The following morning, the sun broke sharply across the mahogany boardroom table on the top floor of Vance Tower.
Seven board members sat in heavy leather chairs, murmuring among themselves as the clock struck nine.
At the head of the table sat Ethan's stepbrother, Richard Vance, adjusting his silk tie with a smug, self-satisfied grin.
Richard: Since my brother Ethan has failed to produce a valid marriage certificate by nine o'clock, the grandfather trust clause is officially void.
Board Member Collins: The bylaws are clear, Richard. Without the marriage verification, executive voting shares transfer to the secondary trustee.
Richard: Exactly. Which means I am officially moving to approve the merger with Ross Capital effective immediately.
The heavy boardroom doors clicked open, and Ethan stepped into the room wearing an immaculate charcoal three-piece suit.
Beside him walked Mark Stevens, holding a thick red leather folder stamped with the seal of the county probate court.
Richard: Ethan? You're late. The proxy transfer has already begun.
Ethan: Cancel the vote, Richard. You're not transferring a single share of this company today.
Richard: On what grounds, little brother? You're unmarried. You didn't meet our grandfather's estate condition.
Ethan: Grandfather's trust had two conditions, Richard. You always conveniently forgot the second one.
Ethan tossed the red folder onto the center of the polished wood table.
Richard: What is this nonsense?
Mark: That is an emergency injunction from the state supreme court, Mr. Vance.
Richard: Who the hell are you? Security, remove this vagrant from our corporate boardroom!
Ethan: Security works for me now, Richard. I fired your private firm at midnight.
Ethan stepped to the head of the table, leaning over his stepbrother with unyielding authority.
Ethan: Section four, subsection B of grandfather’s will states: 'If any beneficiary attempts to trigger the secondary proxy through fraudulent inducement, conspiracy, or criminal deceit, their rights are permanently forfeited.'
Richard’s smile faltered, a bead of sweat forming near his hairline.
Richard: Criminal deceit? What are you accusing me of?
Ethan: Julian Ross was arrested at four o'clock this morning at O’Hare Airport trying to board a chartered flight to Dubai.
The boardroom erupted into stunned gasps as board members sat up straight in their seats.
Richard: That has nothing to do with me! Julian’s personal business is his own!
Ethan: Julian spent the last four hours singing like a canary to the FBI, Richard. He gave them the recorded phone calls where you planned Chloe’s entire entrance into my life.
Richard slammed his palms onto the table, his face turning an angry shade of purple.
Richard: He’s lying! He’s trying to cut a plea deal at my expense!
Mark: Then how do you explain the three-million-dollar wire transfer sent from your offshore shell account to Julian’s escrow firm last Friday?
Ethan slid a financial audit sheet right in front of Board Member Collins.
Board Member Collins: Good god, Richard. This transaction came directly from the company operating budget.
Ethan: Embezzlement, corporate fraud, and criminal conspiracy against an estate beneficiary.
The boardroom side doors opened, and two federal agents in dark trench coats stepped inside, showing their badges to the board.
Agent Miller: Richard Vance? Step away from the table, please. You are under arrest for federal securities fraud and wire tampering.
Richard stumbled out of his chair, backing away toward the glass windows just as Chloe had done the night before.
Richard: Ethan! Tell them this is a family misunderstanding! You can’t let them drag me out of here in handcuffs!
Ethan: You were never my family, Richard. You were just a parasite waiting for my grandfather to die.
The agents clamped the steel cuffs around Richard’s wrists and led him out into the executive lobby as the entire boardroom watched in stunned silence.
Ethan took his seat at the head of the table, his posture tall, commanding, and absolute.
Ethan: Now then, gentlemen. Let’s discuss the future of Vance Holdings without the Ross Capital merger.