Chapter 5 - The Press Conference
The headquarters of Blackwood Medical Group was a monolith of steel and glass in the heart of the financial district. By 9:30 AM, hundreds of reporters, camera crews, and activist groups had gathered outside the main entrance.
Inside the grand auditorium, camera lights blinded the stage.
I walked up to the podium without a scarf, without a wig, and without a hat. I wore an emerald green suit that contrasted sharply with my pale skin. Beside me sat Ethan, looking composed and formidable in his dark grey suit.
The moment I stepped up to the microphones, the room erupted into a chaos of shouted questions.
"Clara! Is it true you own the majority stock?" "Mrs. Blackwood! How do you respond to the video of your mother-in-law?" "Are you filing assault charges against Olivia Blackwood?"
I raised one hand calmly. The room fell dead silent.
"Thank you all for coming," I said, my voice carrying clearly through the broadcasting microphones. "Yesterday, at what was supposed to be the happiest moment of my life, a violent attempt was made to humiliate me based on my physical appearance and my battle with cancer."
I paused, looking directly into the primary network camera lens.
"The people who did this believed that hair defines a woman's dignity. They believed that illness makes a human being lesser, disposable, or shameful. Today, I stand before you not as a victim, but as the primary shareholder and executive manager of Blackwood Medical Group."
A collective murmur swept through the room.
"Effective immediately," I continued, "the board has voted to terminate all administrative and consultive roles previously held by Margaret Blackwood and Olivia Blackwood. Furthermore, due to severe corporate asset mismanagement unearthed during our audit last night, civil suits have been filed to recover misappropriated company funds."
Suddenly, the side doors of the auditorium burst open.
May you like
Margaret Blackwood, disheveled, her makeup smeared, ran into the aisle trailed by security guards trying frantically to restrain her without causing a scene.
"She’s lying!" Margaret screamed, her voice cracking frantically. "She used insider trading! She’s a criminal! She seduced my son to steal our family’s legacy!"
