Chapter 4 - Entering the Lion's DenThe glass double doors of Montgomery Meridian Capital’s corporate headquarters on Park Avenue swung open precisely at 8:00 AM on Monday morning.
The employees rushing past the sleek marble reception desk paused in collective disbelief as Maya Collins stepped out of the private elevator. She wasn't wearing a plain black restaurant uniform anymore. She wore a razor-sharp, custom-tailored navy pantsuit, her dark hair pulled back into a sleek, commanding knot, carrying a leather portfolio under her arm.
Whispers immediately rippled across the open-plan trading floor.
“Is that the new Senior Director?”
“I heard she was a waitress just last week...”
“No way, Arthur personally signed off on her hiring package? Rumor is she saved us from the Helix disaster.”
Maya ignored them all. Her head was held high, her eyes fixed straight ahead as she walked down the corridor toward the executive corner offices. She had spent three agonizing days debating Arthur’s offer. She had consulted her recovering father, who looked at her with tears in his eyes and told her that sometimes, the only way to slay a dragon was to ride it.
She walked into her new office—a sprawling glass-walled sanctuary overlooking the Manhattan skyline—and found Arthur standing by the window, reviewing a file.
He turned as she entered, a slow, approving smile touching his lips.
“It suits you,” Arthur noted, gesturing toward her professional attire.
“Don't flatter yourself, Mr. Montgomery,” Maya said coolly, setting her portfolio on the massive mahogany desk. “I didn't take this job because I like your tie. I took it because you gave me the keys to the vault. And my first order of business is restructuring the entire due diligence protocol so your incompetent vice presidents never walk into a trap like Helix again.”
Arthur chuckled, walking over and placing a thick manila folder on her desk.
“Nolan and Grant have been reassigned to regional asset management in North Dakota,” Arthur said casually. “As for Helix Horizon... Dr. Adrian Thorne is currently holed up in his research compound in Austin, refusing to take calls from any financial institution on Wall Street. He hates corporate America with a passion.”
Maya opened the folder, scanning the preliminary notes. “Dr. Thorne doesn't hate corporate America. He hates being treated like a commodity instead of a creator. If you send typical bankers down there with checkbooks, he’ll throw them off his property.”
“Which is why I'm not sending bankers,” Arthur replied, leaning against the edge of her desk. “I'm sending the woman who figured out his entire IP structure while serving him a glass of Pinot Noir.”
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Maya looked up, meeting his gaze. A slow, dangerous smile crept onto her lips.
“Book my flight to Austin,” she said. “Let’s go see Dr. Thorne.”
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