Chapter 7 - The Downfall of Uncle MartinThe boardroom descended into absolute pandemonium. Senior partners shoved the damning financial portfolios back and forth, pointing at the transaction logs and shaking their heads in disgust. Vanguard Industries prided itself on ruthless corporate efficiency, but internal theft, embezzlement, and conspiracy against the majority shareholder crossed every ethical boundary the board stood for.

Uncle Martin sank heavily back into his chair, his imposing facade completely shattered, sweat beading across his forehead as he realized he had walked straight into a guillotine of his own making.
"These documents are forged!" Martin shrieked, pointing a trembling finger at Clara. "Brought in by some low-level maid he's sleeping with! You can't trust a word coming out of their mouths!"
"Watch your tongue, Martin," I said, my voice dropping an octave into a cold, menacing register that shut him up instantly. "Clara is no longer a maid. She is the Chief Executive Administrative Liaison of this corporation, and her integrity is worth considerably more than your entire career."
I turned my attention to the senior-most independent director sitting across from me, Arthur Pendelton. "Arthur, as head of the ethics and compliance committee, what is the protocol when an executive officer is implicated in corporate embezzlement and conspiracy?"
Arthur adjusted his glasses, looking grimly down at the financial logs before looking up to meet my eyes. "Immediate suspension of all executive privileges, freezing of all corporate assets, and an immediate referral to the federal prosecutor's office for criminal indictment."
"So moved," another director called out instantly.
"Seconded," a third board member added without hesitation.
"The motion carries unanimously," Arthur declared, banging his gavel sharply against the wooden block. He looked directly at my uncle. "Martin Vanguard, you are stripped of all titles, voting rights, and board privileges effective immediately. Security will escort you from the building."
Before Martin could open his mouth to protest, two federal marshals—who had been waiting quietly outside the glass doors at Marcus’s request—stepped into the boardroom. They didn't bother arguing; they walked straight behind Martin, slapped heavy steel handcuffs around his wrists, and hauled him out of his chair while he babbled incoherent threats about ruining everyone in the room.
The heavy glass doors clicked shut behind him, leaving an eerie, profound silence in the executive suite.
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I leaned forward, resting my hands flat on the mahogany table, looking around the room at the remaining directors who suddenly looked very small and very compliant.
"Now that the house has been thoroughly cleaned," I said smoothly, "let us discuss our third-quarter growth projections."
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