Chapter 6 - The Emergency MeetingThe next morning, Warren walked into the executive boardroom on the 50th floor of Hail Enterprises, holding Jenna’s sketchbook securely under his arm. He felt lighter, clearer, and more grounded than he had in years.
He pushed open the heavy oak doors, expecting his standard Monday morning briefing with Marcus and the senior management team.
Instead, the entire board of directors sat around the mahogany table in absolute silence.
Marcus Sterling sat at the head of the table—Warren’s chair.
Warren stopped dead, his brow furrowing. “Marcus. What is the meaning of this? That is my seat.”
Marcus stood up slowly, buttoning his suit jacket. His expression wasn't apologetic; it was dripping with manufactured sympathy and predatory ambition.
“Sit down, Warren,” Marcus said smoothly. “An emergency board session was called fifteen minutes ago pursuant to Section 8 of the corporate charter.”
Arthur Vance stepped forward, holding a thick legal binder. “Warren, for the past year, your mental and emotional state has severely compromised your ability to lead Hail Enterprises. Your recent erratic behavior, unauthorized financial disbursements to an unidentified minor, and refusal to sign off on core corporate projects constitute gross negligence.”
Silence descended upon the room. Directors who had shaken Warren’s hand, praised his vision, and profited from his genius now avoided his gaze, staring intently at their note pads.
Warren looked around the table. The betrayal was absolute.
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“You’re staging a coup,” Warren said, his voice dangerously calm.
“We’re saving the company, Warren,” Marcus corrected smugly, walking around the table to stand face-to-face with him. “You built this empire, yes. But empires require ruthless focus. You’ve gone soft, mourning a ghost and adopting strays. Effective today, you are stripped of your executive powers, your shares are frozen pending psychiatric evaluation, and I am assuming control as CEO.”
