The shareholders glared at me with undisguised contempt, as if I were the ungrateful one, a woman with no vision and no business being in charge.

I faced them all and smiled instead of getting angry.

"Every single one of you loves to brag about your degrees from top universities. So why are you acting this stupid right now?"

The room erupted. Shareholders shot to their feet.

"Henson, what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

I let the corner of my mouth curl upward. "This woman says something, and you all just swallow it whole, is that it?"

"If Beulah Finch were really as capable as she claims, why would she settle for being a secretary?"

I thought that would be enough to make them see reason. I thought Beulah would back down.

Instead, she played her trump card. She brought up my fiancé, Terry Gilbert.

"The only reason I stayed at this company was for Terry." Her voice softened, dripping with false sweetness. "He sponsored my education abroad. Now that I've graduated, it's only natural I come back to repay him."

Then her finger swung back toward me.

"Henson, you may be the CEO, but don't forget: the other half of the shares belong to Terry."

"Unless he personally fires me, no one has the right to let me go."

The tension in the room snapped. Whatever thin veneer of professionalism remained dissolved, and every word that followed carried a blade.

The shareholders nodded along, one after another, siding with her.

I shook my head and let out a quiet laugh. This was supposed to be the company's senior leadership?

Every major contract this company had ever landed, I'd negotiated myself. Beulah Finch had stood behind me during those meetings, contributing nothing. The only reason I'd brought her along at all was because she spoke some English and French.

And now she was using that French to prop herself up, to prove her value.

I almost laughed out loud.

"Beulah, I'm warning you one last time. If you insist on clinging to this position, I don't mind—"

Before I could finish, the conference room doors slammed open.

"I'd like to see who dares fire her!"

The roar cut through the room. Every head turned.

"Mr. Gilbert!"

Those voices, falling over each other to greet him, were a slap in the face meant for me.