Chapter 2 - The Ghost Behind the GeniusFor seven long years, Miranda had been the invisible brain behind Derek’s meteoric rise in the corporate world.

When Derek was just a mid-level manager facing termination for failed pitches, Miranda was the one who stayed up until 3:00 AM rewriting his business proposals, correcting his financial modeling, and crafting his presentation speeches.

She ironed his suits before major investor dinners. She skipped meals to pay for his tailored jackets. She quietly sold her mother’s heirlooms to cover his early business debts, making sure the world saw him as a self-made prodigy.

When investors applauded Derek at galas, he smiled and took the credit, while Miranda stood in the shadows wearing a plain, five-year-old dress, refilling his water glass.

Derek had mistaken her quiet sacrifice for weakness. He believed his success was entirely his own creation, convinced that Miranda was merely an uneducated, plain woman holding back his true potential.

Now, sitting in the back of the executive suite at Crownville’s downtown headquarters, Miranda reviewed the corporate audit files of Hail Communications.

Her second-in-command, Franklin Mercer—a formidable, silver-haired corporate CEO who had served her grandfather for thirty years—placed a stack of financial ledgers on the table.

“Madam Owner,” Franklin reported respectfully. “Derek Cole has used his position as Vanessa Hail’s new Chief Strategy Officer to execute several illegal asset transfers over the last ninety days.”

Miranda opened the file, her eyes scanning the itemized wire transactions.

“He siphoned six hundred thousand dollars from Hail Communications’ operational fund into a private account registered under his name,” Miranda noted, a faint, cold smile touching her lips. “He’s using Vanessa’s company money to pay for his lavish wedding and his new sports car.”

“Does Miss Hail know?” Franklin asked.

“Vanessa is so blinded by her own arrogance that she hasn't even audited her own books,” Miranda replied, closing the binder. “She thinks she’s marrying a financial genius. She doesn't realize she’s marrying a parasite.”

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Miranda stood up, walking over to the floor-to-ceiling glass window overlooking the city skyline.

“We won't stop the wedding before it begins, Franklin,” Miranda stated, her posture straight as iron. “Let them stand at the altar. Let the cameras film every second.”