Chapter 5 - The Arrogant Celebration
While I was standing in the command center of Crestview Tower in Chicago, Gavin Pierce was having the time of his life in Minneapolis.
At two o'clock that afternoon, the atmosphere inside the executive suite on the top floor of SwiftFreight Headquarters was one of wild, unrestrained celebration.
Pop!
The cork of a two-thousand-dollar bottle of Dom Pérignon exploded toward the ceiling, spilling champagne over the plush carpet of Gavin’s private office.
Gavin raised his glass high into the air, laughing loudly as he pulled Charlotte against his side. Charlotte was wearing a stunning red designer dress, holding a glass of champagne, her face glowing with victory.
Sitting on the leather sofa across from them were Bridget and Mason Vance.
"To the future Mrs. Pierce!" Mason cheered, raising his glass in a toast. "And to the complete disposal of the trash!"
"Hear! Hear!" Bridget laughed, clinking her glass against Mason’s. "You should have seen her face this morning, Gavin! She took those trash bags without saying a single word! She walked out into the pouring rain like a drowned rat!"
Gavin took a long gulp of champagne, a wide, self-satisfied grin on his handsome face. "I told you she was weak. Sabrina never had any backbone. She thought because she spent six years playing the obedient housewife, I owed her something. She didn't realize that in the world of high finance, weak people get crushed."
"Did she sign the loan addendum?" Gavin asked, turning his head toward Mason.
"Signed and filed," Mason grinned, pulling out his iPad and showing the digital copy of the document I had signed under duress three hours ago. "She walked away with zero cash, zero stock, and forty million dollars in contingent corporate debt hanging over her head. If she ever tries to leak anything about your relationship with Charlotte, we can execute the default notice and take her parents' small house in Iowa."
"Perfect," Gavin chuckled, kissing Charlotte’s cheek. "Absolutely perfect."
At that moment, the door to Gavin’s office clicked open, and his executive assistant rushed inside, looking breathlessly excited.
"Mr. Pierce!" the secretary exclaimed, holding a leather-bound folder. "An urgent telegram and encrypted video dispatch just arrived from Crestview Partners' headquarters in Chicago!"
Gavin’s eyes lit up with intense excitement. He set his champagne glass down on his desk and stepped forward, practically snatching the file from his secretary’s hands.
"Is it the final contract confirmation?!" Charlotte asked eagerly, bouncing on her heels. "Are they moving the signing up?!"
Gavin opened the folder. Inside was an official, gold-embossed invitation bearing the supreme crest of Crestview Partners.
Gavin read the bold text aloud to the room, his voice shaking with pride:
"OFFICIAL SUMMONS: Crestview Partners requests the immediate presence of Gavin Pierce (CEO), Mason Vance (CFO), and Charlotte Gable (PR Director) of SwiftFreight Logistics at our Chicago Headquarters tomorrow morning at eight AM for a special Pre-Market Sovereign Acquisition Signing."
"Sovereign Acquisition Signing?!" Mason gasped, jumping up from the sofa with wide eyes. "Gavin! They changed the terms from a minority equity investment to a full sovereign acquisition program!"
"What does that mean?!" Charlotte squealed, grabbing Gavin’s arm tightly.
"It means," Gavin roared, his face flushing dark red with pure euphoria, "that Crestview isn't just buying thirty percent! They’re buying us out at a premium valuation! We aren't just looking at three billion dollars, Mason... we’re looking at FIVE OR SIX BILLION!"
"We’re rich!" Bridget screamed, jumping up and down in her high heels. "We’re billionaire royalty!"
Gavin threw his head back and laughed loudly, triumphantly. "Get the private charter jet ready for Teterboro and Chicago tonight! We’re flying out in two hours! I want the best suite at the Peninsula Hotel!"
May you like
He looked out the floor-to-ceiling glass window of his office, looking down at the sprawling city of Minneapolis below him.
"Sabrina, you pathetic loser," Gavin muttered to himself, raising his champagne glass toward his reflection in the glass. "You left just in time to miss the greatest day of my life."
