Chapter 8
Six months passed.
The company was thriving again.
Trust was rebuilding. Morale was high.
And I was confirmed as permanent CEO.
The day of the announcement, the whole company gathered in the main hall.
I stood on the stage and looked out at all the faces.
Some I knew. Some I didn't.
But they were all looking at me with respect.
"Six months ago," I said, "I stood in this very building and was publicly humiliated. I was slapped. Called names. Judged. All because two people thought they could use me as a pawn in their game."
I paused.
"They were wrong. Because pawns don't stand up. Pawns don't speak the truth. Pawns don't become queens."
The room erupted in applause.
Afterward, Charlotte found me.
She looked different. Lighter. Freer.
"You did good," she said.
"We did good," I replied.
She smiled.
"Michael called me yesterday. From prison. He wanted to know if I'd help him. If I'd testify on his behalf."
"What did you say?"
May you like
"I told him to rot," she said simply.
We both laughed.
