CHAPTER 38: The Vote

POV: Avalon Pierce

The boardroom had never felt so hostile.

Avalon stood at the head of the table, looking at faces he’d known for years. People who’d worked with Nene, watched him grow up and supported his leadership. Now they looked at him like a stranger.

Patricia Wong sat with her arms crossed, Daniel Frost wouldn’t meet his eyes even Robert Chen—usually his strongest ally—looked uncertain. Margaret was the only one who had clear support, but unfortunately, having just one vote wouldn't be enough to make a difference.

Vincent Caruso was seated at the far end of the table, officially there as a guest observer, but it was no secret that he was the one actually in charge of the meeting.

He smiled at Avalon, a smile that was full of confidence and victory.

“Shall we begin?” Patricia said. “ We’re here to vote on Vincent Caruso’s acquisition offer of five billion dollars for the complete purchase of Pierce Holdings.”

"Avalon spoke up, saying, 'Before we make our decision, there's something I think you should know.'"

"Look, we've listened to your concerns," Patricia said firmly. "And yes, we've heard them more than once. But let's be realistic here - Vincent's offer is more than fair, it's generous. Our company is on solid ground, so I really think this is a smart move, a good business decision."

“This is a trap. Vincent Caruso is—”

"What are you talking about?" Vincent cut in, his voice calm and collected. "Are you saying I'm just a ruthless businessman trying to make a profit, or is this about something more? Are you going to bring up your accusations again, the ones about me being involved in the murder of the recently deceased?"

The room went silent.

“Again?” Daniel asked.

"Vincent spoke in a calm tone, addressing the allegations made by Mr Pierce. He claimed that I had conspired with Marcus Pierce and that I was somehow to blame for the recent deaths that had occurred. However, when he took these claims to the police, they found no evidence to support them, and the allegations were deemed baseless. It seems that Mr Pierce's accusations were nothing more than empty words, lacking any real substance or truth."

Avalon's voice was firm, "These claims aren't just speculation, I have proof. There are financial records showing that Vincent made payments to Marcus, and emails detailing their scheme to undermine the company. Not to mention the contracts they signed, it's all here."

"Vincent explained that the contracts were for genuine business consulting services. He recalled that Marcus had reached out to him several months before to discuss possible acquisition opportunities. According to Vincent, he had paid Marcus for a market analysis, which he claimed was a completely legitimate and lawful transaction."

“You paid him to sabotage us.”

"I hired him to give me some info, but whatever he did with his own grudge against you is none of my business."

“Your acquisition offer came three hours after Marcus’s death. That’s not a coincidence.”

“That was an opportunity, see, Marcus’s death created the market uncertainty so I moved quickly to provide stability. Isn’t that what successful businessmen do?”

Patricia leaned forward. “ Avalon, do you have actual proof that Vincent did anything illegal? A verifiable proof by the police?”

Avalon’s jaw clenched. “ The investigation is ongoing.”

"We're not buying into speculation and circumstantial evidence, what we have on the table is a solid $5 billion offer that's a win-win for every single shareholder."

This deal is a raw one for us, but it's a steal for Vincent - he's getting the company for a sum way below what it's really worth, and we're the ones who'll be left with nothing, all of Nene's hard work down the drain.

"Five billion is way over what it's worth," Daniel said in a low voice. "That's fifteen per cent more than the market value, so it's definitely not a bargain."

“It is when you factor in future growth. Our five-year projections—”

"Those are just predictions," Patricia interrupted. "Vincent's offer is in solid cash, and in today's economy, that's definitely something to think about."

Avalon's eyes locked onto theirs as he revealed a shocking truth. **Think about this," he said, his voice low and serious. He pulled out a small flash drive from his pocket, the device glinting in the light. "Victoria Hartley gave this to me before she passed away," he explained, his words dripping with gravity. "It's got all the evidence we need to prove that Vincent was in on a conspiracy with Marcus." He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. This acquisition, it wasn't just some spontaneous move - it was all part of a bigger plan, a scheme to steal Pierce Holdings that's been in the works for months.**

Vincent didn't bat an eye. "Victoria Hartley was Marcus's lawyer, and she had every reason to make up evidence to help her client. Now, she's dead and can't tell us what really happened."

“Because you killed her.”

“I was at a charity gala with two hundred witnesses when she died. The police have verified my alibi, so, unless I have the power to be in two places at once, your accusation is impossible.”

