For months, she had endured their cruelty—the insults, the manipulation, the lies. They thought they could strip her of dignity, love, and family. But they had no idea who she really was.
Evelyn wiped her tears. “You want me to sign? Fine,” she said quietly. “But I need to make a call first.”
She picked up her phone, pressed a single button, and put it on speaker.
“Thomas,” she said, her voice suddenly steady, commanding. “Finalize the acquisition of Hartwell Industries by Monday morning.”
A pause.
“Yes, Ms. Hart. The three hundred forty million offer?”
Evelyn’s gaze locked on Richard’s face.
“No,” she said evenly. “Drop it to fifty million. They have twenty-four hours.”
The line went dead. Silence filled the room.
Helen frowned. “What are you talking about?”
Evelyn finally smiled. “Allow me to reintroduce myself,” she said. “I’m Evelyn Hart—founder and CEO of NovaTech Systems. Net worth: three point eight billion dollars.”
Helen’s face drained of color. Richard froze. Daniel blinked in disbelief.
“Your company, Richard,” she continued, “has been drowning in debt for two years. NovaTech was your last chance. But you just insulted your new owner.”
