Tiffany: Richard, do something! You're my father's best friend!
Richard: Tiffany, I advise you to walk away before security arrives.
Tiffany: You're betraying my family for her?!
Richard: I work for the majority shareholder. Right now, that's Miss Sterling.
Evelyn: The board meeting starts in five minutes, Richard. Is the conference room prepped?
Richard: Yes, ma'am. All twelve board members are already seated inside.
Evelyn: Good. Let's go give them the news.
Evelyn turned to walk toward the double glass doors at the end of the lounge.
Tiffany: Wait! You can't just walk away from me like this!
Tiffany lunged forward, reaching for Evelyn's shoulder.
Evelyn: Touch me again and you'll leave this building in handcuffs.
Tiffany froze, her hand hovering in mid-air. Two tall security guards stepped out of the elevator bay, walking quickly toward them.
Guard 1: Is there a problem here, Miss Sterling?
Evelyn: Escort Miss Vance to her desk. Give her ten minutes to collect her personal items.
Tiffany: Ten minutes?! I have five years of files in my office!
Evelyn: Company files belong to the company, Tiffany. You will take your purse, your coat, and nothing else.
Guard 1: Right this way, ma'am.
Tiffany: Get your hands off me! I know my rights!
Guard 2: Please don't make this difficult, Miss Vance. The cameras caught everything.
Tiffany looked around the lounge. Every executive, secretary, and junior lawyer was watching her. Some were whispering behind their hands. Others were smiling openly.
Tiffany: You're all laughing at me? After everything my family did for you?!
Junior Analyst: You fired my sister last month because she brought you the wrong coffee, Tiffany.
Tiffany: Shut up! You're a nobody!
Guard 1: Move along, ma'am.
The guards firmly guided Tiffany toward the executive elevators, her heels clicking loudly against the marble floor. Evelyn watched her go without a single trace of emotion on her face.
Richard: That was intense, Miss Sterling.
Evelyn: It was long overdue, Richard. Toxic people destroy corporate value faster than market crashes.
Richard: Her father is going to call you within the hour.
Evelyn: Let him call. His legal team knows the contract is airtight.
Richard: Shall we enter the boardroom?
Evelyn: Lead the way.
Evelyn smoothed down her wet suit jacket, adjusted her grey lapels, and walked into the boardroom. The twelve senior executives stood up immediately as she entered.
Board Member 1: Good morning, Miss Sterling.
Evelyn: Please, sit down. We have a lot of changes to make today.
She placed the grey folder on the center of the dark oak table. The gold seal caught the bright morning light, shining brilliantly in front of the entire board.