Chapter 4

Three days later.

The Blackwood Group held a special board meeting.

As the nominal founder, I received a notice to attend.

The moment I pushed open the door, the entire room fell silent.

Every director and executive stared at me.

Some were amused, some were mocking, but most were just enjoying my downfall.

The massive mahogany boardroom table was already packed with the company’s core leadership and a few sharks from Wall Street.

Stephen sat at the head of the table.

Victoria, as Chief Strategy Officer and fiancée of the boss, was seated right beside him.

I glanced around. The founder’s seat, which had always been mine, was now occupied by a new, unfamiliar vice president.

“Yvette, so sorry, we’re a bit overbooked today.”

Victoria stood up with a saccharine smile, pointing to the darkest corner of the room.

A cheap, folding spare chair sat there alone.

“You don’t participate in decisions anyway. Why don’t you just sit over there and listen in?”

A few stifled laughs broke out across the room.

The executives exchanged looks of open contempt.

“That leech has some nerve showing her face after being kicked out.”

“She probably can’t stand to lose the money. Came here to make a scene.”

“Make a scene? Stephen could have her blacklisted on Wall Street with one phone call.”

I listened to their clueless chatter without even raising an eyelid.

I just walked to the corner, my heels clicking on the floor, and sat down gracefully in the pathetic chair.

“Begin.” My voice was ice.

Seeing that I hadn't thrown a tantrum like she’d hoped, Victoria rolled her eyes and sat down.

The meeting started.

The first part was all mind-numbingly boring financial reports.

Until the final, core agenda item.

Stephen sat up straight, his hands clasped on the table.

“Everyone, the final resolution for today is also the most important step for the future of this company.”

“It concerns the restructuring of our founding framework and the complete removal of Yvette’s veto power.”

He slapped a thick file onto the table.

“If this company is going to accelerate its growth, we can’t be held back by the baggage of the past.”

“For decades, Yvette has never created any quantifiable value for this company. Worse, she is the single biggest tumor holding us back.”

“I propose we officially strip her of her founding director status and cap her tribute at a mandatory one-tenth of one percent allowance.”

“We’ll vote now.”

The room was dead quiet.

Victoria was the first to raise her hand high.

“I fully support Stephen’s proposal.”

“This company is for creating wealth, not a retirement home for useless leeches.”

Following her lead, the others at the table eagerly raised their hands.

Unanimous.

No one even glanced my way. It was as if I were already a corpse that had been kicked out the door.

Stephen looked at the final vote, a smirk of absolute power playing on his lips.

He turned his head, looking down at me in the corner with the triumphant gaze of a victor.

“Yvette, the resolution is effective immediately.”

“From this second on, you have no connection to the Blackwood family, aside from that pathetic allowance.”

“Take your sad little pride and disappear from my empire for good.”

The entire room of executives stared at me like I was a joke, waiting for me to break down, to beg, to scurry away like a stray dog.

I stood up slowly from the folding chair.

My long fingers flicked a non-existent piece of dust from my black coat.

“Revoke my veto power?”

I met Stephen’s eyes.

My voice was quiet, but it was laced with the cold pressure of someone in complete control.

“Fine.”

“Strip my tribute?”

“Fine with that, too.”

Victoria let out a sharp, mocking laugh.

“So the bloodsucking leech finally gets the hint. Now get out.”

I ignored her completely.

Instead, I reached into my leather satchel.

Slowly, I pulled out an ancient lacquered box, crafted from ebony and dark meteoric iron.

Inside lay the blood pact, glowing faintly.

The very document that decided the life or death of this entire family.

“Since you’re so eager to void the pact…” I gently unlatched the box, my fingertip brushing over the blood seal on the parchment. “Then the six hundred years of fortune and luck the Blackwood family borrowed from me…”

I watched the color drain from Stephen’s face, a graceful, faint smile touching my lips.

“I’m taking it all back.”