He thanked the directors.
He thanked international partners.
He praised retired founder August Vale, still absent.
Next came discipline.
Legacy.
Integrity.
That nearly made me laugh.
I kept my hands folded.
“Leadership is not only about celebration,” Camden said, placing both hands on the podium. “It is also about making painful decisions with integrity.”
The atmosphere shifted.
Perhaps instinct warned me.
Or perhaps Sloane’s sudden stare made it obvious.
I knew before he spoke my name.
The cameras seemed ready too.
“Many of you know my wife, Elena, has worked in our community partnerships division.”
Worked.
Already in the past tense.
“Unfortunately, after repeated performance concerns, breaches of internal trust, and conduct misaligned with our values, her employment with Vale & Royce International is terminated effective immediately.”
A pause.
Utter, stunned silence.
For an instant, ice clinked in someone’s glass.
Sloane started applauding.
Deliberately.
Almost sweetly.
Her diamonds glinted overhead.
