That evening, while the directors were viciously fighting over legal language, I walked into the boardroom completely unannounced. “Gentlemen, ladies,” I said, confidently setting my phone down on the massive table. “I have an offer.”. They stared at me in stunned silence. “You appoint me interim chair effective immediately, with full authority to restructure policy and personnel. In exchange, I keep Valiant Lux operational and retain our top investors.”.
One director nervously asked what would happen if they refused. I simply tapped my phone, casting a live feed onto the boardroom screen. Liang was visible in his Shanghai office, speaking to a room full of cameras. “If she goes, I go,” he declared, “And I’m not alone.”. I looked up at the terrified executives. “You have ten minutes to decide.”.
The boardroom was agonizingly silent, save for the ticking of the antique clock above the door. Ten chairs, ten pale faces, and one decision that would determine the company’s survival. Finally, the defeated chairman cleared his throat. “Motion on the floor. Appoint the current CEO as interim chair, granting full operational authority for 12 months.”.
But before the first vote could even be cast, the heavy doors swung dramatically open. Erica Dayne marched in. She wasn’t in red satin this time, but a sharp charcoal suit, her hair pinned tight, trying to project authority. She gripped a thick leather folder. “I have the deciding factor,” she announced loudly.
Murmurs broke out. A director snapped, “Miss Dayne, you’re not on the board.”.
“No,” Erica retorted with a venomous glare, “but I have evidence that could destroy the CEO’s credibility. If you want a way to remove her without losing investors, you’ll want to hear me out.”.
I didn’t move an inch from my seat at the head of the table. “Evidence?” I asked, my voice dangerously steady.
Erica slammed the folder onto the table, aggressively opening it to reveal printed copies of internal emails. “These show she was aware of the profiling policy long before she took action! That makes her complicit!”.
The room collectively held its breath as a few desperate directors leaned forward, hoping for a lifeline.
I stood up slowly, meticulously smoothing the sleeve of my orange blazer. “Interesting,” I noted dryly. “Except those emails are from before I acquired majority control. And under corporate bylaws, any directives issued before that date are the sole legal responsibility of the prior board.”. I tapped her useless folder. “Section 14, subsection 3, if you want to check.”.
The head legal counsel at the end of the table reviewed it and nodded slowly. “She’s correct. These documents do not implicate her under current governance law.”.
Erica’s manufactured confidence shattered. “But—”.
I cut her off with lethal precision. “Since you’ve just attempted to interfere in a confidential board vote without legal standing, I’m invoking clause 7.2 of the employee conduct charter: gross misconduct and breach of confidentiality. Effective immediately, you’re permanently barred from all Valent Lux properties and communications.”. I didn’t shout. I didn’t raise my voice. But the words landed with the finality of a guillotine.
The chairman sighed heavily, knowing they were entirely beaten. “We proceed to vote.”.
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