Chapter 9: The Guillotine
The atmosphere in the Vale Holdings boardroom at 9:00 AM was suffocating. The air conditioning was on full blast, yet several board members were visibly sweating.
Victoria sat at the head of the table, exuding total confidence. Richard Laurent sat in the gallery section, legally allowed as an interested party in the pending (though frozen) merger.
The heavy doors opened. Elena walked in, wearing a sharp, crimson suit that commanded the room. Adrian and Sterling walked behind her.
"You're late," Victoria said, checking her diamond-encrusted watch.
"I was busy," Elena replied, taking her seat. "Firing your head of security and replacing him with someone who actually does background checks on armed intruders."
Victoria didn't flinch. "This emergency meeting has only one item on the agenda. A vote to issue ten million new class-A shares to raise immediate capital. Mr. Secretary, please record the votes."
Adrian leaned forward. "This is a blatant attempt to dilute our voting block, Mother. You're destroying the company's equity just to keep control."
"I am saving this company from a pair of children playing corporate dress-up," Victoria snapped. "All in favor of the stock issuance?"
Victoria raised her hand. Three other board members quickly followed suit.
"We need a majority," Victoria said, locking her gaze onto a pale, trembling man near the end of the table. "Mr. Harrison. Your vote."
Marcus Harrison looked sick. He looked at Victoria, who tapped her manicured finger against her leather folder—a silent threat. Slowly, agonizingly, Harrison began to raise his hand.
"Before you vote, Mr. Harrison," Elena's voice sliced through the tension like a razor. "I'd like to share a brief audio presentation with the board."
Elena pressed a button on a remote in her hand. The boardroom's state-of-the-art sound system crackled to life.
"The plane is prepped, Lady Victoria..."
The recording played in its entirety. The boardroom descended into absolute, paralyzed horror.
Victoria leapt to her feet, her chair crashing to the floor. "That is a deepfake! A fabrication! Turn it off immediately!"
"It's a verified wiretap recording, Victoria," Elena said, her voice echoing in the stunned silence. "Found in my father's biometric safe, alongside a ledger tracking twelve years of your blackmail payments to an aviation mechanic."
Elena slid a thick stack of papers down the center of the table. "Copies for everyone. Including the exact routing numbers from Victoria's offshore accounts."
She turned to Marcus Harrison. "Mr. Harrison. Victoria is blackmailing you with photos of your gambling debts. If you vote with her, you are aiding and abetting the woman who murdered the founder of this company. Vote with me, and I will personally pay off your syndicate debt from my private trust, and allow you to resign with dignity."
Harrison dropped his hand. He put his head on the table and sobbed.
May you like
"The motion fails," Sterling announced loudly.
Richard Laurent stood up, his face purple with rage. "You are insane, Victoria. You murdered him?! The deal is off. We are done!" He stormed out of the boardroom, leaving Victoria entirely alone.
