Chapter 7 - Reclaiming the Empire
With Luke and Eleanor behind bars, the battle moved from the courtroom to the corporate boardroom.
On my thirtieth birthday—exactly one month after the trial ended—Clara, David Sterling, and I walked into the headquarters of Vance Enterprises. The massive glass tower, which had long stood as a symbol of my oppression, was about to undergo a total transformation.
The board of directors was gathered in the main conference room on the top floor. These were men and women who had turned a blind eye to Eleanor and Luke’s shady financial dealings for years, enjoying high dividends while ignoring the rot at the core of the company.
I took my seat at the head of the table—the very chair where Eleanor had sat for decades.
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen," I said, placing a legal document on the table. "As of midnight today, I have officially executed the terms of the Mercer Family Trust. I am now the controlling shareholder of this corporation, holding fifty-one percent of all voting stock."
The board members exchanged nervous glances.
"We... we welcome you, Mrs. Vance," one senior director stammered. "We are eager to work with you to restore stability to the company's stock value."
"It's not Mrs. Vance," I corrected firmly. "My name is Caroline Mercer. And the first order of business today is a complete restructuring of this board."
Over the next two hours, Clara and David presented evidence of secondary corruption within the executive team. Four senior directors who had assisted Eleanor in hiding offshore funds were unceremoniously fired on the spot and escorted out of the building by security.
"The company name will also be changed," I announced to the remaining board members. "Effective immediately, Vance Enterprises is dissolved. This corporation will return to its original founder's vision and operate under the name Mercer Global Logistics."
"Under your leadership?" a director asked nervously.
"Under a joint leadership," I said, looking over at Clara. "My sister, Clara Mercer, will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer. I will serve as Chairwoman of the Board of Directors, focusing our corporate resources toward philanthropic initiatives—specifically funding domestic violence shelters, legal advocacy for abused women, and maternal health research clinics."
The board members had no choice but to vote in unanimous approval.
After the meeting, Clara and I stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the city skyline. The sun was setting, painting the sky in brilliant hues of gold and purple.
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"Can you believe we did it?" Clara whispered, leaning her head on my shoulder.
"We didn't just do it," I said, wrapping my arm around her. "We took back what was ours. He tried to bury us, Clara. He didn't realize we were seeds."
