Chapter 7 - The Boardroom ShowdownAt 2:00 PM, the grand executive boardroom on the 50th floor of Reed Enterprises was packed. The members of the board sat around an oval mahogany table, led by Marcus Vance, who was serving as interim chairman for the vote.
Sloan Vance stood near the back, looking flushed with victory.
“Members of the Board,” Marcus announced, raising his hands. “We are here to vote on the immediate termination of Jackson Reed as CEO due to severe reputational damage and moral failure. Furthermore, we will vote to authorize the sale of the non-performing asset known as the Maple Street parcel.”
“Let’s proceed to the vote,” a board member said, raising his pen.
BANG.
The heavy double doors of the boardroom slammed open.
Jackson Reed walked in, wearing his signature dark suit, looking every bit the ruthless titan of industry he had once been. Beside him walked Julia Cooper, dressed in her crisp medical scrubs, her head held high. Behind them were two uniformed officers from the Portland Police Department.
The room fell dead silent.
“Jackson?” Marcus stuttered, standing up. “This is a closed board session! You have no standing here—”
“I own fifty-two percent of the voting shares of this company, Marcus,” Jackson said, his voice echoing like thunder. “I have standing anywhere I damn well please.”
“You are under investigation for misconduct!” Sloan yelled from the back.
“Correction,” Jackson snapped, turning his gaze toward her. “You are under investigation.”
One of the police officers stepped forward, pulling a pair of handcuffs from his belt. “Sloan Vance? You are under arrest for felony burglary, evidence tampering, and filing a false report regarding the Maple Street Community Center.”
Sloan’s face drained of color. “What?! That’s absurd! You have no proof!”
Leo stepped into the room, holding a tablet connected to the boardroom’s massive presentation screens. With a single tap, the high-definition video of Sloan stealing the logbook played for the entire board to see, accompanied by the verified digital records proving Julia’s innocence.
Gasps filled the room. Board members turned to glare at Marcus Vance.
“Marcus,” Jackson said, walking up to his former legal counsel. “You organized a conspiracy to frame a mother, tear a six-year-old child away from her home, and steal a charity property for personal real estate profits. Your legal license is gone. Your board seat is revoked. And the police outside are waiting to escort you to interrogation.”
Marcus sank into his chair, his hands shaking as the officers moved in to place both him and Sloan under arrest.
As they were led out in handcuffs, Jackson turned to the remaining board members.
“The Maple Street Community Center is no longer up for discussion,” Jackson declared. “In fact, I am transferring the property deed into a permanent, non-transferable community trust. It can never be bought, sold, or destroyed.”
The board members sat in awed silence before one of them slowly began to applaud. Within seconds, the entire room joined in.
Julia looked at Jackson, tears of relief leaking down her face.
Just then, Jackson’s phone chimed with a high-priority alert from Sarah Chen.
May you like
He looked down at the screen and smiled—a real, genuine smile for the first time in years.
“The judge just signed the emergency release order,” Jackson told Julia. “Maddie is coming home.”
