Chapter 27 #2
"Alexei? Oh, he's been very helpful. Turns out he was trying to save the CulinaryVision deal, not sabotage it.
He wanted to warn Victor about the ambush at the yacht dinner, but Richard Francis wouldn't let him.
" Patricia laughs. "Poor man. Trying to make amends with his brother and getting punched in the face for his trouble. "
The pieces click into place with devastating clarity.
Patricia sent the screenshots to herself. From Vanessa Chu. Who she's been working with all along.
The CulinaryVision-FoodFirst partnership wasn't a result of my walking away from the deal. It was planned. Orchestrated.
Patricia is the mole.
And Alexei—my brother, who I punched and haven't spoken to in two years—was trying to help me.
"I need to go," Patricia says suddenly. "Someone just entered the building. I'll call you Monday to finalize the details."
She hangs up and turns….and instantly spots me.
If I didn’t know Patricia Franklin any better, one would assume that she’s expressionless, unbothered by my presence.
But I do know her.
And only I can catch the wince she makes when she notices my face.
"Victor. I didn't realize you'd be in the office today."
"Clearly."
"I was just—"
"Working with FoodFirst to orchestrate a merger that would remove me as CEO and position you as my replacement?"
Silence.
"I see," Patricia says finally. "You heard."
"Every word."
"Then I suppose there's no point in pretending." She smooths her jacket. "Yes, I've been working with Vanessa Chu. Yes, I sent you those screenshots. Yes, I orchestrated the entire situation to damage your relationship with Ms. Beaumont and weaken your position with the board."
My fists clench at my sides, my heartbeat trapped inside my throat.
I step forward. “Why?"
"Because you're too emotional, Victor. Too unpredictable.
You walked away from a hundred-million-dollar deal because your brother showed up.
You prioritized a relationship with a junior employee over company optics.
You let your personal life interfere with business decisions.
" She pauses. "StreamEats needs stable leadership.
Not a CEO who makes choices based on feelings. "
"So you decided to stage a coup."
"I decided to do what's best for the company."
"By lying. By manipulating. By using Harper as a pawn in your corporate game."
"Ms. Beaumont made her own choices. The fact that she was in contact with FoodFirst at all made her a liability."
"She told them no. On Thanksgiving. Before I asked her to be my girlfriend. Before any of this became complicated."
"And yet you fired her anyway." Patricia smiles slightly.
The accusation is like a bullet to the chest—a bullet that there is no emotional bullet-proof vest for.
Because I was terrified out of my mind.
Because I couldn't trust that my feelings are real. Because I’d rather have pushed her away than risk being hurt again.
"You're fired," I say.
"Excuse me?"
"You're fired. Effective immediately. Security will escort you out. You have fifteen minutes to collect your personal belongings."
"You can't fire me. I'm on the board."
"I can fire you from your executive position. And I can recommend to the board that you be removed entirely for corporate espionage and breach of fiduciary duty."
Patricia's calm facade finally cracks. "You have no proof."
"I have my testimony. I have this conversation. And I'm betting if I subpoena your phone records and emails, I'll find plenty of proof." I pull out my phone. "Security is on their way up. I suggest you use your fifteen minutes wisely."
"This isn't over, Victor."
"Yes, it is."
She stares at me for a long moment, then turns and walks toward her office with her head held high.
I call security. Then I call Rachel, in that order.
"Victor?" She sounds surprised. "It's Saturday. Why are you—"
"Patricia Franklin has been working with FoodFirst. She's the one who sent the screenshots. She's been orchestrating a coup to remove me as CEO and position herself as my replacement."
Silence.
"Rachel?"
"I'm going to need you to repeat that. Slowly."
I do. I tell her everything—the phone conversation I overheard, Patricia's confession, the FoodFirst partnership, Alexei trying to help.
By the time I'm finished, Rachel is cursing in three languages.
"I'm coming to the office," she says. "Don't let Patricia leave until I get there. We need documentation. Witnesses. This is—fuck, Victor, this is bad."
"I know."
"But it also means—" She pauses. "Harper was telling the truth. About everything."
"I know that too."
"So what are you going to do about it?"
I say nothing.
Because I have no idea what the hell I’m going to do now after I’ve done what I did to Harper.
"Well, figure it out. Because you just fired the woman you love based on false information. And if you don't fix that, you're an even bigger idiot than I thought."
She hangs up. And I stand in the empty hallway, my mind racing.
Because Harper was telling the truth.
She did choose me over the money. She did love me. She did defend me.
And I destroyed her anyway.
The realization sits heavy in my chest.
Because I know I need to fix this. But first, I need to do something I should have done two years ago.
I need to talk to my brother.
And then maybe I can figure out how the hell I'm going to fight for my wife.