Chapter 3 - The Empty Throne
I woke up to the sterile smell of hospital bleach and the steady, rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor.
I instinctively moved my hand to my belly.
It was still round.
It was still heavy.
"He's okay," a gentle voice spoke from the corner of the room.
I turned my head and saw Dr. Aris, my obstetrician, reviewing a chart.
"You suffered a placental abruption due to blunt force trauma, Clara," she said, her eyes filled with concern.
"But we managed to stabilize you both."
Tears of absolute relief finally spilled down my cheeks.
"Thank you," I choked out.
"You are on strict bed rest here in the VIP wing until delivery," she continued, her tone leaving no room for argument.
"I've also instructed security that your husband is not permitted on this floor."
I nodded, feeling a massive weight lift off my chest.
Meanwhile, miles away, the sun was rising over the sleek glass skyscraper of Vance Innovations.
Julian strutted through the revolving doors, trying to project his usual aura of arrogant dominance.
He had spent the entire night convincing himself it was just a system glitch.
A banking error that his lawyers would fix by noon.
He swiped his platinum keycard at the private elevator.
A harsh red light flashed.
Access Denied.
He frowned, swiping it again.
Access Denied.
"Hey, Thomas!" Julian barked at the security guard in the lobby.
"Fix this reader, it's broken."
Thomas, a man Julian had verbally abused for years, slowly walked over.
"It's not broken, Mr. Vance," Thomas said, his face completely devoid of sympathy.
"My access was revoked?" Julian scoffed.
"I own the building, Thomas."
"Actually, sir, you don't," a sharp voice echoed across the marble lobby.
Julian turned to see Marcus Reed, the head of the board of directors, walking toward him with two armed corporate security officers.
"Marcus, what the hell is going on?" Julian demanded.
"My bank accounts are frozen, and now my elevator doesn't work."
Marcus adjusted his glasses, looking at Julian with a mixture of pity and disdain.
"We held an emergency board meeting at 4:00 AM, Julian."
"A meeting? Without me?" Julian yelled, causing people in the lobby to stare.
"You don't hold any voting shares anymore," Marcus stated plainly.
"As of midnight, the controlling interest of Vance Innovations was transferred to a private trust."
Julian laughed, a hysterical, manic sound.
"That's impossible, my name is on the patents!"
"Your name was on the initial drafts," Marcus corrected him.
"But Clara's name is on the final registrations, the holding company, and the IP rights."
Julian felt the blood drain from his head.
"She legally licensed the tech to you, Julian," Marcus finished.
May you like
"And last night, she revoked the license."
"You are officially trespassing."
