The giant screen above the stage flickered to life. Instead of the corporate promotion video, a high-definition scan of a legal document appeared, complete with red seals and signatures.
Guest 1: Is that... the original trust agreement?
Guest 2: Look at the date! That was signed six months before the old man passed away!
Evelyn: Read the screen, everyone. Page four, paragraph two.
Julian stumbled forward, reaching for the cable connecting the drive to the projector.
Julian: Evelyn, turn it off! Please!
Evelyn shoved Julian back with one hand, sending him stumbling onto a dinner table, knocking over three wine glasses. The red liquid spilled across the white linen like blood.
Evelyn: Stay back! Read it aloud, Victoria! Tell your investors who actually owns seventy percent of the voting shares!
Victoria glared at the screen, her chest heaving as tears of anger welled in her eyes.
Victoria: It's a fake! She made it on a computer!
Evelyn: The digital signature is verified by the State Supreme Court server, Victoria. The forensic handwriting report is attached on page five.
An older gentleman in a dark grey tuxedo stood up from the head table. It was Arthur Vance, the chief legal counsel for the city's largest banking group.
Arthur Vance: Wait a minute... that is Harrison Sterling's authentic notary stamp. I'd recognize that seal anywhere.
Victoria: Mr. Vance, don't listen to her! She's a criminal!
Arthur Vance: Victoria, if this document is real, you haven't been the legitimate CEO for the last three years. Every contract you signed is invalid!
Victoria: That's not true! I ran this company! I saved it from bankruptcy!
Evelyn: You didn't save it, Victoria. You stripped its assets! You sold off our manufacturing plants in Ohio to pay off your personal gambling debts in Las Vegas!
The crowd broke into wild chatter. Several prominent businessmen stood up from their chairs, pulling out their phones to call their financial advisors.
Investor 1: Sell my shares immediately! Sell everything in Sterling Global!
Investor 2: I knew something was wrong with the second quarter audit!
Investor 3: Call our legal team! We need to freeze our fund transfers right now!
Victoria looked around the room in absolute horror as her supporters began turning their backs on her, one by one.
Victoria: Julian! Do something! Help me!
Julian stood near the spilled wine, his head bowed, looking completely defeated.
Julian: There's nothing I can do, Victoria. She has the court verification. We're done.
Victoria: You coward! You useless coward!
Evelyn stepped onto the stage, standing right beside the giant screen displaying the truth for the whole world to see.
Evelyn: I spent three years in silence while you drank champagne in my house. Did you really think I wouldn't come back for what's mine?
Victoria: You have nothing! Even with that paper, the board won't accept you!
Evelyn: The board is standing right outside those double doors, Victoria. And they brought company with them.