Chapter 5 - The Corporate Secret
"She brings absolutely no value?" Nolan repeated smoothly, his voice completely devoid of human mercy.
He gently reached down and offered his hand to River. The twenty-something woman hesitated for a fraction of a second, then placed her small, trembling fingers into his grip. He effortlessly pulled her up from the cold marble floor, keeping her safely tucked behind his broad, muscular frame.
To understand the absolute, unhinged cruelty of Delaney's actions, one had to look at the last six months of River's life. River wasn't a gold digger. She was a brilliant, highly educated architectural engineer who had completely designed the massive, multi-million-dollar luxury estate they were currently standing in. But Delaney’s father, the corrupt CEO, had stolen River's blueprints, refused to pay her, and actively threatened to blacklist her if she spoke out.
"If she brings no value, Delaney," Nolan whispered coldly, "then why are you standing inside a ballroom completely designed by her intellect?"
Delaney physically stopped breathing. The warm ballroom lighting suddenly felt incredibly freezing.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Delaney panicked loudly, her voice cracking with sheer desperation. "My father's firm designed this building!"
"Your father stole her blueprints," Nolan explained flawlessly, ensuring the wealthy, elite corporate investors in the crowd heard every single devastating word. "He stole her structural models. He actively presented her brilliant engineering to the city council under his own name to secure a multi-million-dollar government contract. You built your entire fake reputation on the back of the woman you just shoved onto the floor."
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The entire ballroom erupted into chaotic, furious whispering. The millionaires realized they were standing inside a massive, illegal fraud.
👉 River stepped out from behind Nolan, preparing to completely shatter Delaney's final illusion of control.
