Chapter 3 - THE BOARDROOM MASSACRE
"Eleanor," Gregory breathed, taking a tentative step forward. He forced a smile that looked more like a grimace, attempting to project an air of authority in front of the board. "Ms. Monroe. There was no need for all this. What happened last night was a terrible misunderstanding. Diane had too much champagne, and she didn't recognize—"
"Take a seat, Gregory," I said. My voice wasn't loud, but it cut through the room like a gunshot.
He swallowed hard, looking at his usual chair at the head of the table. I was sitting in it. He awkwardly moved to a side chair, his hands trembling as he rested them on the polished wood.
"Let me be clear," I addressed the room. "We are not here because a foolish woman insulted me at a party. My ego is not so fragile that it requires a board meeting. We are here because Gregory Ashworth has forgotten who he works for, and more importantly, how this company is run."
I nodded to Marcus, who began distributing thick, leather-bound folders to the board members. Gregory reached for one, but Marcus bypassed him, leaving his space empty.
"Over the past six months, I have authorized a shadow audit of our international acquisitions," I explained, watching the color drain entirely from Gregory's face. "While our CEO was busy hosting extravagant galas and allowing his wife to curate an 'exclusive' culture, he was also siphoning company funds through our shell subsidiaries in the Cayman Islands."
The boardroom erupted. Executives shouted over one another, opening the files to see pages of highlighted bank transfers, forged signatures, and offshore accounts directly linked to Gregory.
"That's a lie!" Gregory yelled, slamming his hand on the table. "This is a witch hunt! You're doing this because Diane hurt your feelings!"
"Diane was the match," I said coldly, leaning forward. "But you poured the gasoline, Gregory. Three hundred million dollars in unaccounted discrepancies. You thought because I remained a silent partner, raising my daughter in peace, that I was blind. You thought I was just capital."
I stood up, resting my palms on the table. "I am not just capital. I am the architect of this firm. You are fired, effective immediately, for gross misconduct and embezzlement. Security is packing your office as we speak."
"You can't do this!" he spat, desperation twisting his features into something ugly. "I built the culture of this company! The board won't allow it!"
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"The board," I said, gesturing to the shocked faces around the room, "serves at the pleasure of the majority shareholder. And I am telling them to vote. Now."
Within three minutes, it was unanimous. Gregory was escorted out by two armed security guards, screaming threats that echoed down the marble hallway. I took a sip of my coffee. It was barely sunrise, and the empire was mine again.
