Chapter 6 - The Empire’s Collapse
My father led me to the stage for the keynote address.
He was the guest of honor,
the man whose donation would fund the entire project.
He stood at the microphone,
the room falling into a respectful hush.
"Tonight is about the future,"
my father began,
his voice echoing through the ballroom.
"But you cannot build a future on a foundation of lies."
"I was planning to announce a major partnership tonight."
"A partnership that would have injected five hundred million dollars into a local firm."
Spencer’s eyes lit up for a fraction of a second.
That was the deal he had been praying for.
That was the deal that would make him a billionaire.
"However,"
my father continued,
his gaze locking onto Spencer.
"The firm in question has shown a lack of integrity."
"A lack of respect."
"And a lack of basic human decency."
"The Reed Group is no longer under consideration."
The room was so quiet you could hear the hum of the air conditioning.
Spencer looked like he had been struck.
"Furthermore,"
my father added,
"Harrell International will be calling in all outstanding loans from the Reed Group,
effective immediately."
That was the killing blow.
Without Harrell’s backing,
Spencer’s company was a hollow shell.
He would be bankrupt by Monday morning.
Spencer staggered back,
hitting a waiter's tray.
Champagne spilled down the back of his expensive tuxedo.
I walked to the microphone,
joining my father.
"I spent three years trying to be the woman Spencer Reed wanted,"
I told the room.
"I stayed home."
"I stayed silent."
"I wore the dresses he told me to wear."
"But tonight,
I realized that I don't need to be who he wants."
"I am Phoebe Harrell."
"And I am finally home."
The applause was deafening.
I looked down at Spencer,
who was now sitting on the floor,
his head in his hands.
May you like
He had thought humiliating me would be the end of the story.
He had no idea it was only the beginning of mine.
