Brandon walked slowly toward the empty chair at the far end of the mahogany table. His knees felt weak and shaky. Every single board member looked at him with cold, detached expressions. These were men who had clapped for him at dinners and laughed at his jokes for years. Now, none of them would even look him in the eye.
Brandon: You think you can just march in here and steal my life's work?
Victoria: Your life's work? You spent the last three years taking long vacations and spending corporate funds on sports cars.
Brandon: I was leading this company! I was making the high-level decisions!
Victoria: Every successful strategy this company executed was written by me while you were at the golf course.
She opened a thick black folder resting on the polished table before her. She slid a single sheet of white paper across the wood toward Brandon. The document contained rows of figures, official stamps, and signature lines at the bottom.
Victoria: This is the formal audit of Sterling Financial. It shows that you personally authorized over four million dollars in unauthorized corporate loans to fund your personal lifestyle.
Brandon: That was my compensation package as Chief Executive!
Victoria: A package that was never approved by the compensation board. That constitutes corporate embezzlement, Brandon.
Brandon felt the room spin around him. The air seemed thick and hard to breathe. He looked around the table at the faces of the directors, searching for a single person who would speak up to defend him.
Brandon: Thomas! You were my father's best friend! Tell her she cannot do this!
Thomas: I am sorry, Brandon. Victoria presented the bank statements this morning. The numbers do not lie. You ran this firm into the ground while she kept the lights on.
Brandon: You are all traitors! Every single one of you!
Victoria: Let us proceed to the first motion on the agenda. Motion to immediately remove Brandon Sterling from his position as Chief Executive Officer and member of the board of directors.
She raised her right hand smoothly. Every single director at the long table raised their hand along with her without a second of hesitation. Brandon sat frozen in his chair, watching his entire authority evaporate in less than ten seconds.
Victoria: The motion carries unanimously. Brandon, you are officially terminated from Sterling Financial.
Brandon: You cannot fire me! My name is on the front of the building!
Victoria: The sign on the building will be replaced by noon today. The firm is being absorbed into Vance Global Assets.
Brandon stood up so fast his chair fell backward, hitting the floor with a loud thud. He slammed his open palms down on the table, leaning forward toward Victoria with red, wild eyes.
Brandon: I will sue you for every single penny you have! I am your husband! I am entitled to half of your net worth!
Victoria: All Vance Global assets are held in an irrevocable offshore trust created before our wedding. You have zero legal claim to a single cent of my family's money.
Brandon: Then I will fight you in family court! I will make this divorce the messiest case in the history of this city!
Victoria: You are welcome to try. But while you do that, my legal team will be filing formal criminal charges for corporate fraud and theft against you with the district attorney.