Chapter 7 - Cornered in the Boardroom
Ivan’s chest heaved as he glared down at me, his face mottled with rage and humiliation. “You think a piece of paper makes you a businesswoman? You’re a shadow! You spent ten years pouring coffee and tending a garden while I built the relationships that keep this company alive!”
“The relationships you built, Ivan?” Sarah Lin asked smoothly, opening her laptop and turning the screen toward him. “Let’s talk about the Pacific Ridge contract you bragged about yesterday. According to these emails, the primary investor refused to sign until they discovered your company was facing a federal audit for misappropriated funds. In fact, they’re moving their entire portfolio over to our subsidiary—which Elena personally manages.”
Ivan whipped his head around to stare at Sarah, then back at me. “You... you intercepted Pacific Ridge?”
“I saved them from making a multi-million-dollar mistake by partnering with a fraud,” I corrected him, standing up slowly from my chair. The height difference didn’t matter anymore; the power dynamic had completely shifted. “When you forced my hand onto that grill yesterday, Ivan, you finally gave me the public audience I needed to execute the final clause of the operating agreement.”
“Get out of my seat, Elena,” Ivan hissed, reaching out to grab the edge of my chair.
“It’s not your seat, Mr. Vance,” Arthur Vance said sharply, standing up to his full height despite his age. “Security, escort Mr. Vance off the floor. If he attempts to enter this building again, have him arrested for trespassing and corporate espionage.”
“You can’t do this to me! I made this company!” Ivan screamed as the two security guards grabbed his arms, lifting him partially off his feet as they dragged him backward toward the double doors.
“You rented the office, Ivan. I owned the lease,” I said softly as they hauled him out into the hallway.
The heavy oak doors slammed shut behind him, cutting off his frantic shouting. The silence returned to the boardroom, heavy and absolute, but this time, it felt like freedom.
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Sarah Lin closed her laptop and looked across the table. “Next item on the agenda, Elena: appointing the new Chief Executive Officer for Vanguard Development.”
I looked down at my bandaged palm, the raw skin stinging slightly, then raised my eyes to Arthur Vance and the legal team. “Let’s begin.”
