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CHAPTER 5
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2025-01-14 07:16:40Five Years Later
Alex POV
"And with these projections, we estimate a 35% increase in revenue by the fourth quarter," I concluded, clicking to the final slide of my presentation.
There was silence in the boardroom of Lane International's New York headquarters. Twenty pairs of eyes looked at the data on the screen, some narrowing in calculation, others expanding in amazement.
"These numbers from Hong Kong," Thomas Bennett, one of the senior board members, leaned forward. "They're impressive, Ms. Lane. Your branch has outperformed every projection we had."
I allowed myself a small smile. I'd dropped the Coleman name the day I left for Hong Kong, reclaiming my maiden name along with my identity. "Thank you, Mr. Bennett. My team deserves most of the credit."
"Don't be modest," Alyssa Li, our CFO, interjected. "The Hong Kong transformation has your fingerprints all over it. Which is why we're all eager to hear your proposal for the US expansion."
"Before we move to that," Richard Maxwell, another board member, interrupted. "There's the matter of... well, the Coleman merger proposal."
My heart skipped a beat, but my face remained impassive. Of course they'd bring this up.
"The Coleman Corporation has been quite persistent," he continued, sliding a folder across the table. "Michael Coleman himself has requested a meeting."
Five years ago, that name would have shattered me. Now, it was just another business transaction.
"Their company is struggling," I stated flatly, not bothering to open the folder. "Their Asian market share has dropped 60% since we established ourselves in Hong Kong. They're not looking for a merger, they're looking for a bailout."
"But considering your history with Mr. Colema-" Richard began.
"My history," I cut him off smoothly, "is precisely why I built this company from the ground up, separate from the Coleman name. We're not in the business of saving failing companies, Mr. Maxwell. We're in the business of growth."
Alyssa's lips curled into an approving smile. She'd been one of my strongest supporters when I'd first arrived in Hong Kong, lost and broken however determined.
"Now," I stood, commanding the room once again. "Shall we discuss how we're going to revolutionize the US market?"
As I launched into my next presentation, I caught my reflection in the glass walls - tailored black suit, hair swept back in a sleek bun, posture radiating confidence. The scared, naive girl who'd fled to Hong Kong was gone.
In her place stood Alexandra Lane, CEO of Lane International, the woman who'd turned a single branch into a global empire.
The irony wasn't lost on me, I'd finally become the powerful CEO's wife Michael had wanted. Except now, I was the CEO.
And I wasn't anyone's wife.
I concluded the meeting, packed my things and left before anyone could get up or ask me anything.
Damn it, I'm late. I thought as I got in the car and instructed my chauffeur to drive fast. Fast enough to miss the driver's speed limit.
"Alexandra Lane speaking," I answered my phone without checking the ID, still scanning through the merger documents.
"You're late!" Sally, my best friend, shrill voice made me wince.
"I'm on my way-"
"ON YOUR WAY?" She practically screeched. "The show starts in twenty minutes!"
I cursed under my breath as I glanced at my watch. "Can you stall?"
"Stall? It's a talent show, Alex! What am I supposed to do? Make the kids juggle longer?"
"Sally-"
"He's been asking for you every five minutes. You know how he gets when you're not here."
My heart clenched. "I know, I know. Just... give me fifteen minutes."
"Ten. That's all I can manage."
"Done." I ended the call, then leaned forward in my seat. "Mr. West?"
My chauffeur's eyes met mine in the rearview mirror. "Yes, ma'am?"
"We need the shortcut."
A small smile tugged at his lips. "Seatbelt, ma'am. This might get interesting."
I barely had time to click my belt before he swerved into a side street, the sleek black car weaving through traffic like we were in an action movie. The merger papers scattered across my lap, but I couldn't care less.
Some meetings could be rescheduled. Some things could wait.
But if I miss another one of Griffin's performances, he'll never let me hear it.
We got to the West Borough Elementary school in a jiffy thanks to Mr. West's impeccable driving skills, even if my organs were rearranged from all the turns but it was worth it.
I was 20 minutes late, running as I kept my fingers crossed not to have missed his part.
I followed the direction that says ‘Talent Show Here’ and got into a dark hall full of parents and guidance.
I stood as I followed my eyes to a little boy in a bear costume saying a poem at the front of the hall. All eyes on him. In front of the crowd.
We had practiced day and night for this part.
I watched my son on stage, my heart swelling with pride. Those early years in Hong Kong had been the hardest, throwing myself into work, rebuilding Elliott's struggling branch while trying to rebuild myself.
Then came the news broadcasts. Michael and Maria's lavish wedding. Their first child. Their second. Each announcement felt like a fresh wound, reminding me of everything I'd lost. The pictures of them, looking perfect and happy, haunted my lonely nights in my empty apartment.
But I worked harder. Proved myself. After three years, Elliott made me CEO, handing over the entire company and I came back to the United States. I thought it would fill the void, but something was still missing.
Then came the truth that changed everything.
"There were twins," Elliott had finally told me one night. "You didn't lose just one baby that day, Alex. You were carrying two. One survived, it's called vanishing twin syndrome. I am sorry for keeping him from you, but I needed to make sure you were prepared.”
The crowd erupted in cheers as Griffin concluded his poem with a flourish. He raced toward me in his bear costume as soon as he saw me, his little face beaming.
"Mommy! You made it!" He crashed into my legs. "Did you hear me? I didn't forget anything!"
I knelt down, straightening his crooked bear ears. "You were perfect, baby."
