Chapter 3: The Boardroom Slaughter
Chapter 3: The Boardroom Slaughter
By 11:45 AM, Whitmore Industries was in absolute panic. Andrew burst through the glass doors of his corporate headquarters, looking disheveled, his tie crooked and sweat beading on his forehead.
"Where is the board?!" he screamed at a terrified receptionist.
He stormed into the executive conference room. The twelve members of his board of directors were already seated, but none of them looked at him. They were staring intently at the empty chair at the head of the table—Andrew’s chair.
"Listen to me!" Andrew slammed his hands on the table. "This is a temporary liquidity issue! I am speaking to our legal team right now. We are going to sue Aegis Financial for breach of contract! Nobody panic!"
"There is no breach of contract, Mr. Whitmore," a cold, smooth voice rang out from the doorway.
Every head turned. Andrew froze, the blood draining completely from his face.
Mariana stood in the doorway, flanked by four elite corporate lawyers. She looked nothing like the woman he had slapped last night. She looked like a queen stepping into her domain.
"Mariana?" Andrew breathed, confusion masking his panic. "What are you doing here? How did you get past security? Get out of here before I have you arrested!"
"Arrested?" Mariana chuckled softly, the sound sending a chill through the room. She walked confidently to the head of the table. "On what grounds? Trespassing in my own building?"
"Your building?" Andrew scoffed, though his voice wavered. "You're insane."
One of Mariana's lawyers stepped forward, placing a stack of documents on the table. "Gentlemen, allow me to introduce Mariana Escalante, sole heir to the Escalante Group and, as of 8:00 AM this morning, the owner of 74% of Whitmore Industries' debt, which has now been converted into majority equity due to default."
The board members gasped.
Andrew stumbled backward, hitting the whiteboard. "Escalante? No. No, your family owns a small hardware store in Texas..."
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"My grandfather owned a hardware store," Mariana corrected smoothly, sitting down in Andrew's chair. "My father owns the steel mills, the logistics networks, and the private equity firms that literally built your pathetic illusion of a company. I kept you afloat, Andrew. I paid your debts. And now, I’m calling them in."
She looked at him, her eyes devoid of any warmth. "You are hereby removed as CEO, effective immediately. Security will escort you off the premises."
