In the boardroom on the 40th floor of Horton Tower, the air was stale and recycled. Adam sat at the head of the long glass table, listening to the CFO drone on about quarterly projections.
His phone buzzed on the table. He ignored it.
It buzzed again. And again.
He glanced at the screen. Mom.
He declined the call.
It rang again immediately.
Adam gritted his teeth. He picked it up.
What is it? I'm in a meeting.
She's gone! Elaine's voice was so shrill it leaked out of the earpiece. That trashy wife of yours! She insulted me, she pushed Cheyenne, and she left!
Adam rubbed his temples. She's just blowing off steam, Mom. She'll be back by dinner.
She took a suitcase, Adam! And the things she said about you...
Adam's other line beeped. It was Lanny, his assistant sitting right outside the glass doors.
Hold on, Mom.
He switched lines. Lanny, what is it?
Adam looked up. Through the glass wall, he saw Lanny standing at his desk, his face pale. He was holding an iPad.
Sir... you need to check your email. The general inbox.
Adam frowned. He tapped the email icon on his phone.
The resignation email sat at the top.
He read it.
His blood ran cold. Resigning? She couldn't resign. She was his wife. She was his assistant. She was the one who knew where his social security card was, for God's sake.
And she had copied the Board.
Old Mr. Henderson, the Chairman, cleared his throat. Adam? Is there a problem? I just received a rather... disturbing notification.
Adam stood up abruptly. His chair scraped loudly against the floor.
Excuse me, gentlemen. Family emergency.
He walked out of the room, phone pressed to his ear. He dialed Anjanette.
The number you have reached is not accepting calls.
He tried again. Same result.
She had blocked him?
Rage, hot and blinding, surged through him. She was trying to embarrass him. She was trying to play power games.
Lanny! he barked.
Lanny jumped. Yes, sir?
Call IT. Freeze her access. Everything. Email, server, building entry.
Yes, sir.
And call Finance, Adam continued, walking toward his office. Cancel her corporate cards. Freeze the joint checking account.
Lanny hesitated. Sir, isn't that... she might need-
Do it! Adam roared.
He slammed his office door shut.
She wanted to play hardball? Fine. She was a girl from nowhere with no money and no connections. She wouldn't last twenty-four hours in New York City without his credit card.
He went to the window and looked out at the city.
She'll come crawling back, he muttered to the glass. She always does.
