Chapter 8 - The Public Reckoning
"Thomas Vance, you are under arrest for attempted murder and grand larceny," Detective Miller announced, his voice booming over the chatter. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law."
Before Thomas could recover enough to speak, the detectives moved in. They yanked his arms behind his back, the sharp *click-clack* of the handcuffs echoing like a gunshot through the room.
"Victoria! Wait! Talk to me!" Thomas pleaded, his face contorted in sheer, unadulterated panic as the officers twisted him around. "We can settle this! It was a mistake! Think of the family name! Think of your father's legacy!"
"My father’s legacy was built on honor, grit, and loyalty," I said, stepping right up to him, looking down into his desperate, watering eyes. "You were just a parasite who mistook my patience for weakness."
As the officers dragged Thomas toward the private elevators, I turned to the stunned board of directors. Men who had spent the last two years patronizing me, assuming Thomas ran the empire while I merely attended charity luncheons, were now staring at me with a mixture of reverence and mortal terror.
"Gentlemen," I said, taking my rightful seat at the head of the mahogany table, folding my hands neatly in front of me. "As majority owner of seventy-two percent of the voting equity, I am officially terminating Thomas Vance from all executive capacities, effective immediately. Furthermore, I am initiating a complete forensic audit of every department. Anyone who aided, abetted, or turned a blind eye to Thomas's embezzlement will be terminated and prosecuted by sunset."
No one breathed. No one objected.
"Now," I continued, glancing at the stack of agendas, "let us discuss the press conference scheduled for noon."
Two hours later, the lobby of Vance Tower was packed wall-to-wall with every major news outlet in the country. Television cameras flashed relentlessly beneath the vaulted glass ceiling.
I stood before the battery of microphones, composed, radiant, and utterly merciless.
"Earlier today," I addressed the nation, "former CEO Thomas Vance was arrested for the attempted murder of myself and the systematic embezzlement of our corporate funds. Let me be unequivocally clear: Vance Enterprises will not hide behind settlements, non-disclosure agreements, or corporate shields. We are releasing the full surveillance footage, the toxicology reports, and the financial audits directly to the public domain."
A collective gasp swept through the press corps as my team distributed the press kits containing Chloe’s confession and the video proof.
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"To our shareholders, our clients, and our employees: the rot has been excised," I stated, looking straight down the barrel of the main network camera. "The house of Vance stands unbroken. And from this moment forward, I am taking personal control as Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer."
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