Chapter 80: Chapter 80 Cleaning House
Elara
I hadn’t planned to go nuclear on Jack this early, but having a dead weight like him sabotaging us from the inside meant I had to cut him loose.
"Uncle, I think YOU’RE the one with memory problems! If we weren’t family, I would’ve replaced you years ago! How many of your golf buddies and poker friends have you smuggled onto our payroll? You think I don’t keep track?"
"Who cares if you’re the manager? I’m Park Hotel Group’s majority shareholder now!"
Right in front of his shocked face, I speed-dialed Tyler. "Draft termination papers for Jack’s management position. Effective immediately."
Tyler’s voice came through the speaker, clearly stunned. "Elara... did I just hear what I think I heard?"
"You heard right. Have everything ready for tomorrow’s board meeting when I make the official announcement."
Jack stared at me, his face absolutely seething with rage.
"Elara, you’re not the only voice on this board! Sure, you’ve got the biggest chunk of shares, but you can’t control every minor investor’s vote! I’d love to see you try to fire me tomorrow!"
I looked at the furious man in front of me and gave him my sweetest smile. "Challenge accepted, Uncle. May the best executive win."
--
I stopped by Mark’s office in the business department to give him a heads up before I left.
The entire floor was buzzing with tension - you could practically taste the corporate drama in the air.
"Mark, did Elara just go to war with Jack?" someone whispered after I walked past their cubicle.
Everyone was confused. How could I challenge Jack so directly? After all, most of them still thought I was just a department director.
Mark grinned like he knew a secret worth millions. "You might want to do some research on our hotel’s founding history. Ever notice that our original founder’s last name was also Park?"
The office went dead silent, then exploded in shocked whispers.
“So Director Elara was actually the founder’s heir!”
--
After leaving the company, I drove to Sunset Manor, the premium senior living facility where my grandmother lived.
"Elara? Why are you here so late?" Elizabeth’s face lit up when she saw me. "Have you eaten? Should I ask the staff to bring you some dinner?"
I smiled warmly. "That would be lovely. Thank you, Grandma."
I nodded gratefully to the care assistant.
This place was top-tier - all private suites, gourmet meals, and round-the-clock medical staff.
I had specifically hired a private nurse for my grandmother’s care.
It cost more than most people’s mortgages, but it was worth every cent in my mind.
"Grandma, I missed you and wanted to see you!" I hugged the elderly woman affectionately, like a child who never quite grew up.
Elizabeth’s face wrinkled with a fond smile as she gently stroked my hair. "Are you having trouble at work? Or is Dominic giving you a hard time?"
Every time my grandmother called him by his first name like they were old friends, I felt weird.
"He... he doesn’t mistreat me," I said, pressing my lips together briefly. "Grandma, he’s actually very good to me."
To be honest, even though ours was just a business arrangement based on a contract, Dominic had been a decent husband in every way that mattered.
Except for... occasionally being a complete smartass.
"That’s good, that’s very good!" Elizabeth nodded approvingly. "I was just worried about your happiness. Knowing Dominic is looking out for you puts my mind at ease."
Suddenly I felt a lump in my throat. "Grandma, don’t talk like that. You promised you’d stick around for a very long time, remember?"
Elizabeth laughed softly. "Grandma will try her best."
I had originally planned to tell my grandmother about the company drama, but decided against it. No point in stressing her out.
Instead, we ate the same simple meal together, just like we used to years ago when she was still living independently.
Elizabeth knew me better than I gave her credit for. "Elara, whatever choice you make, I’ve got your back one hundred percent!"
"Go do what you need to do, sweetheart."
I wrapped my arms around Elizabeth and squeezed tight, burying my face in her shoulder. "Thanks, Grandma. I love you so much."
When I walked out of the nursing home, I saw a bunch of missed calls lighting up my phone screen.
The caller surprised me.
I called back. "Vincent?"
He answered almost instantly. "Elara! Just checking if your situation has been resolved?"
I was startled. "...You mean the company issues?"
I hadn’t expected Vincent to be in the loop about that.
"Yeah, Dominic went to have words with my cousin, probably about your situation, so I thought I’d check in."
My breath caught. "You’re saying Dominic confronted your cousin because of my problems?"
"Yeah, Elara. Wait—you didn’t know?"
