The glass walls of the Vance Holdings boardroom on the top floor of the Dallas tower overlooked the shining city skyline.
Twelve senior board members sat around the long mahogany table, whispering nervously as the clock on the wall struck ten in the morning.
At the head of the table sat Richard Vance, Arthur's uncle and the chief legal counsel for the firm.
Richard: Where is Evelyn? She specifically called this emergency meeting to discuss the corporate restructuring.
Board Member 1: And where is Arthur? I heard his wife was admitted to the emergency room earlier this morning.
The heavy double doors of the boardroom swung open with a loud thud.
Arthur walked into the room wearing his dark suit, his shirt collar slightly undone, his eyes bloodshot but filled with unshakeable determination.
Behind him came Evelyn, her face pale, flanked by two private security officers who stood near the entrance.
Richard: Arthur! Evelyn! What is going on here? Why are security guards standing at our door?
Evelyn: Ignore my son, Richard! He is suffering from severe emotional distress right now. I am taking control of this meeting.
Arthur: Sit down, Evelyn. You don't hold the floor anymore.
Evelyn: I am the CEO of Vance Holdings!
Arthur: Not after today. Uncle Richard, plug this drive into the master projector.
Arthur tossed the silver thumb drive onto the middle of the polished mahogany table.
Richard: What is on this drive, Arthur?
Arthur: The complete, unedited forensic audit of our offshore holding accounts for the past five years, prepared by my wife, Clara Vance.
Evelyn: Don't touch that drive, Richard! It contains classified company secrets that Arthur stole from my office!
Arthur: It contains proof that my mother embezzled fifty-two million dollars from the family trust fund to pay off her illegal real estate debts in Europe!
Gasps erupted around the boardroom as several board members stood up from their chairs.
Board Member 2: Fifty-two million dollars?! Evelyn, is this true?!
Evelyn: It's a lie! A complete fabrication made by his gold-digging wife!
Arthur: My wife is currently in the Dallas intensive care unit with two broken legs and severe internal bruising!
The room went completely silent. Richard looked at Arthur in utter shock.
Richard: What did you just say, Arthur? Clara was attacked?
Arthur: My mother hired two thugs to break into our guest home last night. She ordered them to crush Clara's legs so she couldn't present this audit to the board today!
Evelyn: That is slander! You have no proof of such a heinous accusation!
Arthur: Richard, press play on file number three on that drive.
Richard inserted the drive into his laptop, clicking the second video file. The large projector screen on the wall flickered to life.
Clear, high-definition security footage played on the wall. It showed the exterior of the garden house from the night before.
Two men in dark jackets stood near the porch while Evelyn Vance stood directly beside them, pointing toward the door. Her voice echoed through the high-quality speakers of the boardroom.
Evelyn's Voice On Video: "Break her legs. Make sure she can't stand or walk for a month. I don't care how much it hurts her[cite: 1]."
The entire boardroom gasped in terror. Evelyn backed up against the wall, her lips trembling as twelve pairs of furious eyes locked onto her.
Richard: Dear God, Evelyn... what have you done?