Chapter 7 - The Boardroom Siege
The rain had cleared by eight-thirty in the morning, leaving the glass skyscrapers of downtown San Antonio gleaming like giant black needles against a bruised gray sky.
At the base of the fifty-story Garza Tower, three dark limousines pulled up to the private executive entrance.
Ava stepped out of the middle vehicle, wearing a tailored black suit that Roman had ordered for her. Her long dark hair was pulled back into a sleek, tight ponytail, and on her right index finger, the canary diamond ring caught the harsh morning light. She looked entirely transformed—no longer the tired server from Saint Juniper, but a woman built for war.
Roman stepped out beside her, dressed in an immaculate charcoal suit that hid the heavy bandages beneath. He looked down at her, his expression unreadable.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
“No,” Ava said honestly, her voice tight. “But I’m going to tear him apart anyway.”
Roman’s lip twitched into the ghost of a proud smile. “That’s my blood talking.”
They entered the private elevator, accompanied only by Roman’s chief of security, a towering man named Hector. The ride to the 50th floor was silent, marked only by the soft ping of the floors ticking past.
When the heavy oak doors of the grand boardroom opened at exactly 8:55 AM, thirty men and women in multi-thousand-dollar suits turned in unison.
Sitting at the head of the long marble conference table was Julian Garza. He looked immaculate, a silver fountain pen balancing between his manicured fingers. Next to him sat two burly men in dark suits—and strapped to a wheelchair in the corner of the room, gagged and bound, was Ava’s abuela, her face bruised and pale.
“Abuela!” Ava started forward, but Hector gently placed a hand on her shoulder, holding her back.
“Ah, Roman. You made it,” Julian said, standing up smoothly and spreading his arms wide. “And you brought your little waitress. How theatrical.”
“Release the old woman, Julian,” Roman said, his voice dropping an octave, vibrating with dangerous intent. “You have what you wanted. We are here.”
“Not so fast, big brother,” Julian chuckled, leaning against the table. “Members of the board, as you know, today is Roman’s forty-fifth birthday. Under the charter established by our father, he must produce a verified biological heir to retain control of the Garza Corporation. If he fails, all voting shares transfer to me immediately.”
Julian picked up a stack of paper and tossed it onto the center of the table.
“Ten minutes ago, my legal team filed a formal challenge,” Julian announced, smiling triumphantly at the board members. “We have evidence that Roman Garza has fabricated a fraudulent DNA profile using an unidentified orphan from the South Side. The child he claims is his daughter... is nothing more than an actress paid to steal this company!”
The board members began whispering frantically, casting dark, suspicious looks toward Roman and Ava.
Roman did not flinch. He walked slowly to the head of the table, placing his heavy hands on the marble surface, leaning toward his stepbrother.
“Is that your play, Julian?” Roman asked softly. “Claiming she’s a fake?”
“It’s not a claim, Roman—it’s a fact!” Julian snapped, turning to the board. “I call for an immediate vote to disqualify Roman Garza and execute the transfer of assets!”
“Wait,” Ava’s voice rang out, sharp and clear.
She stepped past Roman, walking directly up to Julian. The room fell dead silent as the young woman locked eyes with the powerful executive.
“You think I’m a fake, Julian?” Ava asked, her voice dangerously calm. She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a sleek, glass digital drive containing the encrypted master file from the rapid DNA sequencer.
“This file contains my raw genetic sequence,” Ava said, holding it up. “It’s locked with a biometric key. It can only be opened by a direct Garza bloodline.”
Julian sneered. “A clever trick—”
“Then put your thumb on it,” Ava challenged, taking a step closer, holding the drive out to him. “If I’m a fake, the drive will reject it and stay locked. But if you’re really a Garza... your thumbprint will unlock the file and prove to the board whether my DNA matches yours.”
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Julian froze. His eyes flickered nervously from the drive to the faces of the board members, who were all leaning forward, watching him intently.
“Go on, Julian,” Roman rasped from behind her, a dark smile spreading across his face. “Touch the drive. Show them we’re family.”
