Chapter 13
The tension in the boardroom was thick enough to cut with a diamond-tipped glass cutter. Twenty executives sat frozen, staring at the newcomer.
Meredith didn't flinch. She stepped forward, her heels clicking rhythmically against the polished wood floor until she stood just a few feet away from the stranger.
"My name is Victoria Sterling," the woman introduced herself, her voice smooth and dripping with malice. She casually looked around the opulent room, inspecting the crystal chandeliers and the mahogany walls with the air of an appraiser. "And legally speaking, Meredith, this entire skyscraper—and fifty percent of Rowe Enterprises—belongs to me by right of first blood."
"Arthur Sterling died in disgrace twenty-five years ago," Meredith countered, her voice ice-cold. "His assets were forfeited to the state and bought out legally by our father."
"Bought out at gunpoint, you mean," Victoria snapped, her smile vanishing instantly, replaced by a flash of genuine venom. "Our father left our mother and me in poverty while he played the wealthy patriarch with you. He built this empire on my mother's blood, sweat, and stolen patents. And now, I'm taking it back."
Victoria reached into her designer briefcase, pulled out a thick manila folder, and slammed it down onto the center of the mahogany table.
May you like
"These are original incorporation documents signed by Arthur Sterling," Victoria announced to the stunned board. "Notarized, authenticated, and backed by a global syndicate of investors who are ready to bankrupt this company in twenty-four hours if you don't hand over the CEO seat voluntarily."
Graham stepped up beside Meredith, his expression grim. "Mrs. Rowe, if those documents are genuine, our voting shares could be tied up in litigation for years. It would tank the stock before the market opens tomorrow."
