Chapter 7 - The Boardroom Coup
At 7:58 the next morning, the Solmere Holdings board believed Charlotte Vale was gone.
At 8:01, she walked through the boardroom doors.
Every conversation stopped.
Malcolm Voss stood at the head of the table.
Vivian sat two chairs away.
Daniel was nowhere to be seen.
Charlotte wore a black suit borrowed from Ethan’s emergency wardrobe.
The bruise on her face remained visible.
She wanted everyone to see it.
Malcolm recovered first.
“Charlotte.”
“You look disappointed.”
“This is a private meeting.”
Charlotte smiled.
“In my company?”
A board member cleared his throat.
“Miss Vale, there are questions regarding your legal status.”
“My legal status?”
Malcolm placed documents on the table.
“Your mother established a competency provision.”
Charlotte frowned.
“If a direct heir becomes mentally incapable of managing the estate, temporary control may pass to trustees.”
Charlotte understood immediately.
The public incident in the lobby.
The fake reports.
The headlines calling her unstable.
It had all been preparation.
“You manufactured a psychiatric crisis.”
Malcolm remained composed.
“We have medical opinions.”
“You have bribed doctors.”
Vivian suddenly spoke.
“Do you have proof?”
Charlotte looked at her.
“Do you?”
Vivian’s expression hardened.
Malcolm continued.
“A vote has been called.”
Charlotte walked toward the table.
“No vote is happening.”
“You no longer control the agenda.”
Charlotte placed a folder in front of him.
Malcolm opened it.
His face changed.
Inside were transfer records from Solmere accounts to Cross Heritage Group.
Several directors leaned forward.
Charlotte looked around the table.
“Seven hundred and forty-two million dollars.”
Silence.
“That is what disappeared during Malcolm Voss’s time as acting chairman.”
Malcolm closed the folder.
“These documents are fabricated.”
Charlotte placed another file beside it.
“Then perhaps the auditors can explain them.”
Two men entered the room.
Representatives from a major forensic accounting firm.
Malcolm stood.
“You had no authority to hire them.”
Charlotte smiled.
“I hired them six months ago.”
Malcolm froze.
“My mother and I began investigating missing funds before she died.”
That was partly a bluff.
But Malcolm didn’t know that.
Charlotte watched him carefully.
Vivian looked shaken.
This was the first evidence that Daniel and Malcolm might have hidden financial information from her.
Charlotte turned to the directors.
“Anyone who votes to remove me today will be considered a participant in the attempted concealment of corporate theft.”
Nobody moved.
Malcolm’s face reddened.
“You cannot threaten the board.”
“I’m not threatening anyone.”
Charlotte looked at each director.
“I’m giving everyone a chance to choose the correct side before federal investigators arrive.”
That was another bluff.
For now.
Malcolm closed his laptop.
“This meeting is adjourned.”
“No.”
Charlotte remained standing.
“I’m calling a different vote.”
Malcolm stared at her.
“Effective immediately, I move to suspend Malcolm Voss from all Solmere properties pending an independent investigation.”
One director raised his hand.
Then another.
Then three more.
Malcolm looked around in disbelief.
Vivian slowly stood.
Charlotte expected her to defend him.
Instead, Vivian walked toward the door.
“Vivian.”
Malcolm’s voice became sharp.
She stopped.
“You told me the money was being protected.”
Malcolm’s face changed.
Vivian looked at Charlotte.
“Ask your uncle about Geneva.”
Then she left.
Charlotte followed her into the hall.
“What’s in Geneva?”
Vivian pressed the elevator button.
“If I tell you, Daniel will kill me.”
“He already plans to.”
Vivian looked at her.
For the first time, the arrogance was gone.
Only fear remained.
“You don’t understand.”
The elevator doors opened.
Vivian stepped inside.
“Daniel didn’t just kill your mother.”
Charlotte froze.
May you like
Vivian lowered her voice.
“He killed your father too.”
