Chapter 9 - The Fall of the Crown Prince
The federal agents moved with mechanical precision, ignoring the gasps and frantic murmurs of the board members as they flanked Marcus on both sides. Marcus stood frozen, his face turning an unhealthy shade of grey as the heavy steel cuffs were clicked securely around his manicured wrists.
"You can't do this!" Marcus snarled, trying to pull away, his usual elegance completely shattered. "Do you know who I am? I am the executive vice president of Vanguard Global! This is a hostile setup by a senile old woman and a street cleaner!"
"Mr. Vance, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law," the lead agent recited emotionlessly, turning him around and guiding him firmly toward the exit.
As Marcus was dragged down the central aisle, he caught Mei-Ling’s eye one last time. His expression twisted from fear into a mask of pure, venomous hatred.
"You think you won?" Marcus hissed loudly as he passed her, his voice echoing off the glass dome. "The board doesn't want a janitor running a billion-dollar empire. They'll eat you alive before the week is over!"
The heavy double doors slammed shut behind him, cutting off his voice and leaving the auditorium in a heavy, fragile silence. Eleanor exhaled a long, shaky breath, leaning heavily on her cane as she walked up to the dais and took her rightful seat at the center of the table.
Robert Sterling stood up, clearing his throat nervously before addressing the remaining board members. "In light of recent federal actions and the verified identity of Miss Mei-Ling Vance as the legitimate direct heir, I move that we suspend all current liquidation measures and place executive transition planning under the direct supervision of Madam Eleanor and her granddaughter."
"All in favor?" Eleanor asked, her voice ringing out with absolute clarity.
Forty-five hands shot up instantly across the tiered rows. Not a single hand remained down. The vote was unanimous.
Mei-Ling stood at the center of the dais, looking out over the sea of powerful executives who had ignored her existence just hours before. The weight of the jade pendant against her chest felt heavier now, not as a secret token of survival, but as an anchor for a massive corporate empire.
"Thank you," Mei-Ling said, stepping up to the microphone. Her voice was steady, calm, and filled with an unexpected authority. "Effective immediately, our first order of business will be a complete forensic audit of every subsidiary, and an immediate restoration of all community foundation grants that were improperly diverted."
As the board members began applauding respectfully, Mei-Ling's phone buzzed aggressively in her pocket once more. She pulled it out, expecting another threat from Marcus's associates. Instead, it was an urgent video call request from her adoptive mother, Mrs. Chen.
May you like
Mei-Ling swiped to answer, and the screen lit up with a terrifying view of black smoke billowing through the front windows of their family bakery in Tacoma.
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