Taming My Sugar Mommy
Chapter 50: One down

Chapter 50: One down

Rain fell in an insistent drizzle as the Bentley glided through London’s congested streets. Marcus drove with practiced precision, navigating the afternoon traffic while Christina maintained her vigilant watch from the front passenger seat. In the back, Isabella sat rigidly upright, her attention fixed on the passing cityscape.

Liam studied her profile - the sharp line of her jaw, the familiar crease between her brows that emerged whenever she was plotting her next move. In a year as her assistant, he’d watched Isabella face down hostile takeovers, navigate regulatory nightmares, and outmaneuver competitors twice her age. But he’d never seen such cold fury in her eyes.

"The information," he ventured, careful to keep his voice low. "How reliable is it?"

Isabella turned to face him, her dark eyes glittering with barely contained rage. "Impeccable. Everything from payment records to secret conversations, even the exact moments files were stolen." She tilted her head slightly. "The source is beyond questioning."

Liam felt a flutter of satisfaction. Jack had delivered exactly what he’d asked for—irrefutable evidence of Sarah Bennett’s betrayal, packaged in a way that Isabella couldn’t ignore. Of course, he couldn’t let on that he knew anything about it.

"And you’re certain it’s Sarah?" he asked, the perfect picture of concerned surprise.

"Beyond doubt." Isabella’s phone chimed again. She glanced at it, her expression hardening further before she slipped it back into her jacket pocket. "We’ll be at the tower in ten minutes. I’d suggest you prepare yourself, Liam. This won’t be pleasant."

The sleek glass-and-steel spire of Ashworth Tower rose before them, its upper floors disappearing into the low-hanging clouds. As the global headquarters for Ashworth Luxury Events, it projected exactly what Isabella had designed it to—power, innovation, and unwavering confidence. The security guards at the underground entrance recognized the Bentley immediately, waving them through to the executive parking area.

Isabella was out of the car before the wheels had fully stopped, her heels clicking purposefully toward the private elevator. Liam hurried after her, while Christina and Marcus followed at a respectful distance.

The elevator ascended swiftly to the executive floor. Isabella stared straight ahead, one hand curled tightly around her phone. Liam positioned himself beside her, projecting calm competence while inwardly relishing the approaching confrontation.

The doors slid open to reveal the hushed elegance of the executive suite. Despite the thirteen-hour time difference from Hong Kong, the offices hummed with activity. Several department heads glanced up as Isabella strode past, their expressions shifting from surprise to concern at her unexpected appearance.

Isabella moved with single-minded purpose toward the marketing department. Liam followed closely, aware of the ripple effect their passage created.

The marketing division occupied the eastern wing of the building. As they approached, Liam spotted Sarah Bennett through the glass, standing at a display board, gesturing animatedly to several team members. Her auburn hair was pulled back in an elegant twist, her designer suit impeccably tailored—every inch the successful executive.

She looked up as Isabella pushed through the glass doors, her professional smile freezing in place as she registered Isabella’s expression. For a fraction of a second, fear flickered across her features before she recovered her composure.

"Isabella! What an unexpected pleasure. We weren’t expecting you back from Hong Kong until—"

The words died in her throat as Isabella moved toward her with predatory focus.Before anyone could react, Isabella grabbed a heavy metal paperweight from a nearby desk . With one fluid motion, she swung it directly at Sarah’s face.

The impact was sickening—a dull thud followed by Sarah’s cry of pain and shock. Blood spurted from her nose and split lip as she stumbled backward, collapsing against the display board which crashed to the floor beneath her.

"Ms. Ashworth!" Marcus lunged forward, but stopped short of actually restraining his employer.

The marketing team scattered in panic, several gasping in horror as blood spread across Sarah’s cream-colored blouse. Christina positioned herself at the door, preventing anyone from entering—or leaving.

Liam stood transfixed, genuinely shocked by the violence of Isabella’s reaction. This wasn’t the calculated corporate shark he knew; this was something primal, visceral.

Sarah raised a trembling hand to her face, her fingers coming away crimson. "What... why..." she managed, her voice thick with blood.

Isabella loomed over her, still clutching the paperweight. "I never should have listened to Seraphina when she championed you for this position," she said, her voice cut with ice. "Another mistake I won’t repeat."

Liam watched Sarah’s panicked expression. ’So Seraphina recommended Sarah to Isabella. That makes sense now,’ he thought. He filed away this valuable piece of information, pleased that Isabella had no idea she was complaining to a traitor about another traitor.

"Six years," Isabella continued, her voice dangerously soft. "Six years I trusted you, Sarah. I promoted you, mentored you, gave you access to everything."

Sarah’s eyes darted around the room, seeking help or escape and finding neither. "Isabella, I don’t understand—"

"Don’t." Isabella’s voice cut like a scalpel. "Don’t insult me with denials."

She pulled her phone from her pocket and turned the screen toward Sarah, whose face drained of what little color remained.

"Recognize these transactions, Sarah? Monthly payments from an offshore account. Clever routing—through Singapore, then Cayman, finally to your sister’s name in Dublin. But not quite clever enough."

