My Surgeon Husband Demanded a Divorce for His Pregnant Fellow at the Hospital Gala — Until I Discovered My Family Secretly Owns 85% of His Medical Empire
I took the public elevator up to the 10th floor, my briefcase clutched tight. The digital clock on the wall read 9:55 AM. Five minutes until the emergency board meeting. My heart pounded, a frantic rhythm against my ribs. This was it.
As the elevator doors opened, a chilling scene unfolded before me. The usually bustling executive tower hallway was eerily quiet. A velvet rope blocked the main entrance to the board room, and two uniformed security guards stood sentinel, their faces impassive.
Vanessa Harrington stood beside them, her posture rigid, her expression one of cold satisfaction. She caught my eye and her lips curled into a sneer.
“Well, well, if it isn’t our resident agitator,” she said, her voice carrying an artificial sweetness. “So glad you could make it, Julia. Though, unfortunately, you won’t be joining us.”
I stopped a few feet from the rope, my gaze sweeping over the scene. This was no ordinary security measure. This was deliberate.
“What is this, Vanessa?” I asked, my voice steady despite the surge of anger.
“A biosecurity hazard, actually,” she announced, waving a dismissive hand. “A… minor incident on this floor. We’ve had to implement a temporary lockdown for the safety of our esteemed board members. Only authorized personnel are permitted entry.”
One of the security guards stepped forward slightly, blocking my path. His eyes were averted, unwilling to meet mine. I knew him; he’d always been friendly. Now, he looked uncomfortable.
“I am authorized personnel,” I stated, my voice firm. “I’m a board member. And I have urgent business to discuss regarding the hospital’s immediate future.”
Vanessa laughed, a brittle, humorless sound. “Oh, darling. You were disinvited. And your security clearance, along with your husband’s… or should I say, *ex*-husband’s… has been revoked. We’re simply following procedure.”
She gestured to the guard. “Escort Mrs. Harrington back to the lobby, please. For her own safety.”
The guard hesitated, then took a step toward me. This was physical obstruction, a deliberate attempt to keep me out. Mark’s family was escalating, deploying every dirty trick in their playbook.
I knew this was all a ruse. A biosecurity hazard? In a perfectly clean, quiet executive hallway? It was absurd. Mark was trying to prevent me from exposing him.
Through the glass wall of the boardroom, I could see the other board members already seated, their faces tense. Mark was at the head of the table, addressing them, a triumphant gleam in his eyes. He must have thought his plan was foolproof.
“I have my CAO credentials,” I declared, looking directly at the security guard. “My clearance is absolute.”
Vanessa rolled her eyes. “CAO credentials? Don’t be ridiculous, Julia. You’re a researcher, not an executive. Mark ensured all your administrative access was nullified yesterday.”
But she was wrong. Thanks to Claire Dubois, the Chief Administrative Officer, my CAO access had been quietly reinstated just this morning. Claire, sensing the impending storm, had taken a risk, perhaps a desperate measure to save the hospital.
I pulled out my phone, quickly navigating to the digital ID app. “Check the system, Officer. My CAO credentials. They’re active.”
The guard looked at Vanessa, then back at me. His brow furrowed in confusion. Vanessa’s face tightened.
“Don’t bother, Officer,” Vanessa snapped. “This is a waste of time. My brother is about to begin the motion to remove Arthur and Julia from all hospital records. She’s trying to disrupt it.”
I ignored her. My eyes scanned the hallway. The main boardroom entrance was locked down. But just adjacent to it, separated by a thin wall, was the administrative observation room. Used for quiet observation of board meetings, it had its own entrance, typically less secured.
“Fine,” I said, looking at Vanessa, a cold smile on my face. “If I can’t enter through the main door, I’ll find another way in.”
I moved past the velvet rope, ignoring the guards’ half-hearted attempts to stop me, and walked directly toward the observation room door. Vanessa let out an exasperated sigh.
“Don’t be childish, Julia!” she called after me. “That door is also locked down!”
I ignored her. I took out my phone again, holding it up to the panel beside the observation room door. The small screen glowed, displaying my active CAO credentials. I pressed my thumb to the scanner.
There was a soft whir, a small click, and the door to the administrative observation room swung open.
Vanessa’s jaw dropped. The security guards looked at each other, then back at her, their expressions a mix of confusion and silent accusation.
Inside the observation room, the board meeting was in full swing. Mark was indeed reading a motion, his voice echoing faintly through the soundproof glass. He hadn’t seen me yet.
I stepped inside, closing the door behind me. I had bypassed their lockout. I was in.
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