Chapter 523:

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A cold, thin smile touched Allison’s lips. He knew her. In the midst of his own crisis, recovering from a gunshot wound, he understood her need to fight back, to not be seen as a victim cowering in a gilded cage.

“Turn the car around,” she said, her voice regaining its strength. “Take me back to the office. Use the sub-level garage entrance. I have a war to finish.”

The SUV executed a smooth U-turn and slipped into downtown traffic. Minutes later, it descended into the concrete belly of the Montgomery Group tower.

Flanked by Juan and one of the other bodyguards, Allison rode the VIP elevator to the executive floor. At the top, she held up a hand. “Wait here.” She needed to do this alone.

𝘉𝖾 t𝗵e f𝗶rѕ𝗍 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝖾а𝖽 𝘰𝗇 𝘨𝗮𝘭𝗇o𝘷е𝗅𝗌.𝖼o𝘮

She walked down the hushed, carpeted hallway toward the Compliance Department. Passing the glass-walled break room, she heard voices, hushed, but buzzing with excitement. Two mid-level managers from marketing, both of whom had smiled sycophantically at her just last week.

“Did you see the circus downstairs? She’s finished. Absolutely finished.”

“Serves her right. Did she really think she could just marry into that kind of power? The second he gets hurt, she’s the prime suspect. The old money families eat people like her for breakfast.”

“I heard from Baker’s assistant they’re preparing a public statement. Suspending all her duties pending an ‘internal investigation.'”

Allison stood motionless in the doorway, a silent shadow. They were so engrossed in their gossip they didn’t see her until one of them turned to refill his coffee.

The man’s face went slack, color draining from it as if a plug had been pulled. His colleague followed his gaze and let out a choked gasp.

Allison didn’t raise her voice. She simply looked at them, her eyes placid and cold as a frozen lake.

“I’ve been meaning to look into the marketing department’s third-quarter budget overruns,” she said, her voice calm, conversational. “You two seem to have a great deal of free time. I’ll expect a full, line-item report on my desk by end of day. Every expense, down to the last cent.”

She paused. “It’s a formal request. From Compliance.”

She walked away, leaving the two men in pale, silent horror. She had just reminded them, and anyone else listening, that she was not just a socialite in the gossip columns. She was a predator who had just been given sharper teeth.

She reached the frosted glass doors of the Compliance Department, took a breath, and pushed them open.

The real battle was in here.

Director Hoffman, a notorious sycophant loyal only to Baker, sat behind his large desk. He looked up as she entered, a smug, triumphant smirk spreading across his face.

She ignored him, striding directly toward the corner office designated for the Vice President. Her office.

Hoffman pushed his chair back and stood, moving to intercept her. “Ms. Montgomery. I think it would be best for everyone if you went home to rest. You’re only creating a distraction here.”

Allison stopped. Her gaze was level and unwavering. “My schedule is not your concern, Director. Step aside.”

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