Chapter 4 - The Boardroom SlaughterThe board meeting at Crestview Construction was chaos before it even began. Rumors of frozen accounts and asset repossessions had leaked to the press, driving the company’s stock into a freefall.
Edwin burst into the boardroom, disheveled and sweating through his designer suit. Beverly and Annika sat in the gallery area, terrified, waiting for Edwin to pull off a miracle.
"Everyone, remain calm!" Edwin yelled, pounding his fist on the mahogany table. "This is a temporary glitch! A minor dispute with a rogue trustee. I built this company, and I will secure new capital by the end of the day!"
"You built nothing, Edwin," a voice echoed from the entrance.
The boardroom doors swung open wide.
Camila walked in, flanked by the majority shareholders of the company. Behind her walked the chief federal auditor and a team of forensic accountants.
The board members immediately stood up in respect. To Edwin’s horror, every major investor bowed their heads toward Camila.
"What is the meaning of this?" Edwin screamed. "Security! Get this woman out of my boardroom!"
The chief security officer didn't move an inch. "Pardon me, Mr. Vance, but Mrs. Vance is the primary shareholder of Stanford Global Enterprises, which owns an 82% controlling stake in Crestview Construction."
Edwin collapsed into his leather executive chair. "No... no, that's impossible! Your father was just an advisor!"
"My father created this company thirty years ago," Camila said, taking her seat at the absolute head of the table. "He gave you the title of Director five years ago as a wedding gift to me, hoping you would prove to be a man of honor. Instead, you used his generosity to feed your ego, maintain a mistress, and humiliate the woman who kept you afloat."
Camila opened a heavy leather dossier and slammed it onto the table.
"Effective immediately, Edwin Vance is removed from his position as CEO and Director of Crestview Construction due to gross negligence, embezzlement, and breach of fiduciary duty."
"You can't do this to my son!" Beverly shrieked from the back, jumping out of her chair. "You traitorous bitch! We took you in when you had nothing!"
Camila turned her cold gaze toward her mother-in-law. "Took me in? Beverly, you lived in my father's house. You wore clothes bought with my father's money. You didn't take me in—you leached off me."
Camila looked back at the board. "All those in favor of liquidating Edwin Vance's remaining shares to cover corporate debt, raise your hand."
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Every single hand in the room went up instantly.
Edwin stared at the raised hands, his breath coming in shallow gasps. His entire life, his prestige, his wealth, his identity—annihilated in less than five minutes.
