Julian let out a hollow, desperate laugh, stepping forward as if to plead. "Mom... please. You can't do this to your own flesh and blood. We'll lose everything!"
"You already lost everything the moment you traded your integrity for a price tag," Eleanor replied softly, her gaze steady and unyielding. "You thought wealth gave you the right to demean others—to scream at servers, to belittle hardworking managers, and to steal from the foundation I spent fifty years building."
She turned her attention away from her disgraced son and daughter-in-law, looking instead at Marcus, who still stood beside the ruined table, holding his silver tray.
"Marcus," Eleanor said, her tone softening just a fraction, though it retained its deep respect.
"Yes, Mrs. Vance?"
"Effective immediately, you are promoted to Regional Director of Operations for the entire western district. Your salary will be tripled, and your first task will be helping me restructure the management culture across all our properties."
Marcus blinked in sheer astonishment, the reality of the promotion taking a moment to sink in. He looked down at his stained shirt, then up at the woman who had just rewritten his entire future. "Thank you, ma'am. I... I won't let you down."
Eleanor then turned her gaze to Chloe, who stood nearby with wide, appreciative eyes.
"And you, young lady," Eleanor continued, offering a rare, approving smile. "What is your name?"
"Chloe, ma'am. Chloe Henderson."