By eight o'clock the following morning, the sun was shining brightly over the downtown financial district. The massive glass skyscraper of Sterling Financial towered over the surrounding city streets. Brandon arrived at the front entrance in a dirty, yellow taxi cab. His expensive suit was crumpled and stained, his hair was uncombed, and dark red rings surrounded his bloodshot eyes. He had spent the entire night sleeping on a stiff chair in a budget hotel near the highway.
Brandon: Get out of my way! I need to get to the top floor right now!
He pushed past the security guards in the lobby, but two large men in uniform stepped directly into his path, blocking the silver elevators.
Security Guard: I am sorry, sir. Your security access badge was deactivated at midnight.
Brandon: Do you know who I am? I am the Chief Executive Officer of this entire building!
Security Guard: Not anymore, Mr. Sterling. We have strict orders from the new board of directors.
Brandon: Let me go up! I need to talk to my wife!
Before the situation could turn violent, the chief legal counsel, Mark, walked out of the private executive elevator. He looked tired and pale, holding a thin tablet in his hand. He gestured for the security guards to step back slightly.
Mark: Let him through, guys. He has a right to attend the special shareholder meeting on the fiftieth floor.
Brandon: Thank you, Mark! Tell these idiots who really owns this firm!
Mark: Keep your voice down, Brandon. You are not going up there as the boss. You are going up there as a minority stakeholder about to be voted out.
Brandon stopped in his tracks, looking at Mark with utter confusion. He followed the lawyer into the smooth silver elevator cab. The doors closed silently, and the elevator began its fast ascent toward the top floor of the skyscraper. Brandon wiped his sweaty palms against his trousers.
Brandon: We can turn this around, Mark. We will sue her for fraud! She hid her identity from me!
Mark: There was no fraud, Brandon. Every disclosure document was signed by your late father four years ago. It is all completely legal and clean.
Brandon: But she was my wife! We were married in a church!
Mark: And she filed for a full legal separation yesterday afternoon. Her legal team is asking for a complete division of corporate property based on pre-existing ownership structures.
The elevator chimed softly as it reached the fiftieth floor. The doors slid open to reveal the grand corporate reception area. Thick glass walls looked out over the entire city skyline. Sitting at the long mahogany table inside the main boardroom were twelve senior executives and corporate directors. At the head of the long table sat Victoria.
She looked breathtakingly beautiful and completely in control. She was wearing a sharp, dark navy business suit with her dark hair pulled back into a neat bun. A thick silver pen rested between her slender fingers. On either side of her sat top corporate lawyers from the city's most powerful legal firms.
Brandon: Victoria! What is the meaning of this circus?
Victoria: Good morning, Brandon. You are five minutes late for the emergency board meeting.
Brandon: Emergency meeting? You cannot hold a meeting without my written permission!
Victoria: As the holder of eighty-five percent of the voting equity, I can call a special session at any time. Please take a seat so we can begin the voting process.