Chapter 3

Monday morning. Azure Sea Group. The boardroom.

Around the long conference table sat the company's directors and shareholders.

Most of these people were confidants Franklin had promoted over the past ten years, or allies he'd bound to himself through mutual interests.

At this moment, their expressions were grave as they whispered among themselves.

At the head of the table sat Franklin, his face dark, his eyes bloodshot.

Beside him, Lisa—serving as his special assistant—also looked haggard, having lost her usual polished competence.

Everything that happened last Friday felt like a sudden tsunami to them.

Lawyer's letters. Asset freezes. Reports to regulators.

Three strikes, and they were completely blindsided.

Franklin couldn't understand how the woman who had been lying at home for ten years, completely uninvolved with the company, could suddenly become so ruthlessly efficient, every move deadly.

He especially couldn't figure out how she knew about those affiliated companies.

Those accounts had been cooked to perfection.

"Franklin, what's going on? Why is Ivanka suddenly revoking your authorization?" A shareholder couldn't help but speak up, his tone anxious.

With the company accounts frozen, several projects had ground to a halt.

The stock price was also beginning to fluctuate abnormally.

Franklin took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his irritation.

"Everyone, don't worry. This is just a small family dispute between her and me. It'll be resolved soon." He tried to reassure them.

"A family dispute?" An older director laughed coldly. "A family dispute that needs to be reported to regulatory agencies? Franklin, you'd better give us a reasonable explanation!"

This was an old company employee, someone from my father's generation.

Over the past ten years, Franklin had marginalized him until he had no real power left.

Seeing this, Lisa quickly said in a soft voice, "Johnson, please don't be upset. This really is a misunderstanding. Ivanka... she might just be temporarily upset."

"Temporarily upset?" Johnson looked at her. "I think you two have been harboring improper ambitions for far too long!"

The boardroom instantly erupted.

At that moment, the heavy double doors of the conference room were pushed open from outside.

I walked in wearing a sharp white suit, seven-centimeter heels clicking, accompanied by Attorney Jamal in his black suit.

Every pair of eyes instantly focused on me.

Shock. Confusion. Scrutiny. Hostility.

I ignored all those looks and walked straight toward the head of the table.

Franklin sat there, staring at me with eyes that seemed ready to spit fire.

"Ivanka, what are you doing here?"

I didn't look at him. Instead, I looked at Lisa beside him.

"Lisa, is that a seat you're qualified to occupy?" I said flatly.

Lisa's face went white as a sheet.

She stood up reflexively, looking at Franklin helplessly.

I walked to the head seat and stopped, my gaze finally landing on Franklin's face.

"This seat isn't for you either."

My voice wasn't loud, but it landed like a hammer blow on everyone's heart.

Franklin's fists clenched instantly, veins bulging on the backs of his hands.

"Ivanka, don't go too far!"

"Too far?" I smiled. "Franklin, who gave you the nerve to spend my money, manage my employees, and then try to push me out?"

I pulled out the chair and sat down gracefully.

Attorney Jamal distributed a stack of documents to every director present.

"Ladies and gentlemen, these are Azure Sea Group's original founding charter and proof of Ivanka's equity as the company's sole founder."

"According to corporate law and the group charter, Ivanka possesses one hundred percent of Azure Sea Group's equity and is the group's sole legal controller."

Jamal's voice was steady and authoritative.

"Furthermore, according to additional clause three of the charter, founder Ivanka possesses veto power and has final decision-making authority over any group resolution."

Veto power!

Those words brought instant silence to the boardroom.

Everyone's eyes widened, their faces written with disbelief.

Franklin's body swayed violently, as if all his strength had been drained.

He knew I had majority shares, but he never knew I had this power.

This meant that no matter how many shareholders he'd won over, no matter how many allies he had on the board, as long as I disagreed, no resolution could pass.

I was this company's absolute sovereign.

I looked with satisfaction at Franklin's ashen face.

"Now, in my capacity as Chairman and sole shareholder of Azure Sea Group, I announce the first resolution."

My gaze swept across the room before settling on Franklin.

"Franklin is hereby removed from all positions within Azure Sea Group, effective immediately."

"As of today, all his access privileges are frozen, and a third-party audit firm will conduct an exit audit."

"Until the audit results are available, Franklin may not leave the city."