The long mahogany table in the top-floor boardroom of Miller Logistics was surrounded by eight corporate board members.
Arthur Sterling sat at the far end of the table, holding a pen above a blank notepad.
Arthur Sterling: Ladies and gentlemen of the board, my client Mark Miller is unable to attend today's meeting due to an ongoing legal misunderstanding.
Board Member 1: Misunderstanding? Sterling, it was on the morning news! He shoved his pregnant wife in a jewelry store!
Arthur Sterling: The media is exaggerating a minor domestic dispute between a stressed couple.
Board Member 2: Minor?! The police report calls it felony domestic assault!
Arthur Sterling: Regardless of the criminal proceedings, Mark retains his thirty percent voting share, which gives him the authority to block today's restructuring motion.
The heavy glass doors of the boardroom clicked open, and Clara walked in, holding a leather folder under her arm.
She wore a sharp navy maternity suit, her hair tied back in a neat, professional knot.
Clara: Mark doesn't retain anything, Mr. Sterling.
Arthur Sterling: Mrs. Miller... you shouldn't be out of the hospital.
Clara: I'm feeling wonderful, Mr. Sterling. Especially now that my doctors have cleared me to work.
Mr. Vance stepped into the room right behind Clara, setting a certified court order onto the center of the table.
Mr. Vance: This is a emergency court injunction signed by Judge Harrison at eight o'clock this morning.
Arthur Sterling: What kind of injunction?
Mr. Vance: Under Section 14 of the Miller prenuptial agreement, Mark Miller's thirty percent corporate equity has been fully revoked due to felony domestic abuse and embezzlement.
Arthur Sterling: Embezzlement?! That's a baseless claim!
Clara: Here are the bank statements showing Mark transferring five hundred thousand dollars from the corporate trust to his Cayman account yesterday at 1:00 PM.
Clara tossed a stack of financial documents onto the table right in front of Arthur Sterling.
Board Member 1: He stole half a million dollars from the charity account?!
Clara: He tried to, yes. But the bank frozen the transfer two hours ago after my legal team filed the fraud report.
Arthur Sterling stared at the bank statements, his jaw working silently as he realized he had no defense left.
Arthur Sterling: This... this changes things.
Clara: It changes everything, Mr. Sterling. Because with Mark's shares reverted to my control, I now hold a sixty-five percent majority vote on this board.
Board Member 2: Then let's take the vote right now!
Clara: I move to terminate Mark Miller from his position as Vice President of Miller Logistics immediately, with cause and without severance.
Board Member 1: I second the motion!
Clara: All in favor?
Every single board member at the table raised their hand without a second of hesitation.
Clara: Motion carries unanimously. Mr. Sterling, please inform your client that his office has been cleared out and his corporate lease car has been repossessed.