The CEO’s Masked Secret Wife novel Chapter 106

106 Chapter 106

106 Chapter 106

# Chapter 106 – The Perfectly Executed Takedown

Liam’s POV

“There’s a situation you need to handle immediately,” Damian’s voice crackled through

the phone. “Physical altercation on the marketing floor.”

I sighed, frustration washing over me. “I’ll be right there.”

Turning to Hazel, I saw her already straightening her clothing, a look of concern replacing the desire that had been there moments before.

“Duty calls?” she asked, buttoning her blouse.

“Unfortunately. Some kind of fight broke out in marketing.” I smoothed my tie and ran a hand through my disheveled hair. “You can stay here if you want.”

She shook her head. “I’m coming with you.”

We moved swiftly through the corridors, the sounds of commotion growing louder as we approached the marketing department. When we rounded the corner, the scene that greeted us was pure chaos.

Two women were being physically restrained – Bianca by security, and Stella, our new hire, by Owen from IT. Both women were screaming obscenities at each other, their faces flushed with anger. A small crowd of shocked employees had gathered around

them.

“What the hell is going on here?” I demanded, my voice cutting through the noise.

The room fell silent immediately, all eyes turning to me. Bianca was struggling against the security guard’s grip, her normally perfect hair in disarray, makeup smeared. Stella, by contrast, looked considerably worse – her lip was bleeding, her blouse torn at the shoulder, and an angry red mark bloomed across her cheek.

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“Mr. Sterling,” Margaret from HR stepped forward, her voice steady despite the tension. “We’ve already called security and were about to contact you.”

I scanned the room, noting the upturned chairs and scattered papers. “Someone explain. Now.”

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Owen cleared his throat. “I was helping Stella set up her new computer when Bianca stormed over. She started screaming about office arrangements, then just… attacked her. Out of nowhere.”

“That’s a lie!” Bianca shrieked, lunging forward only to be held back by security. “She provoked me! She said my desk was being moved to make room for Hazel’s little

assistant!”

I turned to Margaret. “Is that true?”

Margaret shook her head. “Several of us witnessed the entire exchange. Stella simply informed Bianca about the upcoming workspace changes. Her tone was completely professional.”

“She’s been torturing me for weeks!” Bianca spat. “Always whispering, spreading

rumors!”

“Actually,” Margaret continued, glancing nervously at Bianca, “we’ve received multiple complaints about Bianca bullying Stella since she started three weeks ago.”

I moved closer to Stella, examining her injuries. The side of her face was beginning to swell, and blood trickled from her split lip. Bianca, I noted, didn’t have a single mark on

her.

“Did you hit her back?” I asked Stella quietly.

She shook her head, wincing as she touched her lip. “No, sir. I was too shocked to

react.”

I turned to face Bianca, my decision made. “Bianca, you’re fired, effective immediately.”

Her eyes widened in shock. “What? You can’t be serious!”

“Physical assault is grounds for immediate termination. Security will escort you to your desk to collect your personal items, then off the premises.”

“This is bullshit!” she screamed. “You’re only doing this because of her!” She jabbed a finger toward Hazel, who stood silently beside me.

“This has nothing to do with Ms. Vance,” I stated coldly. “You physically attacked another employee. There are witnesses. You’re lucky we’re not pressing charges.” Bianca’s face contorted with rage. “You’ll regret this, Sterling. Both of you will!”

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I nodded to security. “Get her out of my sight.”

As they dragged a struggling Bianca toward the elevators, I turned back to Stella. “Let’s get you to first aid. Damian, clear the room. Margaret, I want statements from

everyone who witnessed this.”

The crowd dispersed quickly, leaving only Hazel, Damian, Owen, and me with Stella.

“Are you alright?” Hazel asked Stella gently.

Stella dabbed at her bleeding lip with a tissue. “I’ve been better.”

Owen hovered nearby, looking concerned. “Should I call an ambulance?”

“No need,” Stella replied. “It looks worse than it is.”

Once the room had emptied, I closed the door and turned to face Stella. “What happened? And I want the truth this time.”

A strange transformation came over Stella’s face. The pained expression vanished, replaced by calm confidence. She straightened her posture and met my gaze directly.

“You wanted a reason to fire her, didn’t you? I gave you the reason.”

My tension broke, and I started to laugh. Damian joined in, while Hazel and Owen looked between us in confusion.

“Wait,” Hazel said slowly. “What’s going on?”

Stella gingerly touched her swollen cheek. “Bianca’s been reporting to Julian Clairemont. I caught her sending files to an email address I recognized from my time at

his company.”

“So you… provoked her into attacking you?” Owen asked incredulously.

“Not exactly,” Stella replied. “I just informed her that her workspace was being

relocated to make room for a new executive assistant – for Hazel.”

I shook my head in amazement. “When I said we needed evidence against her, this isn’t exactly what I had in mind.”

“It worked, didn’t it?” Stella shrugged. “We needed a clean break, something that couldn’t be contested legally. Assault with multiple witnesses is pretty ironclad.”

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Hazel stepped closer to Stella. “You let her hit you? Deliberately?”

“I played the long game,” Stella explained. “For weeks, I’ve been documenting her bullying. I made sure to report each incident to HR, building a paper trail. Today was just the final move.”

“And a damn effective one,” Damian added, respect evident in his voice.

“But your face…” Hazel winced sympathetically.

Stella smiled, then winced at the pain from her split lip. “Worth it. She’s been sabotaging projects, delaying deliverables, and reporting everything back to

Clairemont. I couldn’t let that continue.”

I crossed my arms, studying the woman before me with newfound appreciation. “That was risky. She could have done serious damage.””

“I knew security was nearby, Stella replied confidently. “And I made sure there were plenty of witnesses.”

“Well,” I said, “I think we’ve found the right person to head our new corporate intelligence division.”

Owen looked at Stella with undisguised admiration. “That was… intense.”

“And incredibly brave,” Hazel added.

Stella’s expression softened momentarily. “I’ve been on the receiving end of corporate espionage before. It destroyed my last company. When I realized what Bianca was doing, I couldn’t just stand by.”

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