Part 8
The boardroom erupted into chaos.
Board members were shouting, flipping through the pages of the binder which contained certified police records, biometric verification failures, and forensic accounting reports.
"This can't be true," old Mr. Abernathy whispered, a long-time ally of my father. He looked up at Thomas with deep disgust. "Graham... is this true?"
"Of course it isn't!" Thomas yelled, his face turning a dangerous shade of red. "She forged these documents! She’s trying to seize control of the company because she knows Harrington Luxe is about to eclipse Vale International!"
He pointed a shaking finger at me.
"I have the proxy votes of the minority shareholders! I represent forty-five percent of the voting power in this room! You cannot remove me!"
"You had forty-five percent," I corrected him calmly, leaning slightly against the table. "Until forty-five minutes ago."
Marcus stepped forward, placing his tablet on the center of the table and activating the main display screen.
A live video feed connected.
To everyone's surprise, Vivian’s face appeared on the screen.
She was sitting in what looked like a airport lounge, her eyes red from crying, holding a document of her own.
"Vivian?" Thomas gasped, his voice failing him. "What are you doing?"
"Saving myself, Thomas," Vivian said, her voice shaking but resolute through the speaker. "Ms. Vale, I have signed the affidavit. I have handed over all the digital keys to the shadow accounts Thomas used to transfer the Vale Trust funds. I didn't know he stole his identity, I swear it. I thought he was just hiding assets from the tax authorities."
"You traitorous bitch!" Thomas roared, lunging toward the screen, but Marcus instantly stepped in his way, grabbing his shoulder and forcing him back into his chair with terrifying strength.
"Sit down, Mr. Vance," Marcus said coldly.
Vivian continued, ignoring Thomas’s rage. "I have also returned the proxy shares that Thomas transferred to my name last month. They belong back with the Vale main estate."
The screen went black.
I looked around the room at the board members.
The realization had finally set in for all of them.
The man they had trusted to lead the merger was a criminal fraud who had just been completely dismantled in less than ten minutes.
"The guardianship and corporate stability clause in my marriage contract has been officially triggered," I stated, my voice echoing in the silent room. "As of this moment, Thomas Vance is stripped of all titles, all shares, and all association with Vale International Holdings and its subsidiaries."
I looked at him, offering a final, merciless smile.
"And pursuant to the clause, you have legally waived all parental rights to my children. You are a stranger to them, Thomas. You are a stranger to this company. And you are a stranger to me."
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Thomas sat frozen, his jaw slack, staring at the binders on the table.
The world he had meticulously built out of lies and stolen names had completely collapsed around him, leaving him buried under the rubble.
