Chapter 6 - SABRINA'S DESPERATION
The news of the Halston empire’s collapse leaked to the press by Tuesday afternoon. The financial world was in an uproar. Wolfe Meridian had executed a flawless, bloodless coup.
On Wednesday evening, Evelyn was leaving the Wolfe Meridian Chicago headquarters when she heard her name called.
“Evelyn! Stop!”
Sabrina stood on the rain-slicked pavement. The new bride looked disheveled. Her designer trench coat was wrinkled, her makeup smudged. The smug triumph of her wedding day had been entirely erased by panic.
“Sabrina. You shouldn't be here,” Evelyn said, holding her umbrella steady.
“You have to stop this,” Sabrina pleaded, grabbing Evelyn’s arm. Evelyn gently but firmly pulled away. “Grant’s accounts are frozen. The credit cards are declining. The bank is threatening to foreclose on the penthouse! We just got married, Evelyn. You’re destroying my life!”
“Grant destroyed his own life when he stole from his company,” Evelyn replied evenly. “And you chose to marry a man for his wealth without checking if the wealth was real.”
“We were friends! We ate ramen together in a freezing apartment!” Sabrina was crying now, though the tears looked rehearsed. “Please. Just give us a severance package. A few million. Something to start over!”
“You poured wine on me, Sabrina, to prove you were superior,” Evelyn said, her voice devoid of anger, holding only profound exhaustion. “You wanted me to know my place. I know it now. My place is at the top of the firm that owns you. There will be no severance.”
Evelyn turned and walked toward the waiting black town car. As she slid into the backseat, she found Adrian already there, reviewing a tablet.
“Handled?” he asked, not looking up.
“Handled,” Evelyn confirmed.
May you like
Adrian finally looked at her, the harsh lines of his face softening just a fraction. “You handled that with more grace than she deserved. You are a remarkable woman, Evelyn.”
The sincere compliment from the most feared man in finance made Evelyn’s heart skip a strange, unexpected beat.
