Chapter 4 - The Puppet Master
The forty-fourth floor board room was dead silent.
Preston sat at the center of the mahogany conference table, flanked by his chief financial officer and legal counsel. Across from him sat Samuel Archer and three federal forensic investigators from the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Evelyn sat at the head of the table. She was no longer playing the quiet heiress; she sat in her father's chair, absolute power radiating from her presence.
"What is the meaning of this, Evelyn?" Preston demanded, trying to maintain his authoritative posture, though sweat glistened along his hairline. "You called an emergency executive session behind my back?"
"I didn't call it behind your back, Preston," Evelyn said calmly, opening a leather binder. "You were invited. You're here."
Samuel Archer stood up, placing a series of legal documents before each board member present.
"As of eight o'clock this morning," Samuel announced, "Whitaker Global Holdings has formally executed Section 4B of the corporate bylaws. Due to unauthorized offshore account transfers exceeding ten million dollars, CEO Preston Rhodes's operational signatures have been suspended pending a full forensic audit."
Preston slammed his hand on the table. "This is absurd! I am the CEO of this company! Harrison Whitaker appointed me!"
"My father appointed you to manage his business, Preston," Evelyn said, her voice dropping into an icy register that cut through the room. "He did not appoint you to embezzle company funds to purchase oceanfront villas in Coronado for your administrative assistant."
The room collectively gasped. The outside board members exchanged shocked, furious glances.
Preston’s face drained of all color. "Evelyn... you don't know what you're talking about. Those transfers were legitimate property acquisitions—"
"Through Aegean Blue LLC?" Evelyn interrupted, sliding a photograph across the table. It was a high-resolution surveillance photo of Preston and Brooke standing on the balcony of the Coronado mansion, holding champagne glasses. Attached to it was the fake wedding certificate.
"You held a commitment ceremony with Brooke Ellison using four million dollars of my son's trust money," Evelyn said coldly. "You bought her Cartier necklaces while my son waited five hours for his father to come home for his fifth birthday."
Preston looked around the room, desperately searching for support among the board members he thought he controlled. But every face returned only disgust and disdain.
"Evelyn, please," Preston stammered, his voice cracking as his carefully constructed façade shattered into pieces. "We can talk about this in private. This is a family matter—"
"This was a family matter until you stole from Whitaker Development," Evelyn declared, standing up slowly. "As majority shareholder controlling ninety-two percent of voting stock, I hereby remove you from all operational duties effective immediately. Security will escort you from the premises. Your corporate cards have been revoked. Your company vehicle has been repossessed."
"You can't do this!" Preston yelled, rising from his chair. "I made this company what it is!"
"My father built this castle, Preston," Evelyn whispered, leaning over the table so only he could hear her. "You were just the fool he hired to clean the floors."
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Two tall, stern security officers stepped into the boardroom, standing behind Preston’s chair.
For the first time in his life, Preston Rhodes realized he owned nothing.