Sarah’s breathing had become shallow, her eyes wide with panic. "I can explain—"

"Then there are the files," Isabella continued as if Sarah hadn’t spoken. "Proprietary designs, client lists, event proposals—all meticulously copied and sent out through an encrypted server." She scrolled through her phone. "Beginning exactly seven months after I promoted you as an operating manager."

The marketing team watched in stunned silence.

Isabella leaned closer to Sarah, her voice dropping even lower. "What I want to know is why. Was it just money? Or did someone have something on you?"

Blood continued to trickle from Sarah’s nose as she clutched her face. "You don’t understand the pressure I was under," she whispered. "They approached me after the Milan conference. Said they had evidence that could ruin me."

"Who approached you?" Isabella demanded.

Sarah’s eyes flicked toward Liam for the briefest moment before returning to Isabella. "Competitors. They wanted inside information on the Asian expansion."

Liam felt a cold trickle of concern. Was Sarah about to expose the connection between her and Seraphina? That would unravel everything.

But Isabella was already shaking her head. "More lies. The transfers began before Milan." She straightened up, looking at Sarah with cold contempt. "You’re fired, effective immediately. Clear your desk. You’ll be hearing from our legal team about criminal charges."

Sarah struggled to her feet, blood staining the front of her blouse. "Isabella, please—you can’t do this. I have information, things you need to know about—"

"Marcus," Isabella cut her off, turning to her head of security. "Remove Ms. Bennett from the building. Ensure she takes nothing but her personal effects."

Marcus stepped forward, his expression professionally blank. "Yes, Ms. Ashworth."

Christina joined him, taking Sarah firmly by the arm. "This way, Ms. Bennett."

Sarah’s gaze swept the room, lingering on Liam with an intensity that made him uneasy. There was something in her eyes—not just fear or anger, but a calculating awareness that suggested she knew more than she was letting on.

"This isn’t over," she said, her voice steadier now despite her bloodied face. "You have no idea what you’re walking into, Isabella."

Isabella’s posture remained rigid as she watched her former marketing director being led away. Only when Sarah had disappeared from view did she address the stunned marketing team.

"As of now, Jeremy Davies will serve as the operating manager. I’ll address the full department tomorrow morning." Her voice was perfectly controlled, betraying none of the fury that had driven her to physical violence moments before. "Until then, I expect absolute discretion regarding what you’ve witnessed today."

The team murmured their assent, still visibly shaken. Isabella turned on her heel and left the room, Liam falling into step beside her. Neither spoke until they reached her private office, the door closing behind them with a soft click.

Isabella moved to the floor-to-ceiling windows, staring out at the rain-soaked city. For several long moments, silence stretched between them.

"That was... unexpected," Liam finally said, choosing his words carefully.

Isabella didn’t turn. "Was it?"

"The violence, yes." He moved to stand beside her. "I’ve never seen you lose control like that."

"I didn’t lose control," she said quietly. "I made a calculated decision to send a message. Anyone who betrays Ashworth Luxury Events will pay a painful price." Now she did turn, fixing him with those penetrating dark eyes. "You disapprove?"

Liam chose his next words with extreme care. "I’m concerned about potential legal repercussions. Assault charges—"

A cold smile touched Isabella’s lips. "Sarah Bennett won’t be filing charges. She has far too much to lose." She moved to her desk, setting down the bloodstained paperweight. "Besides, that was merely a warning shot."

"A warning? To whom?"

Isabella’s gaze was steady. "To whoever else might be working against me. Sarah wasn’t operating alone—the information I received makes that clear. She was the conduit, not the mastermind."

Liam felt his pulse quicken. This was delicate territory. "Do you have any idea who might be behind it?"

"Not yet," Isabella said, her tone sharpening. "But I intend to find out. Someone has been systematically attempting to undermine my company, and Sarah Bennett was merely their instrument." She looked down at her phone, her expression hardening. "Whoever sent me this information has done me a service, but I question their motives. Anonymous whistleblowers rarely act purely from moral conviction."

Liam maintained his neutral expression with effort. "Perhaps someone with a grudge against Sarah?"

"Perhaps." Isabella didn’t sound convinced. "Or perhaps someone playing a longer game." She looked up at him, her gaze assessing. "What do you think, Liam? Who stands to benefit most from this exposure?"

The question hung in the air between them. Liam recognized the test for what it was. Isabella was watching him closely, measuring his reaction.

"Logically, anyone competing for the operating manager position," he offered. "Or someone trying to curry favor with you by exposing a traitor."

Isabella nodded slowly, though her expression remained thoughtful. "Reasonable theories. But this feels bigger than internal politics." She moved around her desk, taking a seat in the high-backed leather chair. "I want you to look into this, Liam. Discreetly. Find out who else Sarah was working with, both inside and outside the company."

Liam inclined his head, the perfect COO accepting his assignment. "Of course."

"And Liam?" Isabella’s voice stopped him as he turned to leave. "Trust no one with this. Not even Christina or Marcus."

"Understood."

As Liam closed the door behind him, he allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. Phase one had succeeded beyond his expectations. Sarah Bennett had been removed, and Isabella was now suspicious of those closest to her—exactly as he’d planned.

’One down,’ he thought as he walked through the hushed corridor. ’Now, who’s next?’