Chapter 9: The Opening Day Betrayal
For several seconds, Darius couldn't speak.
The announcement was already spreading.
Customers were reading it.
Suppliers were receiving it.
A photographer near the entrance was scrolling through his phone.
One of the investors approached Darius.
"Is this true?""
Darius looked at the screen.
"No.""
The man frowned.
"Your company just announced that you've stepped away.""
"I didn't write that announcement.""
"Then who did?""
Darius turned toward Ethan.
Ethan adjusted his jacket.
"I handled the communication.""
Darius stared at him.
"You announced my resignation without my permission?""
"It was necessary to clarify the leadership structure.""
"There is no new leadership structure.""
Ethan smiled.
"Actually, there is.""
He pulled a folded document from his briefcase.
"The amendment was submitted. The management arrangement has been updated.""
Victoria immediately stepped forward.
"That amendment is disputed.""
Ethan ignored her.
"The business needs a clear point of contact. Investors don't like uncertainty.""
Darius looked at the customers.
"Neither do I.""
He turned toward Maya.
"Can you access the bakery's official social media account?""
Maya nodded.
"Yes, but Ethan changed the administrator settings this morning.""
"Can you still post?""
"I think so.""
"Then prepare a statement. Don't publish anything until I approve it.""
Maya nodded.
Ethan laughed.
"You're wasting your time.""
Darius turned.
"Why?""
"Because the announcement has already been sent. People will believe what they see.""
Darius took out his phone.
"Then I'll show them the truth.""
He opened the bakery's official account.
The password had been changed.
He tried the recovery option.
A message appeared.
*Administrator access currently controlled by Ethan Cole.*
Darius stared at the screen.
Ethan stepped closer.
"You see? This is why I needed to take control.""
Darius put the phone away.
"You locked me out of my own business.""
"I secured the company's communication channels.""
"From me?""
"From instability.""
Lorraine stood up.
She walked toward her son.
"Darling, don't let him make you lose control.""
Darius looked at her.
"I'm trying, Mom.""
She touched his arm.
"Then remember why you opened this place.""
He looked toward the kitchen.
The stainless-steel mixers.
The trays of pastries.
The flour-covered worktable.
Everything he had dreamed about was still there.
Ethan could change passwords.
He could send emails.
He could print documents with forged signatures.
But he couldn't erase the years Darius had spent building the bakery.
Darius turned toward the guests.
"Everyone, may I have your attention?""
The conversations gradually stopped.
He stood beside the reception desk.
"My name is Darius Hayes. I founded this bakery, and I want to make something very clear. I have not resigned.
I have not transferred ownership. And I have not authorized anyone to take control of this business.""
Ethan shook his head.
"You're making this worse.""
Darius continued.
"An announcement was sent today claiming otherwise. That announcement was not approved by me.""
A man near the window raised his hand.
"Then why does the business account say Ethan is the sole managing director?""
"Because someone changed the account access without my authorization.""
Victoria stepped forward.
"I can confirm that the investment group's proposed transaction is currently suspended pending verification of the documents.""
Several guests exchanged looks.
Ethan's expression tightened.
Darius continued.
"I also want to apologize to everyone who came here to celebrate. This is not how I wanted our opening day to unfold.""
He looked toward Lorraine.
"But I won't pretend everything is fine just to protect appearances.""
Lorraine smiled faintly.
Then a voice came from behind the counter.
"Mr. Hayes?""
It was Maya.
She held up her tablet.
"I found the original scheduling record.""
Darius walked over.
"What did you find?""
"The announcement wasn't created today.""
She turned the screen toward him.
The message had been drafted three weeks earlier.
The author was Ethan.
The scheduled distribution date had been changed twice.
Darius stared at the details.
"Can you show me the revision history?""
Maya tapped the screen.
A list appeared.
The first version had described Ethan as the new operations director.
The second version removed Darius's name from the leadership section.
The third version announced that Darius had voluntarily stepped away.
And the fourth added the statement about Lorraine.
Darius read it.
*Mrs. Lorraine Hayes has no recognized financial interest in the company and is not authorized to represent the business.*
He looked at his mother.
She was standing beside the chair, her expression unreadable.
Ethan walked toward Maya.
"Give me the tablet.""
Maya stepped back.
"No.""
"I'm the administrator.""
Darius moved between them.
"Don't touch her.""
Ethan stopped.
Darius looked at Maya.
"Can you export the revision history?""
"Yes.""
"Do it.""
Maya nodded.
Ethan laughed.
"That proves nothing.""
Darius looked at him.
"Then you won't mind if we preserve it.""
Victoria approached.
"I would strongly recommend that nobody delete or alter any further records.""
Ethan's face darkened.
"You people are making a terrible mistake.""
A woman near the entrance stepped forward.
She wore a navy blazer and carried a small leather briefcase.
"Darius Hayes?""
He turned.
"Yes?""
