'I Do' For Revenge
Chapter 200: Acting CEO
CHAPTER 200: ACTING CEO
~LAYLA~
Three days.
That’ s how long it had taken for the dust to settle.
I stood in the executive elevator of O’Brien Tower, watching the floor numbers cl imb. The mirrors reflected a woman who looked nothing like the terrified wife who had sa t in that dark boardroom seventy-two hours ago.
Gone was the black dress and the s mudged mascara.
Today, I wore a tailored white suit that fit like armour. My hair was pulled back in a tight bun, and my lips were paint ed a de ep crimson. I loo ked like a woma n who had walked through fire and hadn’t even singe d a hem.
"You ready, ma’am?" Tye asked. He was standing beside m e, looking sharp in a fresh suit, though he favoured his le ft side slightly where his old wound sometim es ache d.
"Ready ," I said, smoothing the lapel of my jacke t. "How’s the mood in the boardroom?"
"Jittery," Tye reported. "Stock dropped four percent when n e ws of Henry’s ’d etainment’ l eaked. Some clients we acquired throu gh him are planning to back out. The vultures are circling."
"Let them circle," I said coolly. "By the time we’re done today, they’ll be the ones panicking. Henr y’s clients were built on dirty money and fraud. We’re better off without them."
"You sure about that?" Tye a sked. "That’s a lot of rev enue to walk away from."
"I’m sure," I said. "We rebuild with clean money, clean partnerships, clean everyt hing. That’s how Axel would want it . That’s how we survive."
The elev ator ding ed, and the doors slid open.
I walked d ow n th e hallway, my heels clicking against the marble floor. The scent of smoke was gone, replaced by the smell of fre sh paint and industrial cleaner. The constr uction crews had worked miracles in just a few da ys.
I pushed open th e double doors to the boar dro om.
The noise in the room ceased the moment I stepped inside. The Board o f Directors, twenty men and women who held the fate of the company in their h ands, turned to look at me.
"Mrs. O’Brien," Mr. William Scotfield spoke up. "W e were just discussing the situation."
I didn’t sit. I w alked to the head of the table a nd stood behind Axel’s chair, resting my hands on the leather backres t.
"There is no ’situation,’ Mr. Scotfield," I said calmly. "There is a correction. A necessary correction to protect this company’s future."
"A correction?" William scoffed, leaning back in hi s chair. "Henry Porter, our key strategic consultant, is being hunted by federal authorities. Our sto ck is tanking. Clients are fleeing. That sounds like a situation to me."
"Let them pa nic for a day," I said dismissively. "Then they’ll see the truth. The truth always surfaces eve ntually."
I opened the folder Tye had placed on the table and pulled out a stack of documents .
"Henry Port er was not a strat egic asset," I announced, my voice pro jecting clearly. "He was a liability. My internal audit uncovered a massive em bezzlement scheme orchestrated by Mr. Porter, using his c onsultancy firm as a front. He stole from this company, from o ur partners, and from every single person in this room."
A ripple of shock went through the room. Whisp ers started . I didn’t mention the Cartel. I didn’t mention the bomb. That was messy, and it involved on going investigations.
Embezzlement was clean. It was corporate, and it was something they could understand.
"These do cume nts," I continued, sliding copies across the table, "detail shell companies, offshore accounts, and fraudulent transactions he’s been i nvolved in. The FBI has this evidence. The SEC has this evidence. And now, so do you."
"This is all well an d good, Layla," William said in a patronising tone. "But you are the Int erim CEO. You were appointed to hold the fort, not to dismantle our part nerships or make massive stra tegic decisions. We need Axel. We need to know i f he supports this... scorched earth policy you’re implementing."
Several board members nodded in agreement.
I smiled, but it wasn’t a ni ce smile.
"I expected you might say that," I said.
I press ed a button on the console, and the large screen on the wall came to life.
Axel appeared.
He was sitting up in his hospital bed, pro pped up by pillows. He looked pa le , with dark circles under his eyes, but his gaze was sharp and very alert.
"Mr. O’Brien!" William gasped, stra ightenin g his tie and sitting up straighter. "W-we didn’t expect..."
"Mr. Scotfield," Axel’s vo ice rasped through the speakers. "I hope you aren’t giving my wife a hard tim e."
"Of course not! We were just seeking clarification," another memb er stammered. "Maki ng sure we’re all aligned on—"
"Here is your clarification," Axel interrupte d. "Layla isn’t just holding the fort . She is the Ac ting CEO with full authority and power. She saved this company while I was unconscious. She cut out the r ot th at I missed. She did what I should have d on e months ago."
He paused, letting that sink in.
"Her word is my word," Axel continued. "If she tel ls you to seve r a partnership, you do it. If she tells you to restructure, you r estructure. If she t ells you to jump, you don’t ask how high; you thank her for the exercise. Is that c lear?"
"Yes, Mr. O’Brien," William said weakly, followe d by others.
I caught Axe l’s eye through the screen. He winked, a tiny movement only I could see.
"Now," Axel continued, "I have physical therapy in ten minutes, and my doctor is glaring at me. Do not make me come down there, Scotfield. You won’t like it. None of yo u will."
The screen went black.
The silenc e in the roo m was so absolute you could hav e heard a pin drop. I looked back at the table, meeting each board member’s eyes one by one .
"So," I said pleasantly, "are there any o ther object ions to my strategy?"
Heads shook rapidly. Scotfield looked down at his papers, refusing to meet my gaze. "No, Mrs. O’Brien. We will... we’ll draft the press release regarding Mr. Porter immediately. Full suppor t."
"Excellent," I said. "I want it released by the end of day. Position it as us discovering the fra ud and cooperating with authorities. We’re the victims here, not the accompli ces. Make that clear."
"Yes, ma’am."
" Meeting adjourned," I said.