Board Member 1: Where is Richard? The market opens in fifteen minutes!
The massive glass conference room on the top floor of Vance Tower was buzzing with nervous energy.
Eight board members sat around the dark mahogany table, scanning financial news feeds on their tablets.
Board Member 2: Look at the stock price! It dropped twelve percent at pre-market opening!
Board Member 3: Reports say the state prosecutor opened a criminal inquiry into the trust fund transfers!
The heavy double doors of the boardroom burst open, and Richard walked in, looking disheveled in a wrinkled suit.
Richard: Everyone sit down and remain calm! The media is spreading completely fake news!
Board Member 1: Fake news, Richard? The bank just canceled our corporate credit line!
Richard: It's a temporary administrative error while we clear up a minor probate filing!
Board Member 2: A probate filing? Arthur Vance's daughter claims you forged his signature on the trust papers!
Richard: Clara is emotionally unstable! She is trying to ruin this company because her father left her out of the will!
The doors opened again, and Clara walked inside, wearing a sharp grey business suit and carrying a leather folder.
Mark Vance walked behind her, followed by two uniformed police officers and a representative from the District Attorney's office.
Clara: I'm not unstable, Richard. But your financial records certainly are.
Richard: Get her out of here! Security, remove this woman from the building!
Officer Davis: Nobody is removing anyone, Mr. Sterling. Stay right where you are.
Board Member 3: Officers, what is the meaning of this?
Mark: We are here to deliver a formal court order revoking Richard Sterling's position as acting CEO of Vance Enterprises.
Mark set a stack of official court documents right in the middle of the long mahogany table.
Richard: That court order is invalid! I hold the voting proxy for Arthur Vance!
Clara: The judge voided your proxy agreement an hour ago based on Nurse Sarah's testimony and the hospital security tapes.
Richard's face drained of all color as he stared at the police officers standing near the door.
Richard: Security tapes...? What security tapes?
Clara: The ICU hallway camera recorded you and your notary entering my father's room at two in the morning while he was unconscious.
Board Member 1: My God... Richard, is this true?
Richard: They modified those tapes! It's a setup!
DA Representative: Richard Sterling, you are under arrest for grand larceny, wire fraud, corporate forgery, and felony assault.
Officer Davis stepped forward, grabbing Richard's wrists and pulling them behind his back.
The metallic click of the handcuffs echoed sharply across the quiet boardroom.
Richard: Get your hands off me! Do you know who I am?! I run this company!
Clara: You don't run anything anymore, Richard. You're just a thief who got caught.
Richard: Clara, wait! Think about the family name! We can settle this out of court!
Clara: You didn't think about the family name when you slapped me and kicked me onto the marble floor of my father's house.
Officer Davis: You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.
The board members watched in complete silence as the officers dragged Richard out of the room, his angry screams fading down the long hallway.
Clara walked up to the head of the conference table, pulling out the main leather executive chair.
Clara: Gentlemen, let's begin the emergency vote to restore Vance Enterprises to its rightful leadership.