“You hired someone.”

“Prove it.”

Avalon felt the trap closing. Vincent had answers for everything, alibis, explanations, and reasonable doubt.

Avalon's voice was low and even, but it carried a weight of accusation. "I see right through what you're doing," he said. "You're trying to buy this company cheaply by creating a fake crisis. You used Marcus as a pawn, and when he didn't deliver, you got rid of him to stir up more trouble. Now, you're taking advantage of our vulnerability with this offer, trying to catch us off guard while we're still trying to make sense of everything." His words hung in the air, a challenge to the person he was addressing, daring them to deny the truth.

"Or maybe," Vincent said with a calm tone, "I'm just a businessman who spotted a chance and grabbed it. Your suspicions don't alter the facts. I'm offering five billion dollars - it's a straightforward deal. You can either accept it or walk away, the choice is yours."

“We’re leaving it,” Avalon said.

"Those aren't your choices to make," Patricia said, her voice firm. "It's up to the board to decide, and whatever the majority says, goes."

“I’m CEO and Chairman. I recommend we decline.”

"Is there anyone else who would like to add their thoughts before we proceed with the vote?"

Robert Chen cleared his throat. “ I have concerns. Not about the offer itself, but the timing, three deaths in one week, a police investigation and market instability this feels rushed.”

“The market hates uncertainty,” Vincent said. “ Every day you wait, your stock price fluctuates. Shareholders get nervous. Competitors circle, but my offer provides certainty.”

"Your proposal gives you the upper hand," Margaret said. "The power you've been trying to get for months. Robert is right, this is all happening too quickly."

"Speed isn't a mistake," Daniel pointed out. "In fact, moving fast can be a really smart way to do business, and it's often the key to getting ahead."

"Avalon said, 'And sometimes you're walking right into a trap.'"

Patricia looked around the table. “ Any other discussion? No? Then let’s vote. All in favour of accepting Vincent Caruso’s acquisition offer?”

Patricia’s hand went up.

Daniel hesitated, then raised his.

Then two more board members followed.

Avalon’s stomach dropped. That was four votes. They needed the majority. Seven votes total. Four meant—

“Opposed?”

Robert’s hand shot up.

Margaret’s.

Avalon’s.

Three opposed. Four in favour.

One abstention.

Thomas Reeves was the oldest member of the board, with a notable history of working alongside Nene that spanned an impressive thirty years.

Everyone looked at him.

“Thomas?” Patricia prompted.

He was quiet for a long moment.

"He said after a moment, **Nene had faith in Avalon, and she completely revamped her will to make sure he'd be in charge of this company.' It was her decision, for better or worse, and that's the legacy she left behind.**

"Her will had another condition too," Patricia pointed out. "It said he had to get married within a month, and amazingly, he did just that - some people might even think it was a bit too convenient, or even suspicious, don't you think?"

“Some might also say he followed his grandmother’s wishes just like we should.” Thomas looked at Vincent. “ Your offer is generous, Mr Caruso but I’ve seen corporate raiders before, they promise stability and deliver dissolution, assets tripping, layoffs and gutting the company for parts.”

“I have no intention of—”

Thomas turned to Vincent, his eyes locked on him. "You all say that now," he said, "but once you own it, we're left with no control." He paused, his voice firm. "I'm voting no." The room fell silent, the weight of his words hanging in the air. "Four to four," he announced, his tone matter-of-fact. "We're at a deadlock."

Relief flooded through Avalon. The deal didn't fall through due to a tie, which means the offer was rejected and the acquisition did not go through.

Patricia's expression turned gloomy, and she said, "Let's put this on hold for now and revisit it in a week to vote again."

Robert spoke up, his voice firm. "No, a deadlock means the offer is turned down, it's right there in the company’s rules. We can't vote on the same proposal more than once."

“Unless circumstances change,” Patricia argued.

Avalon shook his head, a sense of finality in his voice. "We won't go for it," he said. "The board has already turned down Vincent's proposal, it's a done deal."

Vincent stood slowly. “ Is it?”

Everyone turned to him.

"He had one last thing to reveal before a decision was made, so he reached for his phone and tapped on it. 'I didn't want to have to do this,' he said, his voice firm, 'but you've left me no choice, you've forced my hand.'"

A video appeared on the conference room screen...it was Selene in their penthouse, a couple of nights before Marcus’s death talking to Avalon about destroying Marcus.

