“You’re right, Evan,” I said softly, a slow, razor-sharp smile touching the corners of my mouth. “Hierarchy is everything. And it’s time we established who is actually at the top.”
Evan scoffed, shaking his head. “Save the corporate jargon for your boardrooms, Margaret. You’re retired. You’re just a grandmother visiting from out of town. Now, if you’re done disrupting dinner, why don’t you take the baby upstairs and let Emily finish the dishes? We’re waiting on dessert.”
I didn't move an inch. I pulled out my phone from my coat pocket, the screen illuminating my face in the dimming light of the dining room. I tapped the screen once, bringing up Daniel Cho’s direct encrypted extension.
“What did I just say about phone calls?” Gloria snapped, her voice rising in irritation. “Put that away, Margaret. This is deeply disrespectful to my son.”
“I’m calling the only person in this room who understands the legal definition of possession,” I replied calmly, lifting the phone to my ear as the first ring tone began to hum through the speaker.
Daniel answered on the second ring, his deep, steady voice cutting through the silence.
“Margaret? Everything alright?”
“Daniel,” I said clearly, keeping my eyes locked on Evan’s arrogant smirk. “Activate the Bluebird protocol. Immediate effect. Suspend every company card linked to the Hartwell Dining Group operational pool, revoke all property access codes for the Cherry Hills residential trust, preserve every cloud record, server log, and financial audit trail from the last thirty-six months, and send the security and legal asset team to the property right now.”
On the other end of the line, there was no hesitation, no confusion. Just the cold, mechanical efficiency of a man who had protected my empire for decades.
“Already moving,” Daniel said. “Asset freeze initiated across all banking terminals. Security transport is thirty minutes out. Shall I notify local law enforcement regarding the property revocation?”