The moment Jesse's private jet left the tarmac, Joanna unleashed chaos. She purged the executive suite—veteran managers, core team members—all under the guise of "cost-cutting." In reality, she was clearing out anyone who might oppose her, claiming she was merely removing "dead weight."
The ousted employees flocked to me. I played my part perfectly: the helpless, downtrodden wife.
"It was Jesse's direct order," I said, keeping my expression pained. "I'm forbidden from managing company affairs. I may be his wife, but here, I'm still an outsider."
To prove it, I dialed Jesse on speakerphone in front of them.
"Jesse, Joanna is firing the core team. You have to—"
"If she wants to fire them, let her," he cut me off. "We don't need to feed a bunch of idlers. Stop obsessing over Joanna and mind your own business."
Click.
I lowered the phone, meeting their devastated gazes. "You heard him."
Within three days, the brain drain was complete. Panic set in. Minority shareholders began dumping stock. My mother swept in like a hawk—hiring the fired executives at a premium, buying up every available share on my behalf.