The Day I Walked Away My Empire Began novel Chapter 304

“I’m really sorry for what I did. There’s nothing I can say except I’m sorry.”

Reading his apology only made Lucie angrier and more hurt. She blocked his number without a second thought.

The next morning at eight, Lucie strode into the museum headquarters’ main conference room, her cream-colored suit crisp and flawless, heels clicking against the polished floor.

The directors and deputy directors from all three branches had already been called in and were waiting for her. As soon as she entered, everyone stood up. “Good morning, Ms. Anderson.”

“Good morning, everyone. Please, have a seat.”

Taking her place at the head of the table, Lucie slid a folder into the center. Her voice was calm but left no room for argument. “We’re moving up the year-end inventory check. According to policy, all branch keys will be held by headquarters during the audit to keep everything organized.”

She looked each of them in the eye. “I’ll need the master and spare keys from all three branches now. You’ll get them back once the audit’s done.”

The words had barely left her mouth before Jose, sitting to her left, went pale. His hand froze halfway to his lips with his teacup. “Ms. Anderson, we usually get a week’s notice for the audit. This is… really sudden, isn’t it?”

He was Cooper’s distant uncle from security, and he already had a guilty conscience. The mention of collecting the keys sent him straight into panic mode.

Nathan, on her right, quickly jumped in. “She’s right, Ms. Anderson. We still have clients scheduled for private viewings. Taking the keys now might hurt our reputation.”

Lucie didn’t even flinch. She smiled, just slightly. “This year’s different. We’re not just counting inventory—we’ll be doing artifact conservation as well. Having all the keys in one place makes it easier for the specialists to get in and out. As for the clients, my assistant has already reached out to reschedule. The museum’s reputation will be just fine.”

She paused, her gaze sharpening. “Is there a problem? Or do you not have the keys on you?”

That landed like a dart. The men looked like they’d seen a ghost.

Mitchell, the senior manager in the middle, was always careful. He jumped in to smooth things over. “Of course not, Ms. Anderson. If that’s what headquarters wants, we’ll cooperate.”

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