Chapter 5 - The Crash of the Crown
Dominic’s smile froze, his outstretched hand hanging awkwardly in the conditioned air. “Excuse me, Mr. Vance? I think there's a misunderstanding. The buyout paperwork was scheduled for final review next Tuesday—”
“There is no buyout, Mr. Foster,” Vance interrupted loudly, ensuring every high-profile diner within twenty feet could hear every syllable clearly. “As of twelve minutes ago, the board of directors of Vanguard Horizon Capital convened an emergency executive session. We have exercised our majority voting rights under Section 9 of your shareholder agreement.”
The color began to drain from Dominic’s face. “Majority voting rights? But you only hold minority oversight—!”
“We hold sixty-five percent of all super-voting preferred stock, Dominic. You gave that up the day you accepted twelve million dollars to keep your failing company from bankruptcy eighteen months ago.”
Vance snapped his fingers. An assistant stepped forward, handing a thick leather folder to Dominic’s chest.
“Effective immediately, your position as Chief Executive Officer of Apex Digital is terminated for gross negligence, fraudulent misappropriation of corporate funds, and conduct detrimental to the enterprise. All your company credit cards have been frozen. Your equity has been diluted to zero under the bad-actor clause, and your access credentials to the company servers were revoked seven minutes ago.”
Dominic stood paralyzed, the folder trembling in his hands. “You... you can’t do this! This is my company! My name is on the patents!”
“The patents were assigned to the corporate entity funded by Vanguard Horizon,” Vance replied coolly. “You own nothing, Dominic. In fact, our forensic audit team is currently examining your personal expenditures—including the lease payments on your luxury apartment and that private club membership you billed as business development.”
At table four, Victoria and Natalie had risen to their feet, their faces contorted with rage and embarrassment. Victoria stormed forward, her heels clicking aggressively on the hardwood floor.
“How dare you speak to my son like this in a public establishment!” Victoria shrieked, drawing the horrified stares of neighboring diners. “Do you know who we are? We are the Fosters! Dominic is an elite founder! Who do you think you are, treating us like common criminals?”
“He doesn't have to answer to you, Victoria,” a deep, commanding voice echoed from the restaurant foyer.
The entire dining room turned toward the entrance.
The heavy velvet curtains parted, and my father, Charles Brooks, stepped into the light. He wore a charcoal wool overcoat, radiating an aura of raw, uncontested authority that made even the restaurant’s billionaire regulars sit up straighter. Several prominent hedge fund managers at nearby tables instantly recognized him, whispering his name with reverent shock.
“Is that Charles Brooks? The chairman of Brooks Global?”
“What is he doing here in person?”
Behind my father stood Marcus. And beside Marcus, leaning lightly on the arm of a private medical nurse, was me.
I had changed out of my hospital sweatpants into a simple cream cashmere sweater and tailored trousers, but my face was still pale from surgery. In my arms, wrapped in an ivory baby blanket embroidered with the Brooks family crest, was Leo.
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Dominic turned around, his eyes darting between my father, David Vance, and finally landing on me. His brain visibly short-circuited as the pieces of the puzzle crashed together with terrifying velocity.
“Audrey?” Dominic stammered, his voice cracking into a high-pitched squeak. “What... what are you doing here? Who is that man?”
