Chapter 5 - The Sister-in-Law's Meltdown
By 11:00 AM, the lobby of Meridian Logistics Global on the twenty-second floor of the Chase Tower was in chaos.
The elevator doors chimed open, and Chloe Sterling stormed out, dressed in an oversized designer blazer, oversized sunglasses, and towering designer heels—all purchased on Valerie’s credit card. She bypassed the security desk, her face red with theatrical fury, heading straight for the executive glass doors.
“Where is she?” Chloe shrieked, slamming her designer handbag onto the reception counter. “Where is Valerie? Tell that selfish bitch to come out here right now!”
The receptionist, a young woman named Sarah, recoiled. “Ma’am, you cannot enter this floor without a security badge—”
“Do you know who I am?” Chloe screamed, drawing the eyes of thirty corporate analysts, account directors, and visiting German clients. “I am Valerie Sterling’s sister-in-law! My family made her who she is! And she had my mother arrested last night! She left my mother in a filthy police precinct cell while she sits up here counting her money!”
The glass doors of the executive suite swung open.
Valerie emerged, flanked by two burly security guards in dark suits. She was dressed in an impeccably tailored charcoal suit, her hair pulled back into a sleek bun, her posture straight as a steel rod. Even with the faint swelling on her lip, she looked like an empress facing an unruly peasant.
“Chloe,” Valerie said, her voice cutting through the lobby like a chilled blade. “Keep your voice down. You are trespassing on private commercial property.”
“You turned off my cards!” Chloe raged, lunging forward until security stepped firmly between them. “My card was declined at the salon! My landlord just called me and said the automatic rent wire bounced! I have a photo shoot in three hours! Who do you think you are, cutting me off like I’m some stray dog?”
“You *are* a stray dog,” Valerie said calmly. “Except stray dogs are loyal. You, your brother, and your mother are leeches.”
“You pushed my mother!” Chloe screeched, pulling out her phone and waving it at the staff. “Look at her! Look at your senior director! She beats elderly women! I’m going to post this on TikTok! I’m going to tag your board of directors! I’ll ruin your career!”
Valerie didn't blink. She took a step closer, looking Chloe dead in the eyes behind her expensive sunglasses.
“Chloe, your luxury apartment lease is co-signed by me. At 9:00 AM, I exercised the early termination clause and paid the penalty fee. You have forty-eight hours to vacate the premises before the landlord changes the locks and puts your synthetic wardrobe on the sidewalk.”
Chloe froze. Her mouth fell open. “You… you can't do that. Mason will stop you!”
“Mason doesn't even have a functioning car, Chloe,” Valerie said smoothly. “Security, escort this trespasser out of the building. If she sets foot on this floor again, have her arrested for criminal stalking.”
The two guards grabbed Chloe by the arms. As she was dragged toward the elevators, kicking and screaming obscenities, the entire floor remained in stunned silence.
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Valerie turned to her team, smoothed her jacket, and said, “Back to work, everyone. We have a ship to run.”
***