Chapter 8 - THE REBUILDING
Six months later, Grace Bennett sat in her redesigned corner office. The heavy, dark masculine furniture Ethan had favored was gone, replaced by light woods, floor-to-ceiling glass, and vibrant modern art.
The company had not only survived; it had thrived. Without Ethan's reckless vanity projects bleeding cash, the core hotel business was wildly profitable. Grace proved to be a ruthless, brilliant operator. The industry, initially skeptical of the "founder's wife," quickly learned to fear and respect her.
Martin Hale knocked on the open glass door. He was no longer just her divorce attorney; he was her general counsel.
"The latest quarterly reports," Martin said, dropping a thick dossier on her desk. "Revenues are up thirty percent. The market loves the rebrand."
Grace smiled, scanning the numbers. "Good. Have we finalized the acquisition of the Boston properties?"
"Closed this morning," Martin grinned. He hesitated for a moment, shifting his weight. "On a personal note... there's a charity gala this weekend at the Met. I have an extra ticket. I thought, perhaps, you might want to attend. Not as a client."
May you like
Grace looked up. She saw the genuine warmth in Martin's eyes. For the first time in a decade, her heart fluttered with a light, easy rhythm. She wasn't carrying the weight of an ungrateful man anymore.
"I would love to, Martin," she said sincerely.
