Chương 7 - the board's ultimatum
At 2:00 PM, the top-floor boardroom of Blackwood Enterprises in downtown Chicago was filled with twelve senior board members in formal dark suits. High above the city streets, the glass walls offered a panoramic view of the skyline.
Sitting at the head of the conference table was Ethan, his posture regal, dark, and unshakeable. Sitting to his right was Richard Blackwood.
Standing near the glass wall, flanked by two corporate attorneys, was Victoria's father—Arthur Hale, a wealthy, ruthless sixty-five-year-old board member with slick gray hair and an expensive pinstriped suit.
"This is unacceptable, Ethan!" Arthur shouted, slamming a leather folder onto the glass table. "You canceled the joint merger agreement with Hale Holdings this morning without consulting the board! Millions of dollars in shared assets are on the line!"
Ethan leaned back in his leather executive chair, folding his broad hands over his dark navy suit. "The merger was contingent on my personal marriage to your daughter, Arthur. And as of 8:00 AM today, that engagement is officially terminated."
Gasps rippled softly through the senior board members.
Arthur’s face turned red with fury. "You can't do this! Victoria has sacrificed three years of her life for you! You're throwing away a multi-billion-dollar alliance for a former employee and her illegitimate brat!"
Before Arthur could finish his sentence, Ethan stood up slowly. His broad frame, towering height, and terrifyingly calm demeanor instantly silenced the entire room.
"Speak of my son or Claire Bennett in that tone again, Arthur," Ethan said, his deep voice carrying a lethal, quiet thunder, "and I will personally instruct our legal team to file criminal charges against you and your daughter for hospital fraud and corporate extortion."
Arthur went pale as paper. "What... what are you talking about?"
Richard Blackwood stood up beside his son, tossing a thick black dossier into the center of the table. "We have the original 2020 hospital transfer logs, Arthur. Signed by your private secretary. If you try to challenge Ethan's authority on this board, those documents go directly to the State Attorney's office by 5:00 PM."
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Arthur stared at the black dossier, his hands trembling as he realized his family's leverage had completely evaporated.
"Leave this building, Arthur," Ethan commanded coldly, pointing toward the heavy double doors. "And tell Victoria that if she steps within one hundred yards of my family again, she will spend her next anniversary in a federal holding cell."
