall," Jack reported.
I nodded, my fingers swiping my tablet to pull up live traffic feeds around City Hall.
I asked, "Reporters are in place?"
Jack replied, "As you instructed. Three top financial papers and the two biggest entertainment weeklies. All in position for the perfect shot."
He paused. "It seems Mr. Shaw has also tipped off a few of his own media contacts."
I let out a cold laugh.
Of course he had. This was his chance to make his place in the Quinn family official and give the stock another boost.
As expected, by noon, Leonard updated his social media with two photos.
There was no need for a long caption. The two pictures said it all.
The first shot was a close-up of their marriage license. Their names and ID numbers were artfully blurred, but the gold-stamped title was crystal clear.
The second was a photo of them holding their license. Leonard, in a perfectly tailored suit, wore a smile of calculated tenderness and victory. His arm wrapped possessively around Maggie's shoulders.
The caption dripped with calculated romance: [Forever with you.] He tagged Maggie's name, followed by a heart emoji.
The post instantly blew up online.
The hashtag, [Leonard Shaw got married], rocketed to the top of the trending list.
The comments poured in.
[OMG, so fast! Congrats to Mr. Shaw!]
[This is a true power couple merger! Unstoppable!]
[ShawTech Solutions' stock is about to soar again. Congrats!]
[The bride looks so elegant! You can just tell she's from old money.]
[Wishing you a lifetime of happiness!]
I scrolled through the flood of praise, feeling nothing.
This glitter was a castle of sand, beautiful for a moment, destined to be washed away by the coming tide.
Almost immediately, Leonard called Richard.
His voice came through the speakerphone, his smug satisfaction leaking through the polite tone. "Maggie and I have made it official. I promise I will spend the rest of my life cherishing her."
Richard leaned back, replying with a subtle chill, "Good. Now that you're married, take care of each other. We've spoiled Maggie. You'll have to be patient with her."
"Not at all. I'm the lucky one," Leonard replied smoothly.
He then pivoted to his true purpose. "About that tech park project in the Southside we discussed... Now that Maggie and I are married, it would mean so much for my company to be involved.
"We can offer unparalleled support, both in capital and technology. It could be the perfect starting line for our joint venture."
He was already trying to cash in his chips.
"The board still needs to review the proposals," Richard said evenly. "But I appreciate your enthusiasm."
After hanging up, Richard looked at me. "He's even more impatient than we thought."
"Greed is an excellent motivator," I said quietly.
Less than a week later, Leonard played what he believed was his trump card.
He called an emergency board meeting and announced that he was transferring twenty percent of his personal shares in ShawTech Solutions to his new wife, Maggie, for free.
The news sent shockwaves through the business world.
That twenty percent stake amounted to nearly half of his entire personal holding in the company.
With ShawTech Solutions' stock soaring, this was undeniably an astronomical fortune.
The media hailed it as the ultimate proof of his commitment, a signal that the union between ShawTech Solutions and Quinn Group was ironclad.
ShawTech Solutions' stock surged once again, with its market value multiplying severalfold.
Richard observed, watching the financial news. "He's betting the farm. His goal is the whole Quinn Group. He's gambling half of what he owns for a chance to one day run a hundred-billion-dollar empire. To him, it's a bargain."
I just smiled.
Leonard thought he was handing over the keys to the kingdom. He had no idea he was actually fashioning the noose that would hang him.
The moment she received the transfer documents, Maggie called me.
Her voice shrilled with excitement, dripping with undisguised boasting. "Ava... I mean, Ms. Quinn! Did you see? Twenty percent! He gave me twenty percent of the company! Oh my god, do you know how much that's worth? He is so in love with me!"
I could picture her dancing around her lavishly appointed apartment.
"Is that so?" I replied coldly. "Congratulations. Just remember, Maggie. It's just a role. When the curtain falls, everything goes back exactly the way it was."
Her joy dimmed. Sullen reluctance edged her reply. "I... I know."
I hung up and walked to the window, looking out over the sprawling city.
Right now, Leonard was probably standing at his own floor-to-ceiling window, gazing down at the empire he thought he was building.
He believed that with one grand proposal, one marriage license, and one massive stock transfer, he had locked down the Quinn family and secured his legacy.
He believed that Ava, the plaything he had cast aside, was somewhere crying in a corner, nowhere near his new "glory."
He would never know that every success, every stock market surge, and every triumphant headline, was just another step on a gilded path that led straight into an abyss I had laid for him.
I picked up my phone and dialed Richard.
"Dad, it's time. Start planning the party."
It was time to set the stage for his final act: a grand affair to celebrate his success, where I would have a front-row seat to his complete and utter ruin.
It was time for the arrogant groom to meet the real Quinn heiress.
I could hardly wait to see that carefully maintained mask of loving pride shatter to pieces when truth hit.
The show was about to begin. And it was going to be magnificent.