Chapter 4 - The Boardroom Coup
Forty-eight hours later, the emergency board meeting of Mercer Development was convened in the executive tower in downtown Seattle. Grant walked into the boardroom flanked by his criminal defense attorney, his face pale and eyes bloodshot. He wore a dark suit, trying desperately to project an air of unyielding authority.
"This emergency meeting is an illegal farce!" Grant barked, slamming his briefcase onto the boardroom table. "I am the founder and Chief Executive Officer of this firm. You cannot freeze my accounts or halt my construction projects!"
At the far end of the long marble table, a high-backed leather chair turned around.
Claire sat in the chair. She wore an impeccably tailored navy power suit, her brown hair styled in a sharp, elegant bob that partially swept across her left cheekbone, subtly framing the faint bruise underneath. Sitting to her right was Thomas; to her left were four senior legal counsel.
Grant froze, his mouth opening slightly in disbelief. "Claire? What the hell are you doing sitting in my chair?"
"It isn't your chair, Grant," Claire said, her voice dropping into a calm, ice-cold resonance that startled even Thomas. "It never was."
"Get her out of here!" Grant shouted, turning to the board members seated along the sides. "She’s my wife! We are going through a domestic dispute! She has no official standing in this corporation!"
Marcus Vance stood up, pulling a silver flash drive from his pocket and plugging it into the boardroom media hub. The massive projection screen behind Claire lit up instantly with legal documents, wire transfer records, and corporate deeds.
"As of 8:00 AM today," Marcus announced calmly, "the Elaine Bennett Trust executed its contractual right under Section 4B of the foundational charter to strip Mr. Grant Mercer of his executive authority due to gross moral turpitude, corporate embezzlement, and criminal indictment."
"That's absurd!" Grant yelled, his face flushing crimson. "You can't do this!"
"We already have," Claire said softly, placing her hands flat on the mahogany table. "By vote of the majority shareholder—which is me—you are officially removed as CEO of Mercer Development. Your security clearance has been revoked. Your company vehicle has been repossessed. And your access to this building is terminated effective immediately."
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Two armed security guards walked into the boardroom, stepping directly behind Grant.
"You have five minutes to clear out your personal items, Mr. Mercer," Marcus added. "Or you will be escorted off the premises in handcuffs for trespassing."
