Chapter 9: The Board of Execution
The Sterling Corporate Plaza was a glass-and-steel monolith that pierced the gray clouds of Oakhaven. Inside the 50th-floor boardroom, the air was thick with the scent of expensive cologne and betrayal.
Twelve men and women sat around a table made of rare obsidian. These were the gods of the city's economy, and right now, they were acting like vultures.
"The evidence is clear, Elena," Arthur Vance, the oldest member of the board, said as he tapped a diamond-encrusted pen on the table. "The leaked files, the rumors of your... 'private' escapades, and the plummeting stock price. You are a liability. We have a motion to remove you as CEO, effective immediately."
Elena sat at the head of the table. She looked magnificent—wearing a sharp, white power suit that contrasted with her golden hair—but I could see the slight tremor in her fingers. She was alone.
"And who would take my place?" Elena's voice was cold, but it lacked its usual bite. "Arthur? You, who have been funneled kickbacks from the Triad for years?"
"Accusations won't save you, child," Arthur sneered. "We have the votes. And Marcus Thorne was supposed to bring the final verification of your misconduct tonight. Where is he?"
Right on cue, the heavy double doors of the boardroom swung open.
I didn't just walk in; I invaded the room. I was still wearing my black suit, slightly damp from the rain, with the sleeves rolled up to reveal the bandage on my arm. Behind me, two security guards tried to stop me, but one look from my eyes—now glowing with a faint, predatory blue—made them freeze in their tracks.
"Marcus Thorne won't be joining us," I said, my voice echoing like a thunderclap in the silent room. "He's currently experiencing a very sudden career change. In a hospital bed."
"Who the hell are you?" Arthur stood up, his face reddening. "This is a private session! Security!"
[System Notification: Authority Aura Activated]
[Target: The Board of Directors]
[Aura Effect: Overwhelming Pressure]
The board members, who were about to call for help, suddenly felt the air grow heavy.
Some found it hard to breathe; others felt an instinctual urge to lower their gaze. I walked to the head of the table and stood right behind Elena. I placed a hand on her shoulder—not as a subordinate, but as her protector.
The heat from my hand seemed to give her an instant surge of confidence. She leaned back, a small, dangerous smile appearing on her lips.
"This is Fang Li," Elena announced, her voice now steady and lethal. "My personal advisor and the new Head of Corporate Security."
"Advisor? He's a nobody!" another board member shouted.
I pulled the translucent data-drive Isabella had given me from my pocket and tossed it onto the obsidian table. It slid perfectly to the center.
"That drive contains the bank records of every person in this room," I said, my voice dropping to a low, silk-wrapped threat. "It shows the secret accounts in the Cayman Islands, the payments from Marcus Thorne, and the exact price each of you took to betray the Sterling legacy."
The room went deathly silent. Arthur Vance reached for the drive, his hand shaking.
"Don't," I commanded.
[Skill Used: Neural Command - 'Freeze']
Arthur's hand stopped inches from the drive. He looked like a statue, his eyes wide with a terror he couldn't explain. The other board members looked at him, then at me, their faces turning pale.
"Now," I said, leaning over the table, my shadow looming over them all. "We're going to have a new vote. But first, let's look at the big screen."
I snapped my fingers. The massive 100-inch monitor at the end of the room flickered to life. It didn't show Elena's scandal. It showed a live feed of Warehouse 44—or what was left of it. The ruins were still smoldering, and fire crews were pulling out charred crates of illegal contraband and the Triad's blackmail files.
"Everything Marcus had on you is ash," I lied—knowing I had the real copies. "The only evidence that exists now is what I hold in my hand. Your careers, your freedom, and your lives belong to the Sterling family now."
I turned to the board. "The motion to remove Elena Sterling. All those in favor?"
Silence. Not a single hand went up. Arthur was still frozen, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead.
"All those against?"
Every hand in the room shot up as if their lives depended on it—because they did.
"Unanimous," Elena said, standing up. She walked around the table, stopping behind Arthur. She leaned down and whispered in his ear, loud enough for everyone to hear: "You're fired, Arthur. And I'm taking your shares as a 'retirement' gift. Fang, see him out."
I grabbed Arthur by the collar. With my Level 2 strength, it was like picking up a child. I dragged him toward the door.
"As for the rest of you," I called out over my shoulder. "Go home. Sleep well. Because tomorrow, the 'Absolute Desire System' begins its true implementation in this company. You are no longer directors. You are assets. And I don't like underperforming assets."
I threw Arthur out into the hallway and slammed the doors.
The boardroom was empty now, except for me and Elena. The high-tension atmosphere shattered, leaving a strange, electric silence. Elena turned to me, her eyes shimmering with a mix of relief, adrenaline, and something far deeper.
"You did it," she whispered, stepping closer until our chests were almost touching. "You actually did it. You saved everything."
[Ding!]
[Quest Complete: 'The Corporate Coup']
[Reward: 1,000 Desire Points]
[Elena Sterling's Loyalty: 95/100 (Unyielding)]
[New Feature Unlocked: 'The Queen's Chamber' – Dedicated space for bond cultivation.]
Elena reached up, her hand trembling as she touched the bandage on my arm where Kaelen had cut me. "You're hurt. Because of me."
"It's a small price to pay for a kingdom, Elena," I said, looking down at her.
She didn't pull away. Instead, she wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me into a fierce, desperate kiss. It wasn't the kiss of a boss and an employee; it was the kiss of a woman who had found her King.
[System Warning!]
[Desire levels peaking...]
[Aura of 'Isabella Vane' detected nearby... She is watching.]
I pulled back slightly, glancing at the darkened glass of the boardroom window. I could feel a lingering gaze—Isabella was somewhere out there, enjoying the show. The game was far from over. I had secured the throne, but now I had to defend it against the shadows.
"Come," Elena whispered, her voice husky. "Let's leave this place. I want to show you the real power of the Sterling family."