Chapter 28: The Tables Have Turned
by SlivvoOutside the office, Ashley and the other women covered their mouths in shock.
Their confident and powerful deputy president, Victoria Clarke, had just dropped to her knees the moment she saw the new CEO.
This wasn’t part of the plan.
They had expected Jordan Steele to be the one kneeling before Victoria. They thought he would be awestruck by her beauty, not the other way around!
“How could this happen?” Ashley thought in disbelief.
Victoria, the woman who could make billionaires bow before her, had fallen to her knees in less than a second.
Was Jordan Steele that powerful? That intimidating?
Had they completely misjudged the man who now controlled Ace Corporation?
The whispers outside the door grew louder. Jordan, hearing the murmurs, glanced toward the entrance, causing the frightened trio to scatter in terror.
A President’s Humiliation
Jordan took his time, looking down at Victoria without offering to help her up.
He smiled coolly. “Miss Clarke, why are you kneeling before me as soon as we meet? I can’t accept such a grand gesture from you.”
Victoria clenched her fists in embarrassment. ‘If you can’t accept it, then help me up already! This is humiliating!’
Their current positions were far too suggestive. Anyone who walked in now would definitely get the wrong idea.
Victoria’s mind raced.
This was all the Camdens’ fault!
Had they not filled her head with lies, she never would have dared to offend her own boss.
Face burning with shame, she quickly lowered her head and apologized. “I’m sorry, Mr. Steele. I was wrong! Please forgive me for what I said yesterday!”
Jordan crouched down in front of her, meeting her eyes.
“Yesterday?” he mused. “Oh, I remember. You said we were lovers, didn’t you?”
Before Victoria could react, Jordan pulled her into his arms.
The most coveted woman in Orlando’s business elite, the woman who had never let any man get close to her, was now being held by Jordan Steele.
Had anyone else dared to do this, she would have slapped them instantly.
But now?
She didn’t dare to resist.
Because she was the one who had lied about their relationship.
The Weight of Her Lies
Victoria felt a wave of panic as Jordan’s scent filled her senses.
She had never been held like this before.
Men had fantasized about her, pursued her, even tried to buy her love with gifts and power.
But no one had ever touched her so boldly.
“I heard I booked an entire island just to beg you to be my girlfriend,” Jordan continued, his voice dripping with mockery. “Tell me, which island was it?”
Victoria’s face turned scarlet.
She wanted to disappear into the floor.
She had completely fabricated that story yesterday, never imagining she would have to answer for it today!
“I’m sorry, I was wrong,” she whispered again, barely able to meet his gaze.
Jordan finally released her and stood up.
“Alright, get up,” he said, adjusting his suit. “It wouldn’t be good for the other employees to see you like this.”
Victoria scrambled to her feet and quickly shut the door, locking them inside. She even turned on the office’s privacy mode, darkening the glass walls so that no one outside could see in.
She had never been so humiliated in her life.
The Power Shift
By the time she turned back around, Jordan had already returned to his chair, sitting like a man in complete control.
His voice was calm, but authoritative.
“Miss Clarke,” he began, “yesterday, you said you would cut off all means for me to survive in Orlando.”
His eyes narrowed.
“I’m now your superior. The president of Ace Corporation.”
He leaned forward slightly, his tone laced with mocking amusement.
“So tell me, how exactly do you plan to do that now?”
Victoria felt a cold sweat trickle down her back.
She had never been afraid of a man before.
But this time…
This time, she knew she had truly provoked the wrong person.
Her voice trembled as she admitted, “Mr. Steele, I never expected that someone of your status would be willing to be a live-in son-in-law for the Camdens.”
She inhaled sharply, forcing herself to stay composed.
“I know I can’t erase the mistake I made. So I’ll accept whatever punishment you decide.”
She stepped forward, her eyes steady, her tone firm.
“If you want to slap me, I won’t resist. If you want to yell at me, I’ll listen. If you want to fire me, I’ll pack my things and leave.”
She straightened her back. “I won’t appear in front of you again.”
Jordan tilted his head, studying her.
She was not like the Camdens.
She didn’t try to make excuses, didn’t try to lie her way out.
She simply took responsibility for what she had done.
Jordan finally nodded.
“I don’t plan to fire you.”
Victoria’s head snapped up in surprise.
She had expected the worst, but Jordan had spared her.
“Yesterday,” Jordan explained, “you were the only one who offered me a way out. If I were really just an ordinary live-in son-in-law, you would have been my benefactor.”
She blinked in shock.
She had turned against him like the others, but even then, she had still offered him a job.
Unlike the Camdens, she had hesitated before betraying him.
Now, Jordan was acknowledging that.
For the first time in a long time, Victoria felt tears prick her eyes.
“Thank you, Mr. Steele!” she exclaimed, her voice full of gratitude. “I will serve you wholeheartedly from now on!”
She had never met a man so forgiving—and so powerful.
The Beginning of Revenge
Jordan’s expression hardened slightly.
“I can forgive you,” he said. “But I won’t let the others off so easily.”
His sharp gaze met hers.
“Victoria.”
Her breath hitched.
He had called her by name.
“I want a list of everyone who vowed to destroy me yesterday.”
Victoria immediately understood.
Jordan Steele was about to unleash hell upon Orlando’s business elite.
She nodded firmly. “Yes, Mr. Steele.”
A storm was coming, and it was about to shake Orlando to its core.
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