A sleek black Maybach glided onto the tarmac, coming to a halt just inches from where Carter knelt on the scorching asphalt. The rear door swung open, and I stepped out wearing sunglasses and a pristine white pantsuit, looking every bit the majority shareholder I had always been.
“”Samantha!”” Carter gasped, scrambling toward me on his hands and knees, completely devoid of the smug arrogance he had displayed on the aircraft. “”Please, tell them there’s been a mistake! My accounts… my stock options… everything is locked! The board won’t even take my calls!””
His mother rushed forward, clutching my sleeve with trembling hands. “”Samantha, dear, think of the family! You can’t do this to Carter! It was just a seat on a plane, an innocent misunderstanding!””
I gently peeled her fingers off my sleeve and turned to Carter’s lead counsel, who was already waiting beside my attorneys.
“”It was never about a seat,”” I said coldly, looking down at the man who had traded four years of my devotion for cheap flattery. “”It was about respect. You thought my wealth, my patents, and my silence were all yours to exploit. You forgot that without my signature, you are nothing more than a failed executive in a rented suit.””
My lead attorney handed Carter the final set of papers.
“”Mr. Sterling, you are officially served with divorce papers, eviction notices for the penthouse properties owned by the Vance Trust, and an immediate cease-and-desist prohibiting you from entering any Sterling Global facilities,”” the attorney announced firmly. “”Security has already emptied your office into cardboard boxes.””
Khloe attempted to slip past the crowd into a cab, but two federal agents stepped into her path to present her with a subpoena regarding fraudulent expense claims and unauthorized access to proprietary patent documents. She burst into genuine tears of panic, looking around desperately for Carter, who couldn’t even stand up on his own.
Carter grabbed at my shoes, tears cutting tracks through the dust on his cheeks. “”Samantha, please! Give me one more chance! I’ll fire Khloe right now! I’ll cut off my mother! I’ll do whatever you want!””
“”You had four years of chances,”” I replied softly, stepping back into the car. “”I gave you an empire, Carter. And now, you can learn your place.””
The chauffeur closed the door, and the Maybach pulled away, leaving Carter sobbing on the tarmac beneath the desert sun, stripped of his fortune, his title, and his dignity.”
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