Chapter 14 - THE EMPIRE SHE BUILT HERSELF
A year later, Hayes Financial Integrity opened its second office.
My consulting firm specialized in corporate compliance, forensic accounting, and financial risk management.
We helped businesses identify fraud before it destroyed them.
Owen worked with me.
He had completed additional training in supply-chain auditing.
And Dominic?
He became my most enthusiastic supporter.
Not my owner.
Not my employer.
My partner.
One evening, he attended our company's anniversary celebration.
I stood before my employees and thanked them for their work.
Then I looked toward Dominic.
He was standing near the back of the room.
Smiling.
Afterward, he approached.
“You were incredible.”
I laughed.
“You're biased.”
“Completely.”
He took my hand.
Then looked around the office.
“You built all this.”
I nodded.
“With help.”
He smiled.
“But you built it.”
My eyes filled.
Two years earlier, I'd been a secretary who believed her worth depended on how much she could endure.
Now I owned a company.
I had employees.
A future.
May you like
A life that belonged to me.
And the man standing beside me had never once asked me to make myself smaller so he could feel powerful.