***I've hired a team of investigators to look into Marcus and see if they can find anything that we can use to our advantage against him.

Avalon’s voice responds. “ You did what?”

“I’m tired of being defensive, tired of letting him attack while we defend. So I’m attacking back.”

The video cut. Another clip.

Selene again. “ He leaked my medical records and used Elena. He’s trying to destroy us, so I’m destroying him first.”

Avalon’s response. “ Let’s destroy him.”***

The video stopped and the boardroom was as silent as a grave yard.

“Where did you get that?” Avalon’s voice was deadly quiet.

Marcus had taken some extreme measures to protect himself from corporate espionage - he'd installed security cameras all over his office. But it turns out, his paranoia had led him to go a step further. He'd been secretly monitoring more than just his office space. Your penthouse apartment was also under surveillance, and let's be clear, this was completely illegal. Yet, the footage is out there, and it's a pretty disturbing thought to consider what might have been captured on those cameras.

“That’s illegal surveillance—”

"This is proof that you and your wife were planning something terrible against Marcus Pierce, even before he passed away. It looks like you two were plotting to hurt him, and that's a serious crime. The police should definitely know about this, it could be a big part of their investigation."

Had someone been watching them in their own home? Recording and listening to them and now Vincent had the footage.

“You son of a—”

"Be careful," Vincent said, his voice calm and collected. "You're not doing yourself any favours by threatening me in front of all these people, they are witnesses. Let me make you a deal. You can either accept my offer to acquire your company, step down as CEO, and walk away with a nice severance package - and this whole thing will just disappear. Or, if you'd rather, we can do this the hard way. I'll release this footage to the police, and you and Selene will be charged with conspiracy to murder. Pierce Holdings will likely collapse under the scrutiny, and I'll be happy to scoop it up for a scrap when it goes bankrupt. So, what is it going to be?"

Avalon’s hands clenched into fists. “ You’re blackmailing me.”

"You've got two options: sell me your company and walk out with no strings attached, or we can go head to head and you'll end up losing everything that matters, including your freedom - the choice is yours."

The board stared.

Patricia found her voice first. “ You recorded their private conversations?”

"I have the evidences, yes, but let's be clear that Marcus is the one who did it."

“Evidence obtained illegally—”

Vincent's eyes locked onto Avalon's, his gaze unwavering. "The evidence is still out there, and the police will get to the bottom of it," he said, his voice firm. "First, they'll figure out what it reveals, and what it reveals is a conspiracy to commit murder - a serious crime with severe consequences." He paused, his expression unyielding. "So, here's the deal: you can either sell me the company, or you can face the music and go to prison. The choice is yours, Avalon." The air was thick with tension as Vincent waited for Avalon's response, the outcome hanging precariously in the balance.

Avalon felt rage and helplessness warring inside him. This was it, the trap Vincent had been building.

The evidence that seemed to seal their fate was an offer that, at first glance, appeared to be quite generous, but in reality, it was a choice that was no choice at all - a cleverly disguised trap with no real options, leaving them with no way out.

Sell or be destroyed.

Before Avalon could respond, the boardroom door opened.

Detective Shyn walked in and everyone froze.

"Excuse me," she interrupted, "Mr Caruso, could you please come with me?"

For a brief moment, Vincent's face lost its confident look. "I'm right in the middle of a meeting," he said.

Detective Shyn replied "I'm right in the middle of a homicide case, so your meeting is going to have to wait, it's not exactly the best time."

“On what grounds?”

"We've made an arrest - your head of security, James Walsh, is in custody and just an hour ago, he confessed to murdering Victoria Hartley. According to him, you paid him $50,000 to stage the whole thing as a robbery."

The room went from been frozen to a state of shock.

Vincent’s face went white. “ That’s impossible. James wouldn’t—”

Well, he came forward and is ready to testify that you also told him to kill Jennifer Hartley, making it seem like an accident. He's been keeping track of everything - bank transfers, text messages, all the records.

“I want my lawyer.”

“That's smart. You’re going to need one.” Shyn gestured to the uniformed officers behind her. “ Vincent Caruso, you’re under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder. You have the right to remain silent—”

As the officer read him his rights, Vincent's eyes locked onto Avalon, a mixture of emotions swirling inside him. Pure hatred in his eyes.

“This isn’t over,” he said.

“Yeah,” Avalon said quietly. “ It is.”

