Chapter 6 - The True Mastermind
The heavy brass doors of the ballroom slammed shut, the metallic click echoing like a prison cell locking.
Panic briefly rippled through the crowd, but the elite guests quickly realized they were about to witness the destruction of a titan.
Serena walked up the steps to the main stage and took a seat in the velvet chair positioned at the center of the executive table.
The board of directors for Ashford Capital, who had been sitting quietly in the shadows, all turned their chairs to face her in total submission.
Nathan slowly stood up, brushing the dirt off his ruined tuxedo.
His mind was racing, trying to find a way to manipulate the situation like he always did.
"Serena, listen to me," Nathan pleaded, walking toward the stage with his hands raised defensively.
"Whatever game you are playing, we can solve this privately at home."
"This is not a game, Nathan, and we do not have a home anymore," Serena replied smoothly.
She snapped her fingers, and Marcus stepped out from behind the stage curtains.
He handed Serena a thick stack of printed financial documents.
Serena held up the first piece of paper, which bore Nathan's signature alongside the forged proxy.
"You requested this gala tonight specifically to pitch a merger to the Ashford board," Serena said, leaning into the microphone.
"You wanted to merge Langley Meridian with a company called Apex Solutions."
Nathan swallowed hard, sweat completely soaking the collar of his expensive shirt.
"It's a profitable merger," Nathan stammered, looking frantically at the board members.
"It will generate billions in revenue for Ashford Capital!"
Serena laughed, a sharp, elegant sound that sent shivers down Nathan's spine.
"Apex Solutions is a shell company registered in the Cayman Islands," Serena revealed to the silent room.
"A company wholly owned by your mistress, Vanessa Reed."
Vanessa whimpered from the back of the room, still restrained by the security guards.
The crowd erupted in shocked murmurs, and several banking executives pulled out their phones to start making emergency calls.
"You weren't trying to generate revenue, Nathan," Serena continued, her voice razor-sharp.
"You were trying to use my forged signature to legally transfer three hundred million dollars of Ashford's money into Vanessa's offshore account."
Eleanor put a hand over her heart, looking at her son with genuine horror.
"Nathan, tell me she is lying," Eleanor demanded, her voice cracking.
Nathan couldn't look at his mother; he just stared at Serena with pure, unadulterated hatred.
"You set me up," Nathan hissed, his fists clenching at his sides.
"You let me believe I was in control just so you could publicly destroy me!"
Serena leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands.
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"I didn't set you up, Nathan," she whispered into the microphone.
"I am simply pulling the plug on the life support I’ve been giving you for five years."
