Chapter 4 - The Boardroom Ambush
Three days later, Santiago was released on a ten-thousand-dollar bail, strictly conditioned on wearing a GPS ankle monitor and maintaining a five-hundred-yard distance from me and my property.
He thought he was safe. He thought that backed by his arrogance and his mother's toxic toxic encouragement, he could force me to the negotiating table.
On Thursday morning, Santiago scheduled an emergency meeting with the board of directors and major investors of Vance Capital at their sleek downtown high-rise office. He intended to reassure them that his brief arrest was merely a "minor personal domestic misunderstanding" and secure a bridge loan to keep his firm afloat.
What he didn't know was that I owned forty percent of the voting shares in Vance Capital—a hidden silent stake transferred to me through my father’s trust as part of the initial startup investment.
At 10:00 AM, Santiago stood at the head of the dark glass boardroom table. He wore a crisp blue suit, though his pale skin and dark circles under his eyes betrayed his exhaustion. Nancy sat in the corner of the room on a leather chair, acting as his self-appointed "advisor," glaring smugly at the board members.
"Gentlemen, ladies," Santiago began, flashing his practiced, salesman smile. "I appreciate you all coming on such short notice. As you may have seen in recent tabloid rumors, my estranged wife and I are undergoing a somewhat contentious separation. She has made some exaggerated claims out of spite, but I assure you, my focus remains entirely on growing Vance Capital—"
right on cue, the double glass doors of the boardroom swung open.
I walked in, flanked by Samantha Duncan and two forensic accountants carrying thick leather binders. I wore a tailored black power suit, hair pulled back tightly, my split lip healed into a fine, barely noticeable pink line, but my eyes burning with absolute authority.
The entire boardroom went dead silent.
Santiago’s smile evaporated instantly. He turned ghostly pale. "Chloe?! What the hell are you doing here?! You can't be here! I have a restraining order against—"
"Correction, Santiago," Samantha interrupted loudly, throwing a copy of the legal notice onto the center table. "The restraining order is against you, preventing you from approaching her. Ms. Bennett is the primary voting shareholder of this corporation representing the Bennett Trust. She has every legal right to attend this emergency shareholder meeting."
Nancy jumped out of her chair, her plastic face contorted in rage. "Get out of here, you snake! This is my son's company! You have no right to intrude on his business!"
"Sit down, Nancy," I said, my voice echoing with terrifying calm. "Or I will have security remove you for disturbing a corporate proceeding."
"Chloe, let's talk about this in private," Santiago stammered, stepping away from the head of the table, his hands trembling slightly. "There's no need to air our private laundry in front of the board."
"Oh, we aren't here to discuss our marriage, Santiago," I said, taking a seat at the far end of the table and crossing my legs. "We are here to discuss your grand larceny."
The board members gasped, murmuring nervously among themselves.
"That's a lie!" Santiago shouted. "She's trying to slander me! Don't listen to her!"
"Page four of the audit report, gentlemen," I announced, signaling my accountant to distribute folders to every board member present. "Over the last twenty-four months, Mr. Vance has funneled over $850,000 from client escrow accounts into a shell entity named N.V. Holdings."
I looked directly at Nancy, whose smug expression instantly collapsed into sheer panic.
"N.V. Holdings... Nancy Vance Holdings," I continued smoothly. "A shell company registered in Delaware, used exclusively to pay for Mrs. Vance’s luxury condominium lease, personal credit card debts, country club memberships, and cosmetic surgeries."
"What?!" one of the primary investors screamed, slamming his hands on the table. "He’s stealing from our client accounts?!"
"It’s a setup!" Santiago panicked, sweating profusely through his shirt. "The accounting is wrong! She manipulated the files! I was planning on reimbursing those funds!"
"Embezzlement is a felony, Mr. Vance," Samantha added coldly. "And because those funds were transferred across state lines, the District Attorney’s Financial Crimes Division has already been formally notified as of 9:00 AM this morning."
Santiago looked like he was going to vomit right onto the glass table. He grabbed the edge of the chair to steady himself, his eyes darting wildly around the room, looking for a single ally. But every board member was staring at him with pure disgust and venom.
"Furthermore," I said, standing up and buttoning my jacket. "The Bennett Family Trust is officially executing the immediate recall of the two-million-dollar startup loan. Since Vance Capital cannot meet this debt obligation, we are filing for immediate corporate receivership. As of this moment, Santiago Vance is officially removed as CEO of this company, stripped of all voting rights, and barred from entering this building."
"You can't do this to me!" Santiago shrieked, tears of terror finally springing to his eyes. "Chloe, please! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry about what happened at the house! I was stressed! I was out of my mind! Please don't ruin me!"
He dropped to his knees right there in front of his board members, crawling toward me across the carpet. "I’ll do whatever you want! I’ll sign the divorce papers! I’ll waive all claims! Just don't send me to prison! Please, Chloe!"
Nancy rushed over, grabbing her son’s shoulder, trying to drag him up while weeping hysterically. "Santiago, get up! Don't beg this horrible woman! Get up!"
I looked down at the man who, just three days ago, had struck me across the face, tossed a makeup bag at my feet, and demanded I cook roast chicken for his mother.
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"You told me to cover my bruise and smile, Santiago," I said softly, looking down at him with icy indifference. "Now it's your turn to smile for your mugshot."
Two security officers entered the boardroom, grabbing Santiago by the arms and dragging him out while he sobbed and pleaded, his mother screaming curses behind him as the boardroom doors slammed shut.
