Chapter 247

Five sharply dressed figures trailed behind Evelyn Sinclair, their tailored suits exuding power and authority. Bennett moved swiftly to press the elevator button, his movements precise and practiced.

Upstairs, the receptionist frantically alerted the office of Evelyn's arrival. Genevieve Dawson, Lydia Smith's cousin and secretary, barely glanced up from painting her nails. "She thinks she can just waltz in here and take a cut of our profits now that we're making money?" Genevieve scoffed. "Dream on."

The words reached Evelyn the moment her bodyguard opened the office door. Genevieve didn't even rise from her seat. "Ms. Sterling," she drawled, "the General Manager isn't available. Try again another time."

Bennett's jaw tightened. No employee had ever dared speak to Evelyn with such disrespect. Without acknowledging Genevieve, Evelyn turned to Bennett. "Call an executive meeting in five minutes. Anyone who isn't present is fired."

"Understood," Bennett replied smoothly.

Genevieve's face twisted in disbelief. "Who do you think you are? This isn't your company! The General Manager—"

Evelyn strode past her into the conference room, pausing only to deliver a cutting glance over her shoulder. "General Manager? You mean Genevieve Dawson? Of course she's your cousin. But this isn't Dawson territory. You have no authority here."

Bennett almost pitied the woman. Every word out of Genevieve's mouth was another nail in her professional coffin.

Evelyn's voice turned glacial. "Sterling Corporation belongs to the Sterlings. A Dawson has no power here. Pack your things and leave. Now."

Genevieve's face paled. "Y-You can't—"

Bennett stepped forward. "She's the President of Sterling Corporation. And you'd do well to inform Genevieve Dawson that her presence is required immediately."

As Evelyn entered the conference room, she added, "And call my uncle, Charles Sterling, while you're at it." That incompetent uncle of hers couldn't even manage this small branch without causing problems. If William Sterling hadn't handed the company to Charles years ago, he'd still be wasting away in obscurity. Countless deficits had been covered for this Charleston branch over the years. If they couldn't appreciate that, it was time to revoke their privileges.

Five minutes later, Evelyn surveyed the assembled executives—those loyalists her father had planted to monitor the situation. Bennett distributed documents as Evelyn cut straight to the point. "I assume you've all seen this morning's news. Sterling Corporation partnered with Kingsley Tech on the AI project. So why has this branch developed an identical product and released it first?"

Silence hung heavy for several seconds before a bald executive at the front spoke up. "We had no knowledge of this. Margaret Dawson keeps us at arm's length like criminals, and Charles Sterling barely involves himself with company affairs—"

The conference room door burst open before he could finish. "Starting a meeting without us?" Margaret Dawson swept in, Genevieve trailing behind her like a shadow. Dressed in garish designer labels that screamed new money, Margaret carried herself with none of the caution she'd shown at Sterling Manor. Apparently, Charles Sterling had forgiven her for backing another man—a fact that baffled Evelyn.