Chapter 4 - The Truth Revealed
While Ethan was being unceremoniously thrown onto the sidewalk outside his former headquarters, Grace was sitting in a sunlit glass conservatory at the sprawling Montgomery estate in SouthPark.
The estate, surrounded by fifty acres of private forest and guarded by elite security, was a sanctuary of quiet luxury. Grace sat in a comfortable plush armchair, wearing a soft cashmere sweater, cradling a warm cup of herbal tea.
Standing nearby was Alexander, reviewing medical reports from top obstetricians who had just examined Grace.
"The baby is fine, Grace," Alexander said, his voice soft, dropping his usual intimidating corporate tone. "The doctor said your stress levels are returning to normal. Heartbeat is strong."
Grace let out a long, quiet sigh, placing her hand gently over her stomach. "Thank God."
Julian entered the conservatory, holding a iPad. "The public relations team is handling the press. The story about Walker Development’s takeover is being framed as an institutional buyout due to executive restructuring. Ethan’s name is being erased from every public record associated with Southgate."
Grace looked out the window at the blooming magnolias. "Did he try to call again?"
"Over a hundred times," Julian said dryly. "He’s currently sitting in a cheap motel near the airport. His personal cards were declined at the Ritz-Carlton."
Grace felt a momentary pang of sadness—not for the man Ethan had become, but for the young man she had met six years ago in a small coffee shop near campus. The boy who had spent his last fifty dollars to buy her a bouquet of wildflowers because he didn't know she was worth billions.
"How did he change so much, Alex?" Grace asked softly. "When did money become more important to him than integrity?"
"Money doesn't change people, Grace," Alexander replied gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It just reveals who they really were all along. When he had nothing, he needed you to survive. Once he thought he was powerful, he thought he didn't need you anymore."
"He never knew who you were," Marcus added, walking in with a tray of fresh fruit. "He thought you were just a soft, quiet girl who would put up with anything."
Grace looked at her brothers. "I am quiet, Marcus. But I was never weak."
"We know," Marcus smiled faintly. "Which is why today, you're going to sign the final papers to launch Montgomery-Walker Realty."
Grace looked up, surprised. "What?"
Julian handed her a crisp set of legal docs. "Walker Development is dead. In its place, we’ve created a new firm. Fifty-one percent of the shares belong to you. The remaining forty-nine percent belong to your unborn child's trust fund. You are the sole CEO, Grace."
Grace looked at the documents, her name printed boldly at the top: Grace Montgomery, Founder & CEO.
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For five years, she had stayed in the background, letting Ethan take the credit for projects she had quietly designed and strategized. She had been the hidden brain behind his empire.
Now, it was time to step into the light.
