Chapter 3 - The Corporate Wolf at the DoorThe news of a secret Wilder heir didn't just rattle the foundations of Theo’s personal life; it sent a shockwave through the Wilder Pharmaceutical empire.
Within forty-eight hours, the board of directors—led by the predatory Marcus Thorne—had convened an emergency session. Theo stood at the head of the conference table, his mind still reeling from the medical evidence confirming Ava’s paternity, while Thorne paced the room.
"A six-year-old illegitimate heir, Theo?" Thorne sneered, tapping the boardroom table. "The market hates uncertainty. If this becomes public, our stock will crater. You’ve been the poster boy for the 'self-made bachelor mogul.' You’re telling us you have a daughter, and she’s disabled, and she’s the product of an embryo you abandoned?"
"She is my daughter, Marcus," Theo said, his voice cold, steady, and dangerous. "And she is the majority stakeholder of my personal trust. Any attempt to question her legitimacy will be met with a hostile takeover of your shares."
"You're emotional," Thorne laughed. "You're not fit to lead. We're voting on a motion to move you to a 'non-voting' status until this 'private matter' is resolved."
Theo looked around the room. He had spent his life surrounded by people who viewed everything as a transaction. He realized, with a sudden, sharp clarity, that Lara had been the only one who saw him as a person.
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"Call the vote," Theo said, leaning back. "But know this: Lara kept a log of every illicit transaction you made during the 2021 restructuring. She kept it for me. I’ve just finished reading it."
Thorne’s face turned from a smug red to a deathly, chalky white.
