Chapter 8 - The Morning Press
At 10:00 AM the following morning, the grand ballroom of the Nashville Marriott was packed with over fifty local and national journalists.
Camera flashes strobed continuously against the blue backdrop bearing the golden logo of Vance-Carter Global Infrastructure.
I stood at the podium dressed in a crisp, pristine white suit, my silver hair styled impeccably, looking every inch the legendary chairwoman who had built a business empire. Ethan stood to my right; Liam Brooks—dressed in his brand-new tailored suit—stood proudly to my left.
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen," I began, my voice echoing clearly through the press speakers. "Thank you for joining us on such short notice."
The room fell completely silent.
"Yesterday afternoon," I continued, "a video recorded at a private estate in Belle Meade began circulating on social media. The video depicts an elderly woman being verbally assaulted and doused with water during a private gathering."
A reporter in the front row raised her hand frantically. "Mrs. Carter! Is it true that the woman in the video was actually you?"
"Yes," I said calmly. "It was me."
A storm of camera shutters erupted across the room.
"I went to that property incognito," I explained, "to personally assess the character of the individuals my son was preparing to align our family name with. What I discovered was a disturbing display of cruelty, entitlement, and moral bankruptcy."
I paused, looking directly into the primary news camera.
"Effective as of midnight last night, Vance-Carter Global has terminated all business relationships with the Mitchell Group. Furthermore, due to severe covenant breaches, Vanguard Holdings has assumed full operational control of all Mitchell Group assets, including the Belle Meade estate."
The room erupted into shouts of questions.
"Mrs. Carter! What are you going to do with the Belle Meade property?"
I smiled, stepping closer to the microphone.
"I am glad you asked. Effective next month, the Belle Meade estate will no longer be a private luxury residence for the elite. It is being officially donated to the Eleanor Vance-Carter Foundation. We are converting the ten-acre property into a state-of-the-art transitional housing facility and educational sanctuary for vulnerable mothers and children in need."
The journalists gasped. Several people in the back of the room actually began to clap.
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"And to ensure the facility is run with genuine empathy," I added, placing a hand on the shoulder of the young man beside me, "I am appointing Mr. Liam Brooks as the assistant director of community outreach for the new center."
Liam beamed, tears of pride shining in his eyes as the cameras flashed in his direction.
