Chapter 36 - Julian's Desperation
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The corporate espionage world was small, and secrets involving massive real estate permits rarely stayed hidden for long.
Inside the sleek, sterile boardroom of Vanguard Holdings, Julian Thorne was facing a crisis of his own making. His board of directors, a group of ruthless, profit-driven investors, were glaring at him across the glass table.
"Your obsession with destroying the St. Moritz has cost this company millions in failed supply chain buyouts and negative PR," the lead board member, a severe woman named Evelyn, stated coldly. "Our stock has dipped three percent this quarter."
"It is a temporary fluctuation," Julian defended himself, his jaw tight. "The St. Moritz is an anomaly. I will break them."
"You have failed to break them, Julian," Evelyn countered. "In fact, we just received intelligence from the zoning commission. Sienna Vance has filed permits for a massive restoration project on a 100-acre chateau in the countryside. She isn't just surviving; she is expanding."
Julian’s blood ran cold. "An expansion? With what capital?"
"She is leveraging the St. Moritz’s recent historic profits," Evelyn explained, tossing a file onto the table. "If she establishes a successful luxury country retreat, she secures a monopoly on the independent luxury market in this state. Vanguard will be viewed as the cheap, corporate alternative."
Julian stared at the file, his mind racing to find a counter-strategy. He could not allow Sienna to build an empire.
"Where is this chateau located?" Julian demanded.
"In the Willow Creek valley," Evelyn replied. "It is surrounded by undeveloped, private farmland."
A malicious, desperate grin slowly spread across Julian’s face.
"If she wants to build a rural paradise, she needs peace and quiet," Julian sneered, formulating a plan. "I want Vanguard to purchase every single acre of land adjacent to her chateau. We will rezone it for industrial use. Build a noisy, massive distribution warehouse right on her property line. Let's see how much luxury her guests feel when they wake up to the sound of eighteen-wheelers backing up at dawn."
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The board members looked at each other, acknowledging the ruthless brilliance of the tactic.
"Do it quickly, Julian," Evelyn warned. "Or we will find a CEO who can."
