The Single Mom Was Fired After Saving the CEO’s Father — Until the Millionaire Stepped In
Chapter 9
The next year was peaceful.
Until a major corporate crisis began.
Sterling Global faced a hostile takeover.
A rival company wanted control.
They spread rumors.
Stock manipulation.
False reports.
Anonymous claims.
Ethan’s board panicked.
Megan stayed calm.
She analyzed the data.
“This is coordinated.”
Ethan looked at her.
“By whom?”
“The same type of network that operated before.”
She found something disturbing.
A former executive from the earlier fraud case had been communicating with the rival company.
The hostile takeover wasn’t about growth.
It was retaliation.
Megan followed the money.
It led back to Victor Grant.
He was out of the company.
But he hadn’t disappeared.
He had been building a separate investment group.
His goal was control.
Ethan wanted to confront him.
Megan stopped him.
“Don’t.”
“Why?”
“Because he wants you angry.”
She was right.
They prepared evidence.
The board was skeptical.
Megan presented a timeline.
Transactions.
Messages.
Meetings.
The hostile takeover attempt was connected to the earlier fraud.
The board authorized legal action.
Victor’s plan failed.
He was arrested for financial crimes.
The company survived.
But Megan was exhausted.
Ethan took her home.
“You’re done for today.”
“I have work.”
“No.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
He turned off her phone.
She laughed.
“You are impossible.”
“So I’ve been told.”
She leaned against him.
“I love you.”
He froze.
She stared.
“I wasn’t planning to say it.”
“Neither was I.”
He smiled.
“I love you too.”
Their relationship became official.
They started planning a future.
Not quickly.
Carefully.
Megan wanted to finish school.
Ethan wanted to spend more time with Lily.
Lily wanted a dog.
The dog became a negotiation.
They eventually got one.
A golden retriever.
Lily named him Biscuit.
Ethan regretted everything.
Megan laughed.
The house became noisy.
Warm.
Alive.
Ethan realized he had once lived in a huge mansion that felt empty.
Now a smaller home felt full.
That mattered more.
