Chapter 30 - The Blackmail
At 9:55 AM, the atmosphere in the fiftieth-floor boardroom was jubilant. The twelve board members were already sipping expensive champagne, celebrating their impending massive payouts. At the head of the table sat Richard Vance, holding a thick, gold-embossed contract. Next to him sat Victor Sterling, looking incredibly smug, flanked by his aggressive corporate attorneys.
The heavy mahogany doors swung open, and Emma Carter marched into the room, followed closely by Daniel.
"Ms. Carter," Richard Vance sighed, rolling his eyes in exaggerated annoyance. "You are not invited to this closed session. Margaret Lawson failed to appear for her competency hearing. Clause 8A has been executed. Her shares are now controlled by this board, and we are currently finalizing the Vanguard acquisition. Your tenure as General Manager is officially terminated. Security will escort you out."
"Security works for me, Richard," Emma stated coldly, walking directly up to the massive mahogany table. She didn't shout. She didn't plead. She commanded the room with absolute, terrifying authority. "Do not sign that contract."
Victor Sterling laughed, a harsh, dismissive sound. "It’s over, Emma. You fought a valiant fight for your little maids and dishwashers, but this is the real world. The adults are doing business now. Leave quietly."
Emma ignored Victor entirely. She looked directly at Richard Vance and the other board members.
"If you put your signature on that document, Richard, you will be committing a Class A federal felony," Emma said, slamming the thick stack of printed financial documents onto the center of the table. "I suggest you read the funding origins of Vanguard's two-billion-dollar offer."
Richard frowned, picking up the top document. As his eyes scanned the highlighted text, the color rapidly drained from his face. His hand began to tremble slightly.
"Obsidian Trust," Richard whispered, looking up at Victor Sterling in absolute horror. "You... you are funding this buyout with sanctioned cartel money?"
The champagne glasses around the table were slowly lowered. The jubilant atmosphere instantly evaporated, replaced by a suffocating, terrifying silence.
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Victor Sterling’s smug smile vanished, his eyes narrowing into dangerous, predatory slits. "Those documents are completely fabricated. She is a desperate, fired employee trying to sabotage a legal acquisition with forged paperwork."
"The documents are a direct mirror of Julian’s encrypted hard drive," Daniel stated loudly. "And Julian is currently sitting in a police interrogation room, singing like a bird about your entire shadow operation to save himself from a terrorism charge for the gala blackout."
