Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Callum didn't come home that night. I knew he needed space to process his anger and frustration.

The next day, I left our son, Leo, with the nanny and went to the office.

The employees’ eyes widened in surprise when they saw me, but they quickly regained their professional composure. “Good morning, Sophia,” they all said, not “Mrs. Sterling.” Here, I was the EVP first.

I walked to the executive elevator. As the doors to the top floor opened, I heard laughter coming from Callum’s office.

Through his office’s massive glass wall, I saw Brielle sitting in the visitor’s chair across from his desk, leaning forward intimately.

Callum had a relaxed smile on his face, a smile I hadn't seen in a long time. It was a stark contrast to the formal, distant demeanor he usually had with his subordinates.

Normally, no one but me was allowed in his office for more than ten minutes unless it was a formal meeting.

But now, he and Brielle were so close they were practically violating every rule of workplace decorum.

What made my blood run cold was what Brielle was wearing: a Chanel haute couture suit.

It was a design I had picked out at a private preview during Paris Fashion Week. Callum had promised to buy it for me as a gift.

There were fewer than five of these suits in the world, each with a detailed client profile. And now, one of them was on an intern.

I pushed the door open. The laughter stopped instantly.

The smile on Callum’s face froze. “Sophia? What are you doing here?”

Brielle shot up from her seat, a perfectly practiced look of panic and respect on her face. Her voice was sickly sweet. “Sophia! Hi! I heard you just had the baby. You look amazing! I’m so jealous.”

I ignored her, my eyes fixed on Callum, then dropping to the Chanel suit.

I let out a short, sharp laugh. “Callum, I remember this suit. Wasn’t it pre-ordered in Paris on the company’s Amex Black Card? The expense was filed under ‘maintaining key client relationships.’ So tell me, which ‘key client’ is this intern, that we need to maintain her with haute couture?”

My words hit the room like a bomb. The temperature instantly dropped below freezing.

Brielle’s face turned pale. She nervously fidgeted with the hem of her skirt. She looked at Callum, her eyes welling up with tears, like a frightened deer.

Callum’s brow furrowed, his tone dripping with an annoyance that grated on my nerves. “Sophia, don’t make a scene. Brielle has been the subject of a lot of gossip because of the office situation yesterday. I was just trying to compensate her.”

“Compensate her?” I sneered, turning to Brielle. “So, this suit is ‘compensation’ from the company? Then according to corporate policy, any gift valued over $500 must be reported to HR, and you have to pay personal income tax on it. Kate,” I called out into the air.

My assistant immediately entered, holding a digital recorder. “Please make a note of this. And notify HR and the finance department to verify if this expense is compliant. If not, this could be considered misappropriation of company assets.”

Brielle’s lips started to tremble. She looked completely stunned.

I turned back to Callum, my eyes full of judgment. “Give me a reasonable explanation, Callum. Otherwise, the audit committee would be more than happy to get involved.”

Callum’s face turned ashen. He was visibly restraining his rage. “Listen, Sophia, this ends now. We have an important meeting to get to. Stop this nonsense.”

My heart sank. He had never used the word “nonsense” to describe my actions regarding company business. This wasn't just demeaning; it was a denial of my professionalism as the EVP.

“An important meeting? Which one?”

“The partnership with the Anderson Group,” Callum said, straightening his tie while signaling for Brielle to grab a file. “Brielle did a lot of the data prep for the initial proposal, so I’m bringing her along.”

I raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Oh? I wasn’t aware that an intern’s data prep was so critical she needed to sit in on a strategic partnership meeting that could determine the future of this company. Callum, as CEO, shouldn't you be more careful about who has access to this level of confidential information?”

Callum's face was as dark as a storm cloud. He picked up his briefcase and said to Brielle, “Let’s go. We’re wasting time.”

As they walked past me, I saw a flicker of triumph in Brielle’s eyes. She thought this was Callum defending her. She thought she had won.

She was so naive. She had no idea she wasn’t just facing an office romance scandal. She was about to be crushed by capital.

After they left, I took out my phone and dialed the private number of Arthur Anderson, the chairman of the Anderson Group. Arthur had watched me grow up and was one of Müller Capital’s most important investment partners in North America.

“Arthur, it’s Sophia.”

“My dear! It’s been too long. How’s Leo?” Arthur’s cheerful voice boomed from the other end.

“He’s wonderful, thank you for asking. Arthur, I’m calling in my capacity as a director of the Müller Group to give you an informal heads-up. Regarding the partnership Callum is coming to discuss today, I personally recommend that the Anderson Group’s legal and risk management teams re-evaluate the current management stability at Sterling Industries.”

There was a brief silence. Arthur was a smart man; he immediately understood what I was implying.

“Sophia, what’s going on?”

“Callum’s judgment has been… compromised lately. There are certain factors around him that could trigger a ‘key person risk.’ As his wife and business partner, I am in the process of handling it. But until the problem is solved, I don’t want my friends to suffer any losses. You understand what I mean.”

“I understand completely,” Arthur’s voice turned serious. “Thank you, Sophia. I know what to do.”

An hour later, I got a call from Callum. He wasn't angry anymore. He was terrified. He was practically screaming.

“Sophia, what the hell did you do?!”