“The CEO’s office.”
She laughed loudly. “You are insane. You do not even know the CEO.”
I pressed the contact.
“Naomi Sinclair,” I said when she answered. “I need you in the lobby.”
“Yes, sir.”
Simone’s smile faded.
“Who was that?”
“My chief of staff.”
She scoffed—but it sounded forced.
Then I tore the divorce papers in half.
The sound echoed.
“You idiot!” she shouted. “You just destroyed legal documents!”
“Print more,” I said calmly.
She turned to security. “Remove him.”
The guard did not move.
“Ma’am,” he said carefully, “I cannot remove him.”
“Why not?”
“Because he is Mr. Hargrove.”
The air changed instantly.
“The owner of this company.”
Simone’s knees nearly buckled.
The elevator doors opened.
Naomi Sinclair stepped out. Gray suit. Tablet in hand. Two security executives behind her.
“Good morning, Mr. Hargrove.”
The lobby went silent.
Simone looked at me like she was seeing me for the first time.
And the worst part for her?
Brandon Hail was walking into the lobby next.
And he was about to learn exactly who he had been sleeping with.
I removed the rubber gloves slowly and placed them on top of the cleaning cart.
The sound was small.
But in that silent lobby, it felt like thunder.
Brandon stopped walking.
Simone’s lips parted, but no words came out.
Naomi stepped forward. “Would you like the board present, sir?”
“Yes,” I replied calmly. “And Legal.”
Simone shook her head. “This isn’t funny. Stop it. Darius, what is this?”
I looked at her the same way I had looked at her the night she whispered “I miss you too” into her phone.
“This,” I said quietly, “is the consequence of underestimating a man you thought was beneath you.”
Brandon finally found his voice. “What’s going on?”
Naomi turned toward him with corporate precision. “Mr. Brandon Hail, you are being placed on immediate administrative leave pending investigation.”
His face drained of color. “Investigation for what?”
“For violation of executive ethics policy, conflict of interest, and misconduct involving a married employee.”
The words hit him harder than any punch.
Simone grabbed my arm. “Darius, stop this. You’re being dramatic.”
I gently removed her hand.
“You handed me divorce papers in my own building,” I said. “You called me stupid in ink. You told me I had nothing.”
Her breathing became shallow. “You lied to me.”
“I never lied,” I replied. “You never asked.”
The board members began entering the lobby one by one. Executives who had passed me hundreds of times without knowing who I was now stood in a semicircle.
Watching.
Learning.
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