The chairman closed his eyes.
Julian stared at her in disbelief. “You collected evidence against me?”
Clarissa met his gaze. “No. I survived beside it.”
Mrs. Martha stepped forward, trembling but determined. “Mr. Cross, I kept records because I was afraid one day she would need them.”
Julian turned on her. “You betrayed me?”
The old housekeeper’s eyes filled with tears, but her voice stayed firm.
“No, sir. You betrayed your wife. I only remembered.”
A silence followed so heavy it seemed to press against the windows.
Then one director cleared his throat.
“Julian Cross will be placed on immediate administrative leave pending investigation.”
Julian laughed once, hollow and disbelieving. “You can’t remove me.”
The chairman did not blink.
“We just did.”
By 3:05 a.m., the first investors had pulled out.
By 4:20 a.m., two lenders froze Cross Holdings’ credit lines.
By 5:11 a.m., news outlets were calling it “The Gala Collapse.”
