My Husband’s First Love Became My New Boss and Fired Me — She Had No Idea Who Really Owned the Company
Chapter 4
Victoria Monroe believed she had inherited a company full of problems.
She had spent the previous six months studying internal reports.
What she found concerned her.
Several executives had been overpaid.
Departments were inefficient.
Financial controls were weak.
And Olivia Hart had consistently blocked several restructuring proposals.
Victoria interpreted that as resistance.
She didn’t know Olivia had blocked those proposals because they would have eliminated hundreds of entry-level jobs.
Victoria had seen only the numbers.
Not the people.
Her dislike of Olivia had another source.
Ethan.
Ten years earlier, Victoria had loved Ethan.
They were university sweethearts.
Their families had expected them to marry.
Then Ethan ended the relationship without explaining why.
Victoria had believed he chose his career.
She moved on.
Or tried to.
When she later discovered Ethan had married Olivia, she felt humiliated.
She never admitted it.
But she had always wondered whether Olivia had something she didn’t.
Now Olivia worked inside Victoria’s company.
It felt like another insult.
So when Victoria reviewed her department, she became harsher than necessary.
She convinced herself it was business.
After Olivia’s dismissal, Victoria returned to her office.
Her assistant placed a file on the desk.
“There’s something you should see.”
Victoria opened it.
The document listed shareholder information.
Most names were hidden behind private trusts.
But one controlling entity stood out.
Hartwell Private Holdings.
Victoria frowned.
“Who owns this?”
Her assistant hesitated.
“We’re still confirming.”
Victoria turned the page.
A signature appeared.
Her heart stopped.
Ethan Hart.
She stared.
It was impossible.
Ethan didn’t work for the company.
He owned it.
She suddenly understood the strange meeting Olivia had demanded.
The way Olivia had looked at her.
The reason Ethan had seemed so calm.
Victoria sat down.
She had fired the wife of the man who secretly controlled the company.
But that wasn’t the worst part.
The company’s legal counsel called.
“Ms. Monroe?”
“Yes.”
“You need to come to the boardroom immediately.”
Victoria arrived.
Several directors were waiting.
Then the door opened.
Ethan walked in.
He didn’t look angry.
That was what frightened her.
He simply sat at the head of the table.
“Victoria.”
She swallowed.
“Ethan.”
He placed the documents in front of her.
“You fired my wife.”
She couldn’t speak.
“I didn’t know.”
“I know.”
“She was underperforming.”
“Was she?”
Victoria looked at the reports.
Ethan opened another file.
Performance reviews.
Client feedback.
Employee retention statistics.
Olivia wasn’t failing.
She was one of the company’s strongest directors.
Victoria’s face went pale.
She had fired her because of resentment.
And now everyone knew.
