Bow To Your Aunt

CHAPTER THREE

The two weeks I spent recovering inside Theodore’s secluded private estate passed in a blur of focused preparation. Theodore did not merely offer me a place to heal; he turned his estate into a command center. Top medical specialists checked my ribs daily, while my personal legal team from Titan Group worked around the clock in the library downstairs.

From the screen of my laptop, I watched Vance Enterprises begin its slow, internal bleed. Without my daily oversight, Mark’s upper management was falling into complete chaos. Supply lines were running behind schedule, key clients were complaining about missed deadlines, and Mark was spending most of his time buying expensive jewelry for Sarah and hosting lavish press conferences. He was living on borrowed time, completely unaware that his foundation was crumbling beneath his feet.

"It is time to leave, Evelyn," Theodore said, entering the study on the evening of the Grand Annual Gala.

He brought with him a team of high-end stylists and dressmakers. They fitted me into a breathtaking gown of midnight-blue silk, its surface subtle with tiny dark crystals that caught the light like distant stars. The neckline was sharp, the cut sleek and modern. My hair was pulled back into a sophisticated, high bun, and my makeup was understated yet commanding. When I looked into the full-length mirror, I didn't see a bruised, broken woman who had been thrown down a flight of stairs. I saw a powerful executive who was ready to claim what was hers.

Theodore stepped up behind me, wearing a perfectly tailored black tuxedo. He adjusted his cufflinks, his dark eyes reflecting off the glass. "Mark arrived at the gala thirty minutes ago," he reported softly. "He has already told several major investors that Titan Group is signing his fifty-million-dollar deal tonight. He is drinking heavily and celebrating prematurely."

"Then let's not keep my ex-husband waiting," I said smoothly.

The drive to the Grand Hotel was silent. Rain glistened on the city streets as our dark limousine pulled up to the main entrance. Flashbulbs exploded continuously as photographers lined the red carpet. When Theodore stepped out first, a gasp went through the crowd of reporters—Theodore Vance almost never attended public social galas. But when he reached back into the car and offered his hand to me, the camera flashes doubled in intensity.

We walked into the main ballroom hand in hand. The room was massive, decorated with gold leaf, velvet drapes, and high crystal chandeliers. Hundreds of the city's most powerful billionaires, politicians, and socialites were mingling near the center stage.

I spotted Mark immediately. He was standing near the main bar, holding a crystal glass of scotch. Sarah was clinging tightly to his arm, wearing a neon-pink dress that looked completely out of place among the dark, elegant attire of the high-society crowd. Mark was laughing loudly, boasting to a group of senior bank directors.

"The Titan Group deal is practically signed," Mark bragged, waving his hand dismissively. "The CEO realized that Vance Enterprises is the only logistics firm in the state with the infrastructure to handle their volume. By tomorrow morning, our valuation will double."

Theodore squeezed my hand gently. "Go ahead," he murmured. "I am right behind you."

I stepped forward, walking calmly into the center of the room. As I moved, the surrounding guests began to notice me. Whispers spread like wildfire across the ballroom.

"Is that... isn't that Mark's wife?"

"I heard she was hospitalized after a terrible accident."

"Look at her... she doesn't look injured at all. Who is she with?"

Mark heard the sudden hush that fell over the room. He turned around, a smug smile on his face, but the moment his eyes landed on me, his smile instantly froze. The glass of scotch in his hand tilted, spilling liquid over his fingers. Sarah gasped loudly, her hand clutching Mark’s arm so hard her fake nails dug through his suit jacket.

"Evelyn?" Mark stammered, his face turning a sickly, pale white. He swallowed hard, trying desperately to regain his composure in front of the bank directors. "What... what are you doing here? This is a high-level private gathering for corporate leaders. Security should not have let an unemployed ex-wife inside. Leave before I have you escorted out."

I didn't stop until I was standing two feet away from him. Standing in my heels, I looked him directly in the eye, my expression completely unreadable.

"I am here for our scheduled business meeting, Mark," I said. My voice was calm, clear, and perfectly projected, carrying easily across the silent ballroom.

Mark let out a harsh, nervous laugh. "Meeting? Are you out of your mind? I’m waiting for the proxy representative of the CEO of Titan Group. You are just a broke, discarded woman with no job. Get out of my sight!"

I reached into my silk clutch, pulled out a thick document bound in blue leather, and held it out toward him.

"You sent this proposal to Titan Group's proxy office five days ago," I stated clearly. "You asked for an emergency investment of fifty million dollars. You explicitly stated in section four that without this cash injection, Vance Enterprises would default on its bank loans by the end of the month."

