Chapter 3: The Boardroom Retaliation
Two weeks after the scandal at the Fifth Avenue boutique, the drama had escalated from the showroom floor into the highest levels of corporate warfare.
The video recorded by the wealthy bride on her phone had gone viral, accumulating over forty million views across global social media platforms. The headline “Billionaire Designer Fires Boutique Manager for Shoving Pregnant Artisan” had dominated the fashion press, turning Maya into an overnight symbol of grace under fire, while severely damaging the elite, untouchable image of the old-money establishment.
But Chloe wasn't going down without a fight. Backed by a predatory tabloid lawyer and funded secretly by a rival fashion conglomerate looking to sabotage Julian's upcoming public offering, she had filed a twenty-million-dollar counter-suit for wrongful termination, defamation, and emotional distress.
Inside the high-rise executive boardroom of Vance Global Holdings, the atmosphere was thick with tension. A long mahogany table was surrounded by fifteen board members, all staring at a large projection screen displaying the viral video clip.
"This is a public relations disaster, Julian," stated Arthur Sterling, the elderly, conservative majority shareholder of the board. He slammed his hand onto a stack of financial printouts. "Our stock has fluctuated three percent since this video leaked. The old-money families—the senators, the oil tycoons, the European aristocrats—they don't like this kind of vulgar publicity. Chloe may have been aggressive, but she was maintaining the exclusivity of our brand. We cater to the top 0.1 percent. We cannot have ordinary, pregnant women causing scenes in our flagship stores."
Julian sat at the head of the table, his hands loosely clasped, his face an unreadable mask of absolute calm. Beside him sat Maya, wearing an elegant, tailored emerald maternity suit, her notebook open, her gaze steady as she looked at the powerful men who wanted her gone.
"Ordinary?" Julian repeated, his voice dangerously low. He leaned forward, the sheer force of his presence causing Arthur Sterling to shift uncomfortably in his leather chair.
"Arthur, you are an investor. You look at numbers. I look at legacy. The lace technique that Maya brought to this company increased our couture profit margins by twelve percent last quarter because it cut production time in half while doubling the durability of the garment. She is not an 'ordinary woman.' She is the creative backbone of our new line."
"Be that as it may," another board member interrupted, "Chloe’s legal team is threatening to go to the press with allegations that you and Ms. Lin have an inappropriate, unprofessional relationship. They are painting this as a targeted personal vendetta. They are demanding a public apology, the reinstatement of Chloe’s position, and a five-million-dollar settlement to drop the lawsuit."
A heavy, toxic silence fell over the boardroom.
Maya looked at the documents on the table, then she stood up. Despite being seven months pregnant, she carried herself with a dignity that made every man in the room look up.
"Mr. Sterling," Maya said, her voice clear, resounding through the high-ceilinged room. "Two years ago, when my ex-fiancé left me the moment he found out I was pregnant, I thought my life was over. I had no money, no security, and a highly specialized skill that the corporate world didn't value. Julian didn't offer me charity. He offered me a job based on my intellect and my craft. He respected my work."
She walked over to the projection screen, switching the image from the viral video to a complex financial ledger and a series of legal background checks.
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FINANCIAL FORENSIC REVELATION
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[TARGET]: CHLOE DEVERAUX (EX-MANAGER)
[SECRET FUNDING]: VALENTI INTERNATIONAL CONGLOMERATE (RIVAL BRAND)
[OFFSHORE TRANSACTION]: $250,000 DEPOSIT RECEIVED ON OCT 24, 2026
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"While Chloe was busy insulting my shoes," Maya continued, tapping the screen, "my team was running a full forensic audit on her corporate accounts. Chloe didn't just 'make a mistake' the day she attacked me. She was paid two hundred and fifty thousand dollars by Valenti International—our primary competitor—to orchestrate a high-profile scandal inside our store to disrupt your upcoming public trading launch."
The board members gasped, leaning forward to inspect the offshore wire transfers displayed on the screen.
"She targeted me because she knew I was working on the proprietary lace formula for the new collection," Maya said, her eyes flashing with a sharp, brilliant intelligence. "She wanted to provoke a scene, get fired, and sue the company to create a legal injunction that would freeze the release of the Milano line. It wasn't an honest mistake. It was industrial espionage."
Julian stood up beside her, a slow, cold smile spreading across his face as he looked at the stunned board members.
May you like
"The legal department has already submitted these files to the Federal Bureau of Investigation," Julian announced, his voice ringing with absolute triumph. "There will be no settlement. There will be no apology. By tomorrow morning, Chloe and her financial handlers will be facing criminal indictment for corporate conspiracy. Now, if there are no further questions about who belongs in my house, I suggest we vote on Maya’s promotion to Global Creative Director of Textiles."
One by one, every hand around the mahogany table went up.
