Chapter 8 - the council's tribunal
By 8:00 PM, the grand dining room was filled once more, but the atmosphere was entirely transformed.
The long walnut table had been cleared of business files. Seated along both sides were eight elderly men in formal dark suits—the senior bosses of the Vale Family High Council.
Standing at the foot of the table, flanked by two armed guards, was Graham Pierce. His charcoal suit was disheveled, his luxury watch stripped from his wrist, his posture devoid of its usual polished arrogance.
Sitting at the head of the table was Roman, looking broad, dark, and utterly unshakeable in his embroidered white suit. Sitting to his right was Megan, dressed in an elegant dark wool dress provided by the estate, with little Sadie sitting quietly in her lap, holding her green crayon.
Don Carmine, an eighty-year-old patriarch with sharp blue eyes and silver hair, leaned forward, reviewing the recovered land deeds and the security archives laid out before him.
"The evidence is absolute," Carmine declared, his raspy voice carrying across the silent room. "Graham Pierce engaged in grand theft of family deeds, unauthorized access to the boathouse vault, and attempted extortion against a recognized bloodline ward."
Carmine looked down at Graham with cold disdain. "Under article four of the 1922 charter, your seat on this council is revoked. Your assets within the Lombardy territory are seized by the founding trust."
Graham lifted his head, his eyes glaring at Roman with bitter, desperate hatred. "You are giving thirty percent of our northern terminals to a maid's child! She is an outsider!"
"She is Victor Vale's goddaughter's legal heir," Roman corrected, his deep voice cutting through the room like thunder. "And under my command, this house honors its blood debts."
Carmine struck a wooden gavel against the walnut table. "The tribunal is concluded. Remove him from the territory."
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The guards grabbed Graham by his arms, dragging him out through the double doors as his angry shouts faded down the long marble corridor.
The council members stood up one by one, bowing their heads respectfully to Roman, and offering a warm gesture of welcome to Megan and Sadie before filing out into the evening rain.
