Chapter 4 - The VIP Lounge
"Marcus," Evelyn said, adjusting her knitted wool collar. "Hold flight C-18."
"The captain is on standby, ma'am," Marcus replied instantly.
"Good. Escort my guests and me to the executive lounge. I want private medical clearance, and I want breakfast." Evelyn turned her gaze to Franklin. "That is, if you'll join me, Franklin."
Franklin gave a faint, humble smile. "I wouldn't say no to a cup of black coffee, Mrs. Whitmore."
"Just Evelyn, please." She then turned her sharp eyes toward Madison, who was standing as rigid as a statue, clutching her designer leather tote. "And you must be his daughter."
Madison felt her knees threaten to give way. "Y-yes, ma'am. Madison."
"Walk with us," Evelyn said.
As they turned toward the private concourse elevator, Nathan Cole suddenly broke from the crowd, a practiced, charming grin plastered over his panicked expression.
"Mrs. Whitmore! What an honor. I'm Nathan Cole, Senior Managing Director at Apex Capital. Our firms have co-invested in the Midwest logistics corridor. Madison here is one of our rising associates—"
Evelyn stopped in her tracks. She looked down at Nathan’s outstretched hand, then slowly brought her gaze up to his tailored Italian lapels.
"Mr. Cole," Evelyn said, her tone icy enough to freeze steel. "When that boy was threatening to throw me out into the terminal, you were leaning against that pillar, smirking."
Nathan's smile froze. "Ma'am, I was merely waiting for the situation to clarify—"
"You watched an old woman get bullied and did nothing because you thought she was worthless," Evelyn said with devastating calm. "And you let your junior employee’s father stand alone while you checked your stock portfolio. Marcus."
"Yes, Mrs. Whitmore?"
"Inform Apex Capital's board of directors this afternoon that Vance-Global is pulling its eighty-million-dollar fund allocation from their management. I don't do business with cowards."
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Nathan’s jaw dropped. His face turned ashen. "Mrs. Whitmore, please, let’s discuss this—"
The two security officers stepped between Nathan and the elevator doors, blocking him entirely. The heavy stainless-steel doors slid shut, leaving Nathan ruined in the middle of the crowded concourse.
