Chapter 4 - Striking Back
The room went completely still as the CTO plugged the drive into the main projector system.
A series of complex financial spreadsheets, bank wire confirmations, and offshore ledger entries illuminated the massive wall screen.
Caleb’s face went from angry red to pure white in less than two seconds.
“What you’re looking at, ladies and gentlemen,” I said, my voice echoing clearly across the boardroom, “is the reason my husband was so desperate for an emergency board meeting today. Over the past eighteen months, Caleb Vance used his position as Vice President of Acquisitions to funnel approximately fourteen million dollars out of Vance Global’s marketing budget.”
“This is absurd!” Caleb yelled, his voice cracking. “These are legitimate vendor fees!”
“Vendor fees paid to 'Nectar Consulting LLC',” I continued calmly, ignoring his outburst. “A shell company registered in Delaware. And who holds the primary signature card for Nectar Consulting? Miss Vanessa Blake.”
Gasps went around the table. Marcus Kane shifted uncomfortably in his chair, suddenly looking very uncertain about his alliance.
“Furthermore,” I said, turning to look Caleb dead in the eye, “the forty-million-dollar personal loan my father extended to Apex Media wasn't used for company expansion. It was used to cover margin calls on Caleb’s private short-positions against Vance Global stock.”
The entire board erupted into outrage.
“You shorted our own stock?” one senior director shouted at Caleb.
“He was betting on Vance Global failing after my father’s death,” I said coldly. “Hoping to plunge the share price, buy up distressed shares through his Cayman shell companies, and orchestrate a hostile takeover from within.”
Caleb backed up against the glass window, looking around the room like a trapped animal. The board members who had been nodding along with him minutes ago were now glaring at him with pure hatred.
“Marcus,” Caleb whispered desperately, turning to Kane. “Marcus, you know this is manipulated data! Tell her!”
Marcus Kane slowly closed his leather notebook and looked away from Caleb. “Mr. Vance... if these records are authentic, you have committed massive securities fraud.”
“They are fully authenticated,” Mr. Harlan added, stepping forward with a stack of signed affidavits. “And the SEC, as well as the Southern District of New York, were formally served with copies of these files at 9:00 AM this morning.”
Caleb gasped for air as if the oxygen had been sucked out of the room.
“You... you reported me to the federal prosecutors?” Caleb stuttered, his eyes wide with sheer terror.
“My father spent forty years building this company with honor,” I said, standing up slowly. “I will not allow a common thief to tear it down in forty-eight hours.”
I looked around the board table. Every single director was standing, waiting for my command.
“As the trustee holding fifty-two percent of voting shares,” I declared, “I hereby move to terminate Caleb Vance from all corporate positions within Vance Global, effective immediately. All his access badges are revoked, his corporate accounts frozen, and he is barred from entering any company facility.”
“Seconded!” Marcus Kane called out instantly, desperate to save his own skin.
“All in favor?” I asked.
Every single hand in the boardroom went up.
Caleb stood paralyzed as two armed security guards entered the boardroom.
“Get your hands off me!” Caleb screamed as they grabbed his arms. “Eleanor! You can’t do this! I’m your husband! That’s my baby you’re carrying!”
“You stopped being my husband the moment you brought your mistress to my father’s casket,” I said, my voice echoing through the glass walls. “Take him out.”
As the guards dragged a screaming Caleb out into the lobby, a sudden, sharp pain flared across my lower abdomen. I gasped, clutching the edge of the boardroom table.
Mr. Harlan rushed to my side. “Eleanor! What’s wrong?”
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I felt a warm trickle down the inside of my leg. I looked down, then looked up at Harlan.
“Call the hospital,” I whispered, my voice trembling for the first time all day. “The baby is coming.”
