Chapter 2The Prenup

When the sun came up, I called my attorney.

“Olivia, I need you to draft three documents.”

“A formal termination of engagement.”

“A real estate listing agreement.”

“And a letter of intent to liquidate my shares in the company.”

The line went dead silent.

“Maya… are you sure?”

I looked at the prenup on the coffee table.

“I’m sure.”

Two hours later, I walked into Preston’s corporate headquarters with the folder in my hand.

The receptionist froze when she saw me.

“Ms. Davis! Mr. Vance is in a board meeting—”

I didn't stop walking.

“I’m a major shareholder. I’m allowed in.”

When I pushed open the heavy glass doors of the boardroom, Preston was sitting at the head of the massive oak table.

Chloe was standing right next to him, leaning over to hand him a file.

She was wearing a sleek white tailored suit. On her wrist was a solid gold bangle.

My footsteps stopped.

That bangle had a tiny, almost invisible scratch on the inside band. I had made that scratch when I was a kid playing outside.

My grandmother had placed it on my wrist right before she died.

She said, “Maya, no matter who you marry, always keep a safety net for yourself.”

Eight years ago, I pawned it.

For $5,000.

To pay the first month’s rent on Preston’s very first, dingy office space.

Later, Preston had held me and promised, “Maya, as soon as we make it, I’m going to buy that back for you myself.”

I had gone back to that pawn shop dozens of times over the years.

The owner said it was sold long ago.

I thought it was gone forever.

Now, it was sitting on Chloe’s wrist.

Preston looked up, his brow furrowing instantly.

“What are you doing here?”

I didn't look at him. I kept my eyes locked on Chloe’s wrist.

“Take the bracelet off.”

Chloe instinctively shrank back, hiding her arm behind Preston’s chair.

“Ms. Davis, Preston gave this to me.”

Her voice was soft, but just loud enough for the entire boardroom to hear.

“He told me he tracked it down from his old, struggling days.”

“He said that putting it on my wrist symbolized a fresh start.”

A high-pitched ringing filled my ears.

Old, struggling days.

A fresh start.

So he knew.

He knew exactly what that bracelet was, and he knew exactly what it meant.

And he still chose to wrap it around Chloe’s wrist.

Preston’s face turned grim.

“Chloe, that’s enough.”

I threw the manila folder onto the center of the boardroom table.

“Preston. Sign it.”

He opened the folder. His face drained of color inch by inch.

“You’re liquidating your shares?”

“Twenty-five percent. At the audited market value,” I said, staring him down.

“You have the right of first refusal.”

“If you don’t buy me out by the end of the day, I’m selling them to Apex Capital.”

Apex Capital. Preston’s most aggressive, cutthroat competitor.

Preston slammed the folder shut.

“Maya, are you out of your mind?!”

“I built this company from the ground up!”

I laughed.

“Our first three anchor clients? I landed them while drinking myself into a hospital bed.”

“The very first vendor contract? I drafted it at 3 AM.”

“The seed money that kept the lights on? I sold my dead grandmother’s jewelry for it.”

“You built this from the ground up?”

“How dare you claim this is all yours?”

The boardroom was terrifyingly silent. Chloe’s eyes welled with perfectly timed tears.

“Ms. Davis, the company is preparing for an IPO.”

“If you force a massive equity sell-off now, you’ll destroy Preston.”

I slowly turned to look at her.

“You’re living in a penthouse he bought, wearing my grandmother’s bracelet, and you want to lecture me about my company?”

Chloe’s face went chalk-white.

Preston shot up from his chair, physically stepping between us.

“Maya, enough.”

“She is my lead counsel. She is a vital part of this firm. Leave your personal drama at the door.”

I watched him shield her with his body.

The pain in my chest finally hit the point of complete, freezing numbness.

“Fine. You want to be professional? Let’s be professional.”

I pulled a second document from my bag and dropped it on the table.

“Effective immediately, as a 25% shareholder, I am initiating a full forensic audit of all corporate executive gifts and bonuses.”

“That includes the deed to the penthouse currently occupied by your lead counsel.”

“It includes every single contract she has drafted or approved over the last 24 months.”

“And it includes the paper trail for that solid gold bracelet.”

Preston’s expression morphed into pure panic.

“You wouldn't dare.”

I stared dead into his eyes, enunciating every syllable.

“Watch me.”