Chloe gasped for air, her hands pressed against the cold marble as she looked up at Brandon in sheer disbelief.
Chloe: Brandon, what is wrong with you?! You just hit your own fiancée!
Brandon: Shut up, Chloe! Just shut your mouth right now!
Chloe: Are you crazy?! Look at my dress! Look at what she made you do!
Brandon's hands were trembling as he adjusted his blue suit jacket, his eyes darting nervously toward Victoria.
Brandon: You have no idea who you just insulted.
Chloe: I don't care who she is! She's standing in our way! You own this hotel!
Victoria: He doesn't own a single brick of this building, little girl.
Victoria took a slow step forward, her high heels clicking loudly against the polished floor.
Victoria: Brandon is an employee. An employee whose contract can be terminated in thirty seconds.
Chloe: That's a lie! Brandon signed the lease papers last month! He told me he owned fifty percent of the entire resort chain!
Brandon: Chloe, please... stop talking.
Victoria: Did he tell you that? That's very interesting, considering my family trust owns ninety-eight percent of the corporate shares.
Chloe scrambled up from the floor, wiping the wet champagne off her shimmering gown.
Chloe: You're lying! You're just wearing a plain coat! Where are your security guards?! Where is your diamond ring?!
Victoria: Real wealth doesn't need to scream, Chloe. Only insecure people flash fake diamonds in public lobbies.
Chloe pulled her hand back toward her chest, her face flushing bright red.
Chloe: It's not fake! It's three carats! Brandon bought it from the finest jeweler in the city!
Victoria: Brandon, did you buy that ring with company funds?
Brandon swallowed hard, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.
Brandon: Ms. Sterling... please... let me explain in private.
Victoria: Answer the question, Brandon. Did you use the corporate expense account for her ring?
Brandon: I... I put it on the promotional budget temporary card...
Chloe stared at Brandon, her voice rising into a sharp screech.
Chloe: What?! You told me you paid cash from your personal savings account!
Brandon: I was going to pay it back next month after the bonus round!
Victoria: There will be no bonus round for you, Brandon. Not this month, and not ever again.
Victoria unlocked her phone and held the screen up toward Brandon's face.
Victoria: Do you see this screen? I was calling Arthur Vance, our chief legal counsel, before your fiancée decided to scream at me.
Brandon: Ms. Sterling, please! My mother is in the hospital! I need this job!
Victoria: You should have thought about your mother before you gave my company card to a woman who abuses people in my lobby.
Chloe: Brandon, do something! Tell her to go away! Call security on her!
Brandon: WILL YOU SHUT UP?!
Brandon turned on Chloe, his face twisted in desperate rage.
Brandon: You ruined everything! You brought me down because you wanted to show off for five minutes on social media!
Chloe: You promised me I would be the queen of this hotel!
Brandon: I am a general manager on probation! I don't own anything!
Victoria watched the two of them scream at each other, her expression completely unbothered.
Victoria: Security, step forward.
Two tall men in dark suits immediately walked out from the side corridor, standing straight beside Victoria.
Head Guard: Yes, Ms. Sterling?
Victoria: Escort Brandon to his office. Freeze his digital access passes immediately. Gather his personal belongings in a box and bring him to the legal department on the top floor.
Brandon: Ms. Sterling, please! Don't ruin my career!
Victoria: As for her... take her engagement ring. It was purchased with stolen hotel funds. She can leave the premises on foot right now.
Chloe: You can't take my ring! That's robbery!
Head Guard: Ma'am, hand over the ring or we will call the local police department right now.