Chapter 13 - LET THEM THINK THEY WON
At 7:58 a.m., Sophie entered the boardroom.
Same stained dress.
Same tired face.
No makeup.
No attempt to hide the bruising on her shoulder.
Victor sat at the far end of the table.
He smiled.
Madison was beside the wall.
Her mother next to her.
Carter sat with two attorneys.
Thomas had his own lawyer.
Everyone looked destroyed.
Victor looked fresh.
That irritated Sophie more than it should have.
“Good morning,” he said.
“No,” Sophie replied. “It isn’t.”
Victor smiled.
The independent director leading the meeting cleared his throat.
“We are here to consider emergency governance measures following allegations concerning the Reed family and recent instability—”
“Instability caused by Victor,” Sophie said.
Victor leaned back.
“Prove it.”
Sophie placed the flash drive on the table.
Victor’s eyes dropped.
For the first time, he stopped smiling.
Sophie noticed.
So did Madison.
The attorney connected the drive to an isolated computer.
Documents filled the screen.
Ownership records.
Emails.
Payments.
Engineering reports.
A forged transfer agreement.
Victor’s signature appeared seventeen times.
Elaine covered her mouth.
Madison stared at her father.
Victor said nothing.
Rachel, Sophie’s attorney, spoke.
“The records indicate Victor Vale controlled the warehouse at the time of the fatal collapse.”
Victor finally smiled again.
“Copies.”
“Original scans.”
“Manipulated.”
“We have paper originals in secure custody.”
Victor’s smile faded.
Rachel continued.
“We also have testimony from Elaine Vale.”
Victor turned toward his ex-wife.
“You stupid woman.”
Madison stood.
“Don’t talk to her like that.”
Victor ignored her.
The board chair raised a hand.
“We need order.”
Victor looked around the room.
“This changes nothing.”
Sophie frowned.
Victor adjusted his cufflinks.
“Even if every allegation is true, Sophie Reed remains the chief executive of a company facing catastrophic reputational damage because of her own family.”
“You created that damage.”
“Public perception doesn’t care.”
He looked toward the directors.
“Markets open in ninety minutes.”
Several directors shifted nervously.
Victor saw it.
He knew fear.
He had built his career using it.
“The question is not whether you like me,” he said. “The question is whether Sophie can still lead.”
Sophie watched the room.
Nobody spoke.
Victor continued.
“I move for immediate suspension of Sophie Reed as CEO.”
Thomas raised his hand.
“Seconded.”
Sophie looked at him.
He wouldn’t meet her eyes.
The board chair began the vote.
One by one.
Yes.
No.
Yes.
Yes.
No.
Yes.
Sophie counted silently.
Victor watched her.
Smiling.
The final director voted.
The chair looked down at the result.
“Seven votes in favor. Five against.”
Madison gasped.
Victor leaned back.
“Effective immediately.”
Sophie remained still.
Daniel looked at her.
She didn’t react.
The chair continued.
“Sophie Reed is suspended as chief executive officer.”
Victor stood.
“Security can collect Ms. Reed’s access credentials.”
Madison whispered, “Sophie…”
Sophie removed her badge.
Placed it on the table.
Victor walked toward her.
“You should have listened to your father.”
Sophie looked up at him.
“About what?”
“Knowing when you’ve lost.”
She smiled.
Victor’s expression changed.
Because it was the same smile she had given Carter in the ballroom.
Calm.
Almost amused.
Sophie reached into her bag.
“I wasn’t voting as CEO.”
Victor frowned.
“What?”
“I was letting the board vote on the CEO.”
She placed a second document on the table.
“My shares belong to Reed Family Capital.”
Victor stared at it.
“So?”
“So the CEO serves the board.”
Sophie leaned closer.
“But the board serves the shareholders.”
Victor’s face went still.
“And at 6:42 this morning,” Sophie continued, “three minority shareholders signed over their proxy rights to Reed Family Capital.”
Daniel finally smiled.
Sophie looked around the table.
“I now control seventy-three percent of voting shares.”
Nobody moved.
Victor’s voice became quiet.
“What did you do?”
May you like
Sophie looked at the seven directors who had voted against her.
Then she said, “I let you show me exactly who you were.”
