Chapter 3 - Vivian's Moment
Then he smiled.
“Tonight,” Malcolm said, “we celebrate the next chapter.”
The lights shifted.
The screen behind him changed.
A photograph of Vivian appeared.
She stood beside Malcolm in the company’s headquarters, one hand resting on a conference table, her expression confident.
The crowd murmured approvingly.
Vivian smiled.
I watched her lift her champagne glass.
Malcolm continued.
“And I am especially proud to announce that effective immediately, Vivian Holt will serve as our new Executive Vice President of Operations.”
Applause exploded.
Vivian stood.
She placed one hand dramatically against her chest.
“Oh my God.”
She laughed as people around her rose.
Gwendolyn clapped.
Reese filmed.
Malcolm looked toward Vivian with a tenderness he had not shown me in years.
Vivian walked toward the stage.
As she passed my table, she stopped.
For just a second.
She looked at the brass key around my neck.
Then at me.
She smiled.
Not kindly.
More like a warning.
She climbed onto the stage.
Malcolm handed her the microphone.
“Thank you,” Vivian said.
She waited for the room to settle.
“I know there have been questions about my appointment.”
A few board members exchanged glances.
“I know some people may think twelve years isn’t long enough.”
She smiled.
“But sometimes it doesn’t take twelve years to know what you’re capable of.”
More applause.
I looked at Malcolm.
He was watching her.
Proud.
Possessive.
Certain.
Vivian continued.
“I’ve spent nine months working closely with Malcolm to restructure operations, eliminate inefficiencies, and prepare this company for its next phase.”
Nine months.
Interesting choice of words.
She didn’t say affair.
She didn’t say hotel rooms.
She didn’t say secret apartment.
She said nine months.
And Malcolm’s face changed for half a second.
Because he knew exactly what she meant.
Then Vivian looked directly at me.
“I think companies need fresh leadership.”
There it was.
The room didn’t know what it meant.
I did.
She had been told the story.
Malcolm had probably spent months telling her I was an irrelevant wife who had never really contributed.
A woman who had stayed home.
A woman who signed papers.
A woman who knew nothing about the company.
A woman who was about to be discarded.
Vivian raised her glass.
“To the future.”
The room echoed her.
“To the future!”
May you like
Glasses rose.
Malcolm smiled.
