Chapter 9: The Boardroom Ambush**
The top floor of the Vance Global Tower in Manhattan was packed with anxiety. Board members in thousand-dollar suits whispered nervously, while Senator Sterling sat at the head of the conference table, his face flushed with indignation. Victoria sat beside him, arms crossed, tapping her high heels impatiently. Marcus Vance paced the perimeter like a nervous hyena.
“If Julian Vance does not arrive in five minutes,” Senator Sterling boomed, slamming his hand on the glass table, “I will withdraw all political support and short Vance Global stock by forty percent!”
“Julian will be here, Senator,” Marcus said quickly, masking a predatory smirk. “And if he is mentally unfit to lead, as his bizarre behavior last night suggests, I am prepared to step in as interim CEO.”
The heavy mahogany double doors swung open.
Julian stepped into the room, impeccably dressed in a tailored charcoal three-piece suit. The aura of cold, commanding power surrounding him instantly silenced the entire room. But he wasn't alone.
Walking beside him, her head held high with undeniable elegance, was Clara. She was dressed in a simple yet stunning emerald-green designer sheath dress, her hair flowing in soft, natural waves over her shoulders. Holding her left hand was four-year-old Leo, looking sharp in a small navy blazer.
A collective gasp echoed across the boardroom. Several older board members leaped to their feet in sheer terror, knocking chairs backward.
“My God…” one elderly director stammered. “Clara? Is that… a ghost?”
Victoria turned ghostly pale, her mouth falling open. Marcus stopped pacing instantly, the color draining from his face until he looked like a walking corpse.
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“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen,” Julian announced, his voice echoing with absolute authority. “Allow me to re-introduce the true First Lady of Vance Global… and my sole legal heir, Leo Vance.”
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