Chapter 4 - Shadows of the Past
The conference room on the fortieth floor of Vance Enterprises was dead silent, save for the hum of the air conditioning. Richard sat at the head of the sleek glass table, surrounded by board members whose expressions ranged from polite discomfort to outright hostility. Across from him sat Marcus Vance Sr., his aging uncle and the company's chairman, whose eyes were heavy with disappointment. On the projection screen behind them, a series of sensationalized headlines flashed across the display—fabricated stories detailing Richard’s alleged mental instability, erratic domestic behavior, and unfitness as a father. It was a smear campaign designed by experts, funded by hidden accounts, and executed with surgical precision. “Richard, the board has a fiduciary duty to protect the company's public image,” Marcus said gravely, breaking the suffocating silence. “Until these domestic disputes are settled and your stability is proven, we have no choice but to vote on a temporary suspension of your CEO duties.” Richard looked around the table, recognizing the bought-and-paid-for expressions of board members who had been quietly co-opted by Catherine’s social network during his years of distraction. He let out a cold, humorless chuckle, standing up and buttoning his suit jacket. “You think this is about my stability? You’re handing the keys of this empire to a woman who treats a seven-year-old child like a domestic servant,” Richard said, his voice echoing off the glass walls. He tossed a manila folder onto the center of the table—a folder containing unsealed financial disclosures and hidden wire transfers he had managed to pull late last night. “Before you vote on my suspension, I suggest you look at where Catherine has been redirecting our philanthropic foundation funds for the past three years.” The color drained from several board members' faces as they opened the folder, revealing offshore accounts linked directly to Catherine's private registry. As the room erupted into murmurs of panic, Richard walked out of the boardroom, knowing this was only the first skirmish in an all-out war.
