Chapter 4 - THE CORPORATE TAKEOVEREleanor sat behind her desk when Victoria entered.
Her legal team surrounded her.
For the first time, none of them looked confident.
Victoria placed a folder on the desk.
“You should read this.”
Eleanor pushed it away.
“You can't take my company.”
“I already did.”
“You're my daughter!”
“And you're under federal investigation.”
Eleanor laughed bitterly.
“You think money makes you powerful?”
“No.”
Victoria leaned forward.
“Information does.”
She opened another folder.
Inside were records of offshore accounts.
Secret transfers.
Bribery payments.
Forged medical documents.
Illegal acquisitions.
Threats against employees.
Property seizures.
Decades of evidence.
Eleanor stared.
“Where did you get these?”
“From people who were terrified of you.”
Victoria paused.
“They're not terrified anymore.”
Eleanor slammed her fist onto the desk.
“I built Vance Industries!”
“Yes.”
Victoria's expression hardened.
“You built it by destroying everyone who stood beneath you.”
The company's chief financial officer entered.
“Ms. Vance, the board has voted.”
Eleanor stared at him.
“Against me?”
He lowered his eyes.
“Unanimously.”
Her lips trembled.
“You cowards.”
The CFO didn't respond.
Victoria stood.
“Your accounts are frozen.”
“You can't.”
“Your properties are under legal seizure.”
“No.”
“Your board has been replaced.”
Eleanor's breathing became shallow.
“And your personal assets are being reviewed.”
The room fell silent.
Eleanor looked at her daughter.
“You planned this.”
Victoria nodded.
“For years.”
That answer hurt more than anything else.
Because Eleanor finally understood.
May you like
Victoria had not come to save Mia by accident.
She had come prepared.
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