Saintess's Worthless Husband Turned Dragon Commander novel Chapter 56

CHAPTER 56 PART 1

Karen Ridge paced the Hartford family living room like a caged animal, her phone clutched in one hand, her anxiety palpable. Every few minutes she’d glance at the stairs, then at her phone, then back to the stairs.

“I should call Zachary,” she muttered for the tenth time. “Explain that Marcus forced Quinn to resign. Make him understand it wasn’t her choice. If I can just shift the blame properly-”

“Mother,” Quinn’s voice came from the top of the stairs, cold and tired, “stop scheming. I resigned because I chose to. Not because Marcus forced me.”

“But if we just explain-” Karen started.

A knock at the door interrupted her.

Karen rushed to answer it, hope flaring in her chest. “Maybe it’s Zachary! Maybe he’s come to apologize and-

She flung open the door to find Oliver Hartford standing there, his face showing fresh bruising on top of the swelling from Marcus’s earlier slap. Behind him stood three Hartford Group executives, all looking uncomfortable and uncertain.

“Oliver!” Karen’s face lit up. “Thank God! You’ve come to bring Quinn back! I knew the family would-”

“Mrs. Ridge,” Oliver interrupted, his voice tight with pain and barely controlled fury, “I need to speak with Quinn. It’s urgent.

“Of course! Come in, come in!” Karen stepped aside eagerly.

Oliver moved to enter-then stopped as Marcus appeared in the doorway, blocking his path.

“You’re not welcome here,” Marcus said calmly.

Oliver’s face flushed. “I’m here on official Hartford Group business! To discuss Quinn’s resignation and—”

“And nothing,” Marcus interrupted. “If the family wants Quinn to reconsider, they can send someone with actual authority. The chairman. Zachary Hartford himself.”

“Grandfather is extremely busy,” Oliver said through gritted teeth. “He sent me to negotiate on his behalf—”

“A Sacred Saintess,” Marcus cut him off again, his voice hardening, “deserves an apology from the family patriarch himself. Not some errand boy with delusions of importance.”

The three executives behind Oliver exchanged shocked glances. No one spoke to Oliver Hartford this way. Not in public. Not with witnesses.

“Marcus, please,” Oliver tried to maintain composure, “I understand you’re upset about how Quinn was treated. I promise that going forward, she’ll have my full support. No more undermining, no more schemes. Just let me—”

“Quinn will only return,” Marcus said clearly, each word deliberate, “if Zachary Hartford comes here personally. To this apartment. To apologize to his granddaughter for three years of disrespect and abuse. And he brings the full company staff with him.”

Oliver stared. “The full… you can’t be serious. Do you have any idea how busy the chairman is? How many people work at Hartford Group? You’re demanding that the entire company shut down to-”

“Those are the terms,” Marcus said simply. “Accept them or leave.”

“This is INSANE!” Oliver’s composure cracked. “You worthless nobody! You think you can make demands of

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Zachary Hartford? Of the entire company? Just because you somehow convinced a Saintess to marry you doesn’t mean-”

Marcus’s foot moved faster than most people could track. It caught Oliver squarely in the chest, sending him flying backward off the doorstep. He crashed into the hallway wall, then crumpled to the floor, gasping for breath.

The three executives scrambled backward, phones coming out, some recording, some calling for help.

“Tell Zachary,” Marcus said to the stunned executives, “that Quinn’s formal resignation will be on his desk by tomorrow morning unless he meets my terms. Every single one of them.”

He closed the door in their shocked faces.

Inside, Karen was apoplectic. “What have you DONE? You just assaulted Oliver! Kicked him! The chairman will NEVER come here now! You’ve destroyed Quinn’s last chance to-”

“To what?” Marcus turned to her, his dragon eyes cold. “To grovel her way back into a company that treated her like garbage? To beg forgiveness for having the audacity to marry me?”

“Yes!” Karen shrieked. “If that’s what it takes! Quinn had a FUTURE at Hartford Group! Money! Status! And you’ve thrown it away because of your PRIDE!”

“It’s not pride,” Quinn’s voice came from the stairs, where she’d watched the entire exchange. “It’s dignity. Something this family knows nothing about.”

“Quinn, sweetheart-” Karen reached toward her daughter desperately.

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CHAPTER 56 PART 2

Outside, Oliver had pulled out his phone, dialing with shaking hands as the executives helped him to his feet.

“Grandfather,” Oliver gasped when Zachary answered. “Marcus… he kicked me… he says unless you come here… with the entire staff… to apologize… Quinn’s resignation becomes official tomorrow…”

“He WHAT?” Zachary’s roar came through clearly enough for the executives to hear.

“He’s demanding you personally apologize to Quinn,” Oliver continued, still breathless. “Bring every employee. Come to their apartment. Those are his terms.”

Silence on the line. Oliver could practically hear his grandfather’s blood pressure rising.

“Grandfather?” Oliver prompted nervously.

“How many executives are with you?” Zachary’s voice had gone dangerously quiet.

“Three, sir.”

“Put me on speaker.”

Oliver complied, holding out the phone so everyone could hear.

“Gentlemen,” Zachary’s voice carried deadly authority, “return to Hartford Group immediately. Notify every department head. Every manager. Every employee. We’re shutting down operations for the afternoon.”

“Sir?” one executive asked uncertainly. “Why-”

“Because we’re going to the Hartford family apartment,” Zachary said with barely controlled fury. “All of us. To meet Marcus Steel’s demands.”

The executives exchanged shocked glances.

“But sir,” another ventured, “that’s unprecedented. The entire company can’t just-”

“The entire company WILL,” Zachary interrupted. “Because if Quinn Hartford submits her official resignation, Titan Group will terminate our partnership. And that twenty billion dollar penalty I just told you about? That becomes reality. So unless you want to explain to your families why you’re suddenly unemployed, you’ll do exactly as I say.”

The call ended.

An hour later, another knock came at the door.

Karen, who’d spent that hour alternating between berating Marcus and trying to call Zachary, rushed to answer it.

“Finally! Zachary’s probably sent someone more reasonable to-”

She opened the door and her voice died.

Zachary Hartford stood there. Behind him, stretching down the hallway, filling the building’s lobby, spilling out onto the street, stood what looked like the entire Hartford Group workforce. Hundreds of employees, from executives to interns, all looking confused and uncomfortable.

“Zachary?” Karen’s voice came out as a whisper. “You… you actually came?”

“Where’s Quinn?” Zachary asked, his voice tight with suppressed rage.

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