The Aftermath

The room was dead silent, the kind of quiet that buzzed with unspoken thoughts. Alina leaned back in her chair, watching Gregory as his face went from a sickly pale white to a slow, simmering red. The other board members were frozen, unsure of how to react, their eyes darting between her and Gregory.

For a brief moment, Alina felt the weight of the situation press down on her chest. This was it-the tipping point. Either Gregory would play his final hand, or he'd crumple under the weight of the evidence she'd laid out.

Gregory cleared his throat, his voice thick with a forced calm. "This is... an accusation, Alina. You can't seriously believe-"

"I believe the evidence speaks for itself," Alina cut in, her voice sharp and steady. "These documents aren't just speculation. They're the real deal. And you've been manipulating everyone here for months."

Gregory's hands gripped the edge of the table, his knuckles whitening. "You don't know what you're doing. You're digging a hole for yourself, and when the board hears about this-"

"Let me stop you right there, Gregory," Alina said, leaning forward, her eyes locking onto his. "The board already knows. They're already questioning your actions. And if any of them have a shred of integrity, they'll see through your lies."

Gregory's eyes flashed with rage. "You think you've won? You don't have the power to take me down. You're nothing but a girl with a last name. You'll never have what it takes to run this company."

Alina didn't flinch at his words. She knew this was just another desperate attempt to regain control. But she wasn't just some girl anymore. She was the woman who was about to take her place as the rightful leader of this empire.

"I'm not just your last name," she said coldly. "And this is my company."

The board members shifted uneasily in their seats, but Alina saw a few of them, the more senior ones, begin to glance at each other. The murmur of the room had turned into whispers of doubt, and Alina felt it. She was winning them over.

Gregory slammed his hand down on the table, causing several of the board members to flinch. "You're making a mistake, Alina," he growled, but his voice was cracking. "You think you can just walk in and take everything from me? You're not in control here. I still have allies."

Alina remained calm, unshaken by his threats. "You're mistaken. You don't have allies anymore. And if any of them are still loyal to you, they've got a choice to make. Stay with the corrupt, or stand with the truth."

One of the younger board members, a man named Marcus who had been relatively quiet up until now, spoke up. "This... this is too much, Gregory. We can't ignore this. The company's reputation-" He trailed off, not meeting anyone's gaze.

Alina saw it. The cracks were starting to show. One by one, the board members who had been quiet began to shift uncomfortably in their seats. The weight of the accusations hung in the air, and some of them knew that siding with Gregory now meant losing whatever credibility they had left.

Gregory stood, his chair scraping against the floor as he pushed it back. His face twisted into a snarl. "You think you've won, Alina? Fine. Take your little company. But know this-this isn't over. I'll make sure you regret this."

He stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him with a fury that shook the walls.

Alina sat back in her chair, letting out a long breath. It was over for Gregory, but this battle was far from won. She had exposed him, but now she had to secure her position.

The board members shifted, and it was clear the atmosphere had changed. They were no longer questioning her leadership-they were just waiting for her next move.

"I want a vote," Alina said, her voice calm but firm. "We need to make it official. I'm the CEO, effective immediately."

The room fell into chaos as murmurs filled the air. But Alina didn't back down. She'd been prepared for this moment, and now it was time to close the deal.

---

Later That Afternoon

The board meeting had ended, but the effects of the confrontation lingered. Alina walked out of the room, her heels clicking sharply on the marble floor. Naomi and Jesse flanked her, their expressions a mix of relief and anticipation.

"We did it," Naomi said, her voice quiet but full of pride.

"I don't know if we did anything yet," Alina said, her eyes scanning the hallways. "Gregory's not going down without a fight. We're just getting started."

Jesse nodded. "It's not over, but it's a hell of a start."

Alina paused before the elevator doors. "We need to focus on locking in the board's loyalty. There are still a few stragglers who could tip the scales in Gregory's favor if he makes a play. We're not just securing the CEO position-we need to wipe out his influence completely."

Naomi raised an eyebrow. "You want to make sure he can't even whisper in their ears, huh?"

"Exactly," Alina said, her gaze steely. "We have leverage now. Let's make sure it counts."

---

Evening

Gregory's retaliation came quicker than Alina expected.

Her phone buzzed as she sat in her office, going over the board meeting's notes. She glanced at the screen-it was an encrypted email from her legal team.

She opened it, her heart sinking as she scanned the contents.

"Gregory is preparing a counterattack," she said, her voice low. "He's filing a lawsuit for defamation, and he's trying to leverage his connections in the press to turn this around."

Jesse frowned. "He's trying to discredit you. We saw this coming."

Alina leaned back, her fingers tapping the desk as she processed the information. "It doesn't matter. He can't win without the board. And that's where we have the advantage. We've already proven he's corrupted the system."

She stood, determination flooding her veins. "It's not over. But we've got the upper hand now. Let's make sure he knows it."