Never Again Yours (Isadora and Magnus)

Kemp stood and spoke in a steady voice, "What you're looking at is evidence that Maxwell illegally moved company funds from our overseas branch. It's all here in black and white-he acted unethically and seriously compromised the interests of The Fitzgerald Group."

As the evidence scrolled across the screen, a ripple of shocked murmurs swept through the room.

Maxwell's eyes widened in disbelief.

How-how could this be? Sure, he'd shifted a bit of money after losing big in the stock market, but he'd put it back almost right away. How could they have found out?

Victor's expression remained flat as he watched Maxwell's face cycle through every shade of embarrassment and panic. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"I-I... This is fake..."

Kemp shook his head. "The numbers don't lie, Maxwell. And your own accountant has already confirmed everything."

Maxwell clenched his fists, forcing out, "I already returned the funds."

Victor's lips curled into a cold smile. "If everyone thought like you just dipping into company money whenever they pleased, maybe returning it, maybe not— how long do you think this business would last?"

Around the table, board members eyed Maxwell with open scorn and derision.

Maxwell's face flushed, then turned ashen.

Victor locked eyes with him, his voice cutting and absolute. "The Fitzgerald Group has no place for shareholders like you. If you don't want this evidence handed over to the police, you'll sign over your shares today. All of them."

Kemp, prepared for this moment, stepped forward and placed the already-drafted share transfer agreement on the table in front of Maxwell. He held out a pen. "Sign it."

Maxwell glared down at the paperwork, jaw clenched so tightly it was a wonder his teeth didn't shatter.

"Victor, you're despicable," he spat "You planned all this just to force me out, strip me bare, make me sign away everything. I won't do it! This is robbery!"

Victor shrugged, utterly unfazed. "If you'd prefer to spend the rest of your life behind bars, that can be arranged. Your choice."

That threat landed hard-Maxwell could see Victor wasn't bluffing. Panic washednoveldrama

over him as he turned desperately toward Virgil.

Virgil's brow furrowed in frustration.

Idiot. Caught for something like this-what could he possibly do to help?

Seeing even Virgil wouldn't

intervene, Maxwell's eyes burned red, veins standing out as he shouted, "Victor, don't forget—I. helped your grandfather build The Fitzgerald Group from nothing! You weren't even born then! Now the loyal are cast aside when they're no longer useful. This is how you treat your own people? You'll chill the heart of every shareholder in this room!"

Kemp raised a hand.

Three security guards immediately stepped forward, pinned Maxwell's arm to the table, and forced him to scrawl his name across the transfer documents.

Without another word, the guards dragged him out of the room.

The whole thing happened so swiftly, so decisively, the board was left stunned, barely able to process what they'd seen.

One moment, Maxwell had been a respected shareholder of The Fitzgerald Group. The next, he was nothing-tossed out like yesterday's trash.

A heavy, uneasy silence settled over the conference room, tension thick in the air.

Nearly a hundred people sat frozen, gripped by fear and uncertainty.

Victor raised his eyes and scanned

the room, his voice deep and

commanding. “No one can

guarantee a company's profits will

remain steady every year. But since I

took over, your dividends have outperformed even the days when my grandfather was in

charge-including this year."

"Does anyone else have an objection?"

Not a single head lifted. No one dared utter a word.