Chapter 6 - The Traitor on the BoardThe morning sun broke through the heavy stained-glass windows of the Vance Global executive boardroom, casting long, fractured shadows across the polished conference table.
Julian sat at the head of the table, his posture rigid, his expression an absolute mask of stone. Standing behind him were two armed federal agents and Marcus, who was furiously flipping through a thick sheaf of financial audit reports.
Seated around the mahogany table were the seven members of the board of directors. Among them was Richard Vance—Julian’s cousin and the executive vice president of international operations.
“Julian, this emergency meeting is completely irregular,” Richard said, adjusting his expensive silk tie with a slightly nervous twitch in his fingers. “Calling us in at dawn just because your deranged mistress-turned-housekeeper had a psychotic breakdown is an insult to the shareholders.”
Julian didn't look at him immediately. He slowly slid a single manila folder across the mahogany table. It stopped right in front of Richard’s plate.
“Open it, Richard,” Julian said quietly.
Richard frowned, scoffing lightly as he picked up the folder and flipped it open. The moment his eyes landed on the first page, all the color drained from his face. His hands began to shake so violently that the papers fluttered back onto the table.
“This... this is a forgery,” Richard stammered, looking around the room at the other board members. “Julian is overwrought because of his wife’s tragic return. He’s grasping at straws!”
“That is a complete wire-transfer record from an offshore Swiss account dated four years ago,” Marcus stated coldly, stepping forward to project a digital copy onto the massive smart-screen behind the table. “It details a ten-million-dollar payment funneled from Vance Global development funds directly into a shell company controlled by Victoria Sterling. The memo attached to the transfer reads: For operational clearance of Project Erasure.”
Gasps erupted around the boardroom. Several directors stood up from their chairs, backing away from Richard in disgust.
“You helped Victoria kidnap my wife,” Julian said, standing up slowly. He placed both hands on the table and leaned forward, towering over his cousin. “You helped her fake a plane crash, secure a secret underground cell in our own home, and systematically drain our family foundation while you sat across from me at board meetings pretending to share my grief.”
Richard swallowed hard, sweat beading on his forehead. He realized there was no escape. The digital footprint was absolute.
“I did it for the company, Julian!” Richard blurted out, panic cracking his voice. “You were too soft! You cared more about charity and your wife’s pet projects than aggressive market expansion! With Clara gone, we could have merged with Sterling Corp and dominated the global sector! I was saving Vance Global from your weak leadership!”
Before Richard could finish his sentence, Julian lunged across the table. He grabbed his cousin by the collar, dragging him halfway across the polished mahogany wood before the federal agents rushed in to pull them apart.
“Take him away,” Julian ordered, his breathing heavy with suppressed fury as he straightened his cuffs. “Charge him with conspiracy, kidnapping, and corporate treason. Make sure he never smells fresh air again.”
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As Richard was dragged screaming out of the boardroom in handcuffs, the remaining directors sat in stunned silence. Julian turned back to face them, his voice cutting through the quiet like a blade.
“The board is dissolved effective immediately,” Julian announced. “Every single one of you will submit to a full federal investigation by sundown. If you had any part in this conspiracy, pack your desks now.”