He beamed at me with those familiar blue eyes, his father's eyes, but on Griffin's face, they held nothing but joy and innocence.
"Ice cream?" he asked hopefully, already trying to wriggle out of his costume.
"Definitely ice cream," I laughed, helping him with the zipper.
As we walked to the car, his tiny hand in mine, I thought about how far we'd both come. My miracle baby. The son I thought I'd lost. The second chance I never knew I had.
The baby Michael would never, ever know about.
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Alex POV Lane International Boardroom – High Noon The air conditioning couldn't combat the sweat beading on Richard Maxwell's brow as he slid the document toward me across the polished expanse of our conference table. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, Manhattan shimmered in the midday heat, a concrete and glass mirage that seemed to undulate in the September humidity. I could see our company logo reflected in the windows of the building opposite—strong, clean lines forming an 'L' that represented everything I'd built from the ashes of my previous life. "Alex... the board feels this merger makes strategic sense." Maxwell's voice carried the strained neutrality of a hostage reading a prepared statement. Though he'd been with Lane International since its inception—had been one of the few who believed in me when every door in the business world mysteriously slammed shut—his eyes couldn't quite meet mine now. Behind him, the remaining board members sat in various postures of disc
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Michael's knuckles were white around the whiskey glass as the projector displayed Alex's Hong Kong tax records. The ice had long since melted, diluting the eighteen-year Macallan into something weak and tepid, much like his legal team's excuses. The boardroom felt like a war room, the pre-dawn darkness pressing against the windows, the city lights below reflecting off the glass like distant artillery fire."There," he rasped, stabbing a finger at the screen where a series of transactions glowed in accusatory blue. "That transfer from Lane Holdings LLC. Trace it."His lead attorney, Bernard Walsh—who'd been with Coleman Corp for twenty-two years and had buried enough bodies to populate a small cemetery—swallowed hard. The man's immaculately pressed shirt was beginning to show stress wrinkles around the collar, and sweat beaded at his temples despite the frigid air conditioning. "Sir, if we get caught digging into foreign tax structures without reasonable cause—""I pay you to not get c
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Maria's fork clattered against her plate loud enough to make their youngest daughter flinch. Claire, twelve years old and already hypersensitive to the atmospheric pressure changes that preceded her parents' storms, hunched her shoulders and fixed her gaze on the uneaten salmon on her plate. The dining room's chandelier cast sharp shadows across the table, highlighting the lines of tension etched into everyone's faces. "You've been staring at that phone for twenty minutes," Maria hissed, her voice low but edged with the sharpness of a blade that had been sharpened too many times. Michael didn't look up from the Lane International stock ticker, the blue glow illuminating the angles of his face. The stock had risen another eight percent since opening bell. "Business," he replied, his voice flat and automatic, a recording he'd played so many times it had lost all meaning. "Bullshit." Maria slammed her wine glass down, ruby liquid sloshing onto the white tablecloth like blood seeping t
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Alex POVLane International Headquarters – 7:03 AMThe espresso machine hissed and spat like an angry beast as I poured a triple shot into my mug. The bitter aroma sliced through the morning haze in my office, sharper than any alarm clock. Manhattan glittered through the wall of glass behind me, all chrome and promise and lies. I sipped slowly, letting the bitterness burn the edges off my fatigue.Sally leaned against the edge of my desk, one stiletto heel hooked behind her calf, tablet in hand. She was scrolling, but her eyes weren’t glazed over with distraction—they were gleaming with anticipation."Titan Industries just landed at JFK," she said without looking up. Her voice was smooth, edged with satisfaction. "Their CEO’s texting me like a nervous prom date. Wants to meet before their 10 AM with Coleman Corp."I glanced at the digital clock on the far wall—7:03 AM. Perfect. I set the cup down, wiped the condensation off the rim with my thumb, and opened the drawer to my right. Ins
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Coleman Corporation – Next MorningMichael's fist hit the mahogany desk hard enough to rattle the monitors displaying the morning's market reports. Red numbers flashed across the screens, Coleman stock down three points already."What do you mean Titan Industries pulled out?" His voice was dangerously soft, at odds with the vein throbbing at his temple.Rachel shrank back, clutching her tablet like a shield. Even after fifteen years as his right hand, she still flinched when his temper flared. "They signed with Lane International an hour ago. Their CEO cited 'ethical concerns.'""Ethical?" Michael's laugh was venomous, scraping across the room. "Alexandra's little press stunt has them running scared of bad publicity."He stalked to the window, adjusting his cufflinks with precise, controlled movements that betrayed his fury. The Coleman Tower afforded a perfect view of Lane International's sleek headquarters across the financial district. A decade newer, a shade taller. Alex had made
My Billionaire Ex-husband Won't Call It Quit CHAPTER 31
Alex POV Lane International Headquarters – Midnight The office was silent except for the hum of servers in the tech room. The skyline glittered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, a stark contrast to the darkness I felt gathering around me. I scrolled through the flagged emails on my laptop, the blue glow casting shadows across my face as I hunted for the leak that had been draining company secrets for weeks. "Got you," I whispered, satisfaction curling through my veins. A series of encrypted messages between a Lane employee—Daniel from Accounting—and an unnamed external party. Attachments: financial projections, client lists, merger strategies. All marked "For EC's Eyes Only." EC. Elias Coleman. Michael's shell company, the one he thought I didn't know about. The one he'd used to purchase that vacation property in the Caymans where he'd taken his mistresses. The one that now, apparently, he was using to orchestrate corporate espionage. My fingers tightened around the mouse u
