Chapter 7 - The Dinner Meant to Break Her
Carter invited twelve senior executives to dinner at the house.
He seated Vivien at his right hand.
Serena’s usual place.
Serena entered the dining room wearing a simple black dress.
The conversation stopped.
Carter gestured toward an empty chair near the kitchen door.
“We saved you a seat.”
Several executives looked uncomfortable.
Vivien lifted her wineglass.
“We were discussing the gala presentation. It may be too technical.”
“For me?” Serena asked.
“For anyone outside leadership.”
Serena sat without protest.
During dinner, Carter described the Argent House acquisition as his defining achievement.
He claimed the deal would expand the company into luxury artificial intelligence and private consumer data.
Thomas, the CFO, frowned.
“The projections still concern me.”
Carter’s smile hardened.
“The board will see the vision.”
“The collateral structure is unusual.”
“My wife approved it.”
Thomas turned toward Serena.
“Did you?”
Every eye moved to her.
Carter’s hand tightened around his knife.
Serena could have exposed him.
Instead, she asked, “Which document are you referring to?”
Carter answered before Thomas could.
“A routine reserve authorization.”
“I would need to review it.”
“You already did.”
Serena held his gaze.
“Then send me the signed copy.”
Silence settled over the table.
Vivien laughed lightly.
“Serena forgets paperwork all the time.”
Thomas did not laugh.
Neither did Charles.
Carter changed the subject.
After dessert, Thomas found Serena alone in the library.
“Did you authorize the reserve?”
“What does the document say?”
“That you did.”
“Then why are you asking?”
“Because your mother never signed anything without reading every page.”
Serena turned.
Thomas knew more about Elaine than Carter realized.
“Do you still have the original file?”
“Yes.”
“Do not alter it. Do not forward it through company email.”
Thomas studied her expression.
“Serena, what is happening?”
“I need to know whether you serve Carter or the company.”
“I serve the company.”
“My mother believed that too.”
Thomas’s face changed.
Serena wrote a phone number on a blank card.
“If you mean what you said, call this from a private line.”
From the hallway, a floorboard creaked.
Vivien stood outside the library.
She had heard enough to become suspicious.
That night, Carter searched Serena’s phone while she pretended to sleep.
He found nothing.
May you like
But the following morning, Thomas received an order removing his access to the merger files.
👉 Vivien realized Serena was no longer simply enduring the affair, so she convinced Carter to move the acquisition—and Serena’s public destruction—to the same night.
