Chapter 8 - The CEO's First Question
The airplane landed.
Julian's hands were cold.
Passengers stood and reached for their bags.
Chloe remained seated.
Elena calmly packed her documents.
Julian looked at her.
“What happens now?”
She stood.
“Now we go to the boardroom.”
Chloe looked at Julian.
“Am I coming?”
Julian didn't answer.
Elena did.
“Yes.”
Chloe looked surprised.
“You should hear everything.”
They left the aircraft.
A black car waited outside.
Not for Julian.
For Elena.
Another waited behind it.
A driver opened the door.
Elena entered.
Julian stopped.
“Where's mine?”
The driver looked at him.
“You don't have one.”
Elena looked back.
“You can ride with me.”
Julian's pride almost made him refuse.
Then he remembered the board meeting.
He got in.
Twenty minutes later, they entered a private office.
Adrian Sterling stood by the window.
Late 40s.
Silver at the temples.
Calm.
Professional.
He turned.
“Julian.”
Julian stared.
“Adrian.”
Adrian glanced at Chloe.
Then at Elena.
Then back to Julian.
“I have one question.”
Julian folded his arms.
“What?”
“Why did you think you owned the company?”
Julian's face tightened.
“I built it.”
Adrian shook his head.
“You managed it.”
Elena placed the folder on the table.
“The family funded it.”
Adrian nodded.
“And the family retained controlling rights.”
Julian looked at Elena.
She said nothing.
Adrian continued.
“Your appointment as CEO depended on maintaining those rights.”
Julian stared.
“And I lost them.”
“Yes.”
“Because of the transfers.”
“Among other things.”
Julian's voice became quieter.
“What else?”
Adrian opened another file.
“Your secret acquisition attempt.”
Julian froze.
He had tried to buy a competing company using company funds.
Nobody was supposed to know.
Elena did.
Adrian knew.
The board knew.
Julian sat down.
Adrian looked at him.
“You weren't removed because you fell in love with someone else.”
Julian swallowed.
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“You were removed because you used a company you didn't own as if it were your personal bank account.”
👉 Julian had finally reached the boardroom, only to discover that his affair was the smallest part of the case against him.
