The following morning, the atmosphere at Julian’s corporate headquarters was suffocating.

Richard Ashford, Celeste's father, had called an emergency meeting of the board of directors.

He owned thirty percent of the company's shares and was demanding Julian's immediate resignation.

Richard claimed that Julian's public scandal with a "manipulative servant" was tanking the company's stock.

Julian sat at the head of the massive glass table, his expression completely unreadable.

He let the older man shout, threaten, and pound his fist against the table.

The other board members murmured among themselves, clearly swayed by Richard's aggressive tactics.

When the room finally quieted down, Julian slowly stood up and adjusted his custom Italian suit.

He pressed a button on the intercom, instructing his assistant to send in their special guest.

The heavy mahogany doors swung open, and the entire room fell dead silent.

Mara walked in, but she looked nothing like a frightened maid or a disgraced former model.

She wore a sharp, tailored crimson power suit that commanded absolute authority.

Her chin was held high, and the silver locket rested proudly against her collarbone.

Julian introduced her not as his girlfriend, but as the new majority proxy shareholder.

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He had secretly transferred a massive portion of his voting rights into a trust managed by Mara.

Richard Ashford’s face turned an unhealthy shade of purple as he realized he had been outplayed.