The bank directors standing beside Mark gasped, turning to stare at him with sudden suspicion.

Mark’s face flushed a dark, angry purple. "How do you have that file?" he hissed, stepping closer and lowering his voice to a threat. "Did you steal that from Titan's office? Did you get a job as a cleaning lady there just to spy on me?"

"I don't clean offices for Titan Group, Mark," I said, leaning in slightly so every person in the front row could hear every word. "I built Titan Group. I am its sole founder and Chief Executive Officer. I have been running it for eight years."

The room went so quiet you could hear a pin drop on the carpet.

Mark’s mouth opened, but no sound came out. He stared at me, then at the document in my hand, his brain visibly struggling to process what I had just said. "No... no, that’s impossible," he whispered, his voice cracking. "You were at home every night. You were... you were just cooking dinner and doing paperwork!"

"I did your paperwork in twenty minutes, Mark," I replied coldly. "Because your entire company's strategy was child's play compared to what I was building at night."

"She’s lying!" Sarah shrieked from behind him, her voice echoing shrilly off the walls. "Mark, she’s lying! She’s just trying to embarrass you because you left her!"

Before Mark could respond, Theodore stepped up smoothly beside me. He placed a heavy, possessive hand on the small of my back, his imposing presence immediately dominating the space.

"Is there a problem here, nephew?" Theodore asked, his deep voice slicing through the tense air like a blade.

Mark looked at his uncle, his eyes wide with utter terror. "Uncle Theodore! You need to order security to remove her! She is making up wild lies to ruin my investment deal!"

"Evelyn is not lying," Theodore said, his voice cold and absolute. "She is the sole owner of Titan Group. And as of four o'clock this afternoon, she is also my legal wife."

A collective gasp echoed across the entire ballroom. Cameras began flashing rapidly as reporters scrambled to record the moment.

Theodore pulled a signed corporate declaration from his coat pocket and held it up for the bank directors to see. "With our marriage, Evelyn's corporate assets have officially merged with my shares in the master family trust. Together, we now hold a sixty-two percent controlling stake in the Vance family estate—including Vance Enterprises."

Mark stumbled backward, his knees buckling until he knocked against a small cocktail table, sending two champagne glasses crashing to the floor. He looked at me, then at Theodore, his eyes completely hollowed out by shock and humiliation.

"You..." Mark whispered, looking at me with pure horror. "You married my uncle?"

"Which means, Mark," Theodore commanded, his voice booming with authority, "you are standing in front of the main shareholder of your company, the CEO who holds your debt, and your new Aunt. Where are your manners?"

Lydia and Arthur Vance rushed through the crowd, their faces pale with absolute panic. They knew that if Theodore pulled the family trust's support, their personal allowances, luxury cars, and estate would be seized by morning. Lydia grabbed Mark’s arm, forcibly yanking him up from the table.

"Do it, Mark!" Lydia hissed through gritted teeth, tears of sheer humiliation springing to her eyes. "Greet her now or we lose everything!"

Mark stood trembling in the center of the room. Every billionaire, investor, and reporter in the city was watching him. Slowly, painfully, Mark lowered his head. He bent his knees, bowing deeply toward me, his hands shaking violently at his sides.

"I... I am sorry," Mark choked out, looking down at the polished floor. "Welcome to the family... Aunt Evelyn."

I looked down at the man who had thrown me down a flight of stairs two weeks ago. I felt no joy, no rush of excitement only a profound, quiet peace.

"Your investment request is officially denied, Mark," I said, my voice smooth as ice. "Titan Group does not invest in mismanaged companies run by incompetent fools."

I turned on my heel, slipping my arm through Theodore’s as we walked away toward the VIP lounge. Behind us, the room erupted into absolute chaos as bank directors pulled Mark into corners to demand immediate repayment of their loans.

As we reached the quiet hallway, Theodore looked down at me. "A masterclass in revenge," he said quietly.

"It wasn't just revenge," I murmured, clutching the blue folder tighter. "It was justice."

Suddenly, the lights in the grand hallway flickered twice, dimming significantly. My encrypted phone in my clutch gave three rapid, sharp vibrations a red-level security alert from Titan's global server network. I pulled the phone out. The screen was flashing a single warning message in bright red text: *PRIMARY DATA VAULT BREACHED - INTRUDER PROTOCOL ACTIVE.*

I looked up at Theodore, my pulse suddenly racing. "Someone is inside Titan's central server farm right now."

Theodore’s eyes hardened, all trace of triumph vanishing instantly. "It seems your ex-husband was not the only enemy watching you tonight, Evelyn. The real game is just beginning."