Chapter 17 - The board's betrayal
Before Maya could process the staggering revelation, the heavy oak doors of the study were pushed open without warning. Arthur Weston, dressed in a sharp charcoal three-piece suit, strode into the room, flanked by Harlan Vance and four armed private bailiffs wearing county court insignia.
Arthur wore a look of patronizing sympathy, though his eyes gleamed with triumphant cruelty. "Cousin Garrett," Arthur said smoothly, pausing at the edge of the conference table. "I apologize for the intrusion, but the board of directors could not wait for your morning briefing."
Garrett stepped in front of Maya and Margaret, his voice dropping into a lethal, commanding register. "You are trespassing on private residential property, Arthur. Marcus, escort them off the grounds immediately."
"Marcus cannot help you today, Garrett," Harlan Vance intervened, stepping forward and laying a thick, blue-backed legal document on the mahogany surface. "This is an emergency judicial order issued by the probate court an hour ago. Given Madison’s formal sworn deposition regarding the toxic substances discovered at the estate, combined with the digital logs proving foundation accounts purchased those compounds, your executive power as CEO has been temporarily suspended."
"You used Madison to poison my mother," Garrett snarled, taking a threatening step toward Vance. "I have the chemical analysis that links the compound directly to Project Beacon!"
Arthur chuckled, adjusting his silk tie. "Project Beacon was your father's initiative, dear cousin. And according to the corporate governance charter, if the acting chief executive is implicated in an investigation regarding elder abuse or financial embezzlement against a principal shareholder, authority transfers automatically to the vice-chairman." Arthur tapped his own chest with a smirk. "Which means I am now the acting chairman of Weston Enterprises."
Vance turned his gaze toward Maya, his eyes cold and predatory. "And as for the banquet waitress who has somehow managed to embed herself in this family’s most confidential affairs... there is a bench warrant out for your arrest."
Maya did not flinch. She stood up tall, meeting Vance’s icy stare without a trace of fear. "On what grounds, Mr. Vance?"
"Accessing restricted corporate files, grand larceny involving proprietary family documents, and complicity in the systematic drugging of Margaret Weston," Vance declared smoothly. "The officers outside are here to take you into custody."
May you like
"Over my dead body," Garrett growled, stepping forward, his fists clenched.
"No, Garrett," Maya said quietly, placing a steadying hand on his arm. She looked Arthur and Vance directly in the eye, her expression astonishingly calm. "Let them take me."
