Chapter 5 - The Ultimatum
|
"You want me to do what?" Grace stared at the document, her heart hammering against her ribs.
"Mr. Whitfield is requesting that you accompany him to the Whitfield Foundation board meeting this afternoon," Arthur explained smoothly. "Not as a housekeeper. But as his personal consultant and, for lack of a better term, his companion."
"A companion?" Grace scoffed, stepping back. "I am a mother, Mr. Sterling. I scrub toilets and press suits so my son can breathe. I am not a PR stunt."
"The Cole family owns thirty percent of the voting shares in Whitfield Enterprises," Arthur replied, his tone turning grave. "Vanessa's father, Richard Cole, is threatening a hostile takeover. He claims Ethan’s paralysis has made him mentally unfit to lead, and he is using last night’s 'scandal' as proof that Ethan surrounds himself with violent, unstable staff."
Grace looked toward the closed door of Micah's bedroom. "If they take his company..."
"Ethan loses everything his father built. And you will be blacklisted by every staffing agency in the state. Richard Cole will ensure you never work in New York again." Arthur tapped the contract. "Ethan is offering you full medical coverage for your son, a private tutor, and a salary that will allow you to move out of this building today. In exchange, you help us control the narrative."
Grace hesitated. She had spent her entire life shrinking herself, avoiding the gaze of powerful people because powerful people only brought pain. Her abusive ex-boyfriend had taught her that lesson years ago.
But then she thought of Ethan. She thought of the quiet dignity with which he bore his pain. The way he never complained when his legs spasmed. The way he looked at her last night—not as a servant, but as a savior.
"I don't have any clothes for a board meeting," Grace said softly.
May you like
Arthur offered a rare, genuine smile. "Mr. Whitfield anticipated that. A team is waiting downstairs in a car. We have exactly three hours before you walk into the lion's den, Ms. Mallerie. Shall we?"
Grace took a deep breath, picked up a pen, and signed her name. The invisible maid was officially dead.