They led Vincent away in handcuffs while boardroom still sat in stunned silence.

"Finally, Patricia broke her silence. 'I guess the offer to buy us out is no longer an option,' she said."

“I suppose that's right,” Avalon agreed.

Robert burst out laughing, his eyes wide with surprise, and exclaimed, "Did that really just happen?"

“I think it did,” Margaret said.

Thomas smiled. “ Nene would have loved this.”

She would have loved seeing Vincent Caruso arrested in her boardroom. Watching justice served in the place she had built.

But Avalon felt no joy only exhaustion he knew that was one danger out of the way, but there were still plenty of others lurking around.

After the board dispersed, Avalon called Selene.

The deal is off, Vincent's been taken into custody and the whole acquisition didn’t fall through.

Selene breathed out, a breath of relief…” Are you coming home?”

"Not yet," he said, feeling a sense of comfort wash over him at the sound of her relief. "I'll be home soon tho but I need to meet up with Diana."

"Okay, what's up with that message about meeting Vincent at midnight?"

“That probably doesn’t matter now that he’s in custody.”

“What if someone else sent it? What if Vincent had partners we don’t know about?”

Avalon hadn’t thought of that.

Vincent was arrested but he’d had help. James Walsh had killed for him who else might be on his payroll?“We’ll deal with it,” Avalon said. “ Together. Like always.”

Avalon walked to Diana's office after the phone call ended.

He’d won today.

Vincent was arrested. The company was safe. The board vote had failed.

But Selene was right. Vincent wasn't by himself when it happened, and the message he got around midnight was still on his phone, untouched.

**I'll be waiting for the location. Don't hurt anyone, especially not Maya. What do you want from me? Midnight tomorrow, got it. Just please, don't harm anyone I care about.**

Tomorrow was today.

Midnight was twelve hours away.

And the person who had sent that message was still somewhere out there, which was a pretty unsettling thought.

The location came through at 10 PM.

*Pier 28. South warehouse. Midnight. Come alone.*

Avalon showed it to Diana.

“You’re not going,” she said immediately.

“I have to. They threatened Maya. "We've got a problem - Vincent is behind bars, but it seems like someone else is really calling the shots. We can set our plan in motion, but there's no way I'm going to put Maya in harm's way - her life is not worth the risk."

Selene reached out and grabbed his arm, her eyes locked on his. "We'll do this together, both of us, with securities and backups in place," she said, her voice firm. "We're not going to play by their rules, we'll make our own."

“They said alone.” But I've had enough of being controlled by fear. They've been threatening to harm the people I care about if I don't do what they say, but I'm not going to give in to their demands anymore.

Diana had been on the phone for a while, and it wasn't until 11 PM that they finally had a plan in place.

A private security team would surround the warehouse, Diana would be on site in a van with police backup on standby while Avalon and Selene would wear wires.

They’d go to the meeting but they wouldn’t go alone.

At 11:45 PM, they arrived at Pier 28. The warehouse was a dark abandoned building, a perfect place for an ambush.

Avalon’s phone buzzed.

**From where I am, I can see a total of three security vehicles, and there are also two police cars, plus a van belonging to Diana Chap.***

Selene’s blood ran cold. “ They’re watching us.”

“Where?” Avalon scanned the darkness.

Another text.

**You've got five minutes to clear the area, or else Maya's life will be in danger - get everyone out, now.**

A photo is attached.

Maya was bound to a chair, her wrists and ankles restrained by thick layers of duct tape, a gag covering her mouth, and a look of sheer terror frozen in her eyes.

Selene screamed.

“No. No no no no—”

Avalon's wrapped his arms around her, his voice low and urgent. "We'll get her back, but for now, we have to play along with their demands."

“They’ll kill us and they'll probably kill Maya if we don't do something.“

He called Diana.

"Back off, everyone. They've got Maya and they're watching. If you don't get out of here, they'll hurt her."

“Avalon, if we leave you’re unprotected—”

“We don’t have a choice. Go. Now.”

One by one, the vehicles pulled away.

Avalon and Selene stood alone in the darkness and at exactly midnight, the warehouse door opened.

A figure stepped out and Selene’s world stopped because the person holding Maya hostage wasn't Vincent’s partner.

It was someone much worse, once trusted who’d been lurking from the beginning.

The figure stepped into the light and smiled.

"Hi Avalon and Selene, thank you for coming."