"I'm Angela Brooks. I represent the bakery's original landlord and have been asked to attend the opening.""
Robert Miller looked surprised.
"Angela? I thought you were arriving later.""
"I was. But I received an unusual call from the property office.""
She opened her briefcase.
"Ethan submitted a request to redirect the bakery's security deposit to a different account.""
Darius frowned.
"What account?""
Angela showed him the document.
The account belonged to Cole Property Ventures.
Darius shook his head.
"I never approved that.""
Angela nodded.
"That's why the request was flagged.""
Ethan stepped forward.
"It was a temporary administrative adjustment.""
Angela looked at him.
"Then why did you submit it as an authorized withdrawal?""
Ethan said nothing.
She turned to Darius.
"The request included a copy of your signature.""
Darius felt a chill.
"Another forged signature?""
"Possibly. We haven't completed verification.""
Victoria examined the document.
Then she noticed something.
"Wait.""
She pointed to a small line near the bottom.
"This account number is the same one listed on the proposed lease transfer.""
Angela nodded.
"That's correct.""
Darius looked at Ethan.
"You weren't just trying to take the lease.""
He glanced toward the bakery.
"You were trying to move the security deposit too.""
Ethan finally lost his composure.
"Do you have any idea how much work I've put into this? I negotiated the lease! I brought in the investors! I handled the accounts!""
Darius replied quietly.
"And I trusted you.""
Ethan threw his hands up.
"Because you didn't want to deal with the difficult parts!""
Darius stared at him.
"I trusted you because I thought we were friends.""
For a moment, Ethan's anger seemed to fade.
Then he looked toward Lorraine.
"Your mother was never supposed to be involved in this.""
Darius's voice hardened.
"She became involved when you used her money.""
Ethan turned away.
"You're going to regret this.""
Victoria closed her folder.
"Mr. Cole, I suggest you stop making statements and allow the documents to be reviewed.""
Ethan looked toward Samantha.
"You did this.""
Samantha stood near the entrance.
She was pale, but she didn't move.
"I didn't create the documents, Ethan.""
"You gave them everything.""
"I gave them the truth.""
He stared at her.
"You've destroyed our marriage.""
Samantha's eyes filled.
"No. You did that when you decided everyone else's sacrifices belonged to you.""
Ethan looked around.
Every face was watching him.
Then he picked up his briefcase.
"I'm leaving.""
Darius didn't stop him.
But before Ethan reached the door, Lorraine spoke.
"Ethan?""
He turned reluctantly.
She stood beside the chair, holding the bakery box.
"Do you remember what you said to me at the bank?""
Ethan didn't answer.
"You told me my money would be safe because Darius was building something important.""
Lorraine's voice trembled.
"I believed you.""
Ethan looked away.
She continued.
"I didn't give my son that money because I wanted something back. I gave it because I wanted him to have a chance.""
A tear slipped down her cheek.
"And you used that kindness as a weapon.""
Ethan stared at the floor.
Then he walked out.
The bakery door closed behind him.
Nobody cheered.
Nobody clapped.
The room was filled with the uncomfortable silence of people who had just witnessed a betrayal.
Darius approached his mother.
"Mom?""
She looked at him.
"Yes, sweetheart?""
"I'm sorry.""
"For what?""
"For bringing you into all this.""
Lorraine shook her head.
"You didn't bring me into it. I came because I love you.""
Darius hugged her.
For the first time that morning, he allowed himself to cry.
Then Maya approached.
"Darius?""
He released his mother.
"What is it?""
Maya looked toward the kitchen.
"The ovens are ready. The first batch is finished.""
Darius glanced at the clock.
The official opening ceremony had been delayed.
The investors were still there.
The photographers were waiting.
The announcement was spreading online.
And his business partner had just walked out with a briefcase full of disputed documents.
Darius looked at his mother.
Then at the bakery box on her lap.
"Mom, can we do something?""
Lorraine smiled through her tears.
"What?""
"Would you let me put your cakes in the display?""
She looked surprised.
"You want to sell them?""
Darius shook his head.
"No.""
He smiled.
"I want everyone to know where this bakery really started.""
Lorraine opened the box.
The little lemon cakes were still perfect.
But as Maya reached for them, her tablet buzzed again.
She looked down.
Her expression changed.
"Darius?""
"What now?""
Maya turned the screen toward him.
A new email had arrived from the bank.
Its subject line read:
*URGENT: Suspicious Withdrawal Attempt — Business Account Frozen Pending Review.*
Darius read the message.
Then he looked at Victoria.
"How much was someone trying to withdraw?""
Victoria examined the notification.
Her face went pale.
"One hundred and twenty thousand dollars.""
Darius stared at the screen.
And beneath the amount was the name of the person who had authorized the request.
Not Ethan.
Not Samantha.
The authorization had been submitted under Darius Hayes's own banking credentials.
May you like
His mother slowly closed the cake box.
"Darling," she whispered, "someone has access to your personal account too.""
