Chapter 4 - The Boardroom Coup
Vance Enterprises occupied the top ten floors of a glass skyscraper downtown.
At 10:00 AM, Adrian was scheduled to pitch a multi-million-dollar merger to the board of directors.
I walked past the security desk, ignoring the receptionist calling my name.
I wore a sharp crimson suit, my hair pulled back, holding a single leather briefcase.
I pushed open the double oak doors of the boardroom just as Adrian was pointing to a PowerPoint slide.
“What is the meaning of this?” Adrian demanded, slamming his pointer on the table.
Twelve board members turned to stare at me.
“Vivian? You can’t be here,” Adrian hissed, marching toward me. “Security!”
“Sit down, Adrian,” I said, tossing a thick stack of legal documents onto the center of the conference table.
“I am the CEO of this company,” he snarled, his face turning red. “Get out.”
“Actually, you’re the CEO of a subsidiary,” I corrected smoothly.
I looked at the board members, who were now whispering among themselves.
“As of 9:00 AM this morning, Sterling Holdings has executed its right to call in the primary debt of Vance Enterprises.”
Adrian froze. “What are you talking about? Sterling Holdings? That’s your father’s old firm.”
“Yes,” I smiled, tapping the documents. “And my father owned every brick of this building.”
One of the older board members picked up the top file, his eyes scanning the pages rapidly.
“My god,” the board member whispered, looking up at Adrian. “She’s telling the truth.”
“Let me see that!” Adrian shouted, snatching the paper from the man’s hands.
His eyes darted back and forth across the page, the color draining from his cheeks.
“This is forgery!” he choked out.
“It’s legally binding,” I replied, checking my watch.
“And since you are currently in default of a two-hundred-million-dollar loan, your assets are officially frozen.”
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Adrian stared at me, his mouth opening and closing like a suffocating fish.
“Meeting adjourned,” I told the board.
