The glass elevator smoothly glided up to the fiftieth floor, offering a breathtaking view of the city skyline in full daylight.
Victoria led Maya into the grand boardroom, where twelve board members sat around a polished mahogany table.
Board Member 1: Mrs. Vance, where is Chad? We were supposed to start the quarterly review ten minutes ago.
Victoria: Chad has been permanently terminated from his position and is currently in police custody.
The entire room fell silent, the board members exchanging shocked glances across the long table.
Board Member 2: Police custody?! For what?
Victoria: For violating fire safety regulations, attempting to sabotage vendor contracts, and physically assaulting an employee.
Board Member 1: That's a disaster for our department! Who is going to manage the vendor accounts and corporate ethics compliance?
Victoria placed her hand gently on Maya's shoulder, bringing her to the front of the room.
Victoria: Members of the board, meet Maya Vance. She will be stepping in as our Interim Director of Ethics and Supply Chain Oversight.
Board Member 2: Maya Vance? Isn't she your younger sister who refused to take a corporate salary last year?
Maya: Yes, I am. And over the last six months, I've worked as a ground-level delivery worker, warehouse associate, and customer service rep for three of our primary vendors.
The board members sat up straight, listening intently to the young woman standing before them.
Maya: I have personally experienced the toxic behavior, fake delays, and kickback schemes that executives like Chad use to manipulate vendor contracts.
Board Member 1: Kickback schemes?
Maya: Chad was intentionally delaying external deliveries so he could claim our current vendors were unreliable, forcing us to switch to his cousin's logistics firm at double the cost.
Maya pulled her smartphone from her vest pocket and tapped the screen, displaying a series of digital invoices and timestamps on the large boardroom monitor.
Maya: Here is the paper trail showing Chad's cousin receiving four hundred thousand dollars in unverified corporate fees over the last three quarters.
Board Member 2: My God... he was embezzling money right under our noses!
Victoria: Maya discovered all of this on her own while working ground-level shifts, without taking a single dime from our company.
Board Member 1: That's remarkable work, young lady!
Victoria: I move to appoint Maya Vance as full-time Director of Ethics with complete authority to audit all executive contracts immediately.
Board Member 2: Seconded! All in favor?
Every single board member raised their hand without a moment of hesitation.
Victoria: Motion passed unanimously. Maya, the floor is yours.