“Nobody leaves. Lock the doors.” Ricardo gives the order after stepping between Bia and Helena.

The 40th floor of the Grady Enterprises skyscraper smelled of expensive leather, cold espresso, and impending doom.

At 7:55 AM, Travis Miller sat at the head of the conference table, adjusting his gold cufflinks. He was a broad-shouldered man in his late fifties with slicked-back grey hair and a arrogant sneer that had intimidated junior executives for a decade. Around him sat seven board members, looking nervous and exhausted as television monitors in the corner broadcast non-stop coverage of Helena’s arrest.

"Gentlemen," Travis declared, banging a heavy glass paperweight onto the table. "We all regret the unfortunate legal situation surrounding Helena. However, Grady Enterprises cannot operate without a helm. The market opens in thirty minutes. Our stock is going to plunge unless we announce a new, permanent Executive Chairman."

"And I suppose you're nominating yourself, Travis?" a senior board member asked dryly.

"I am the only logical choice," Travis sneered. "Sofia is dead. Helena is in police custody. And Ricardo is a rogue former soldier who knows nothing about running a Fortune 500 conglomerate."

"Correction, Travis," a deep voice boomed from the double doors of the boardroom.

The heavy doors swung open.

Ricardo stepped into the room. He wore a tailored charcoal suit, his posture impeccably straight, radiating an aura of absolute authority. Behind him walked Sarah Vance, carrying two leather briefcases, flanked by two uniformed officers from the Financial Crimes Unit.

Travis scoffed, leaning back in his leather chair. "You have no standing here, Ricardo. You don't hold a seat on this board, and your sister’s estate is tied up in probate court."

"My sister’s estate was tied up in probate court," Sarah Vance corrected smoothly, stepping forward and placing a stack of blue-bound legal documents in front of every board member. "Until one hour ago, when Judge Evelyn Cole of the Probate Division issued an emergency injunction."

Travis’s smile vanished. "What injunction?"

"An order declaring Bia Grady the sole legal heir of Sofia Grady’s entire sixty-percent majority stake," Sarah announced. "And designating Ricardo Grady as her sole legal guardian and vote proxy holder."

Travis stood up, his face flushing dark red. "That’s absurd! The girl is a minor! She’s six years old! She can't hold a proxy!"

"She can through her legal guardian," Ricardo said, stepping right up to Travis’s spot at the head of the table. He leaned down, placing both hands on the table, staring directly into Travis’s eyes. "Which means I currently control sixty percent of this room, Travis. Which means... you are sitting in my chair."

Silence fell over the boardroom like a heavy curtain.

"You can't do this," Travis stammered, his arrogance finally cracking.

"I just did," Ricardo replied coldly. "And before you think about calling your lawyers, you should know that Detective Vance is waiting downstairs. We spent the last four hours analyzing the digital footprints on the hospital's drug delivery systems."

Ricardo pulled a flash drive from his pocket and tossed it onto the table.

"Helena administered the lethal dosage, Travis. But you logged into the hospital network at 2:14 AM to disable the automated tamper alerts. You're not just an accessory. You're an accomplice to murder."

Travis turned pale. His hands shook as he looked around the room, searching for support among the board members. Every single one of them looked away, distancing themselves from him like he was radioactive.