Chapter 4

As my words fell, the boardroom became deathly silent.

Franklin's eyes instantly reddened, like a cornered beast.

"Ivanka! What gives you the right?!" he roared, his voice twisted with rage.

"The fact that this company is mine, not yours." I leaned back in my chair, relaxed but authoritative.

"You don't have that authority! Removing a CEO requires a board vote!" One of Franklin's loyalist directors stood up, his voice shrill.

Attorney Jamal adjusted his glasses and spoke coldly. "According to the company charter, when the Chairman has sufficient reason to suspect the CEO is damaging company interests, she has the right to remove them first and seek board ratification afterward. Moreover, Ivanka possesses veto power. She herself is the board."

The director's face turned red, unable to say another word.

My gaze shifted to him as I tapped lightly on the table.

"James, I recall you own a construction materials company that's the main supplier for several of Azure Sea's real estate projects?"

James broke out in a cold sweat immediately.

"I... that's normal business cooperation..."

"Is it?" I picked up a document and waved it in front of him. "In this procurement contract, your company's pricing is twenty percent above market rate. The profit margin there is enough for you to buy a new car, isn't it?"

James's legs gave out, and he collapsed into his chair.

Around the boardroom, several other members of Franklin's faction also showed panicked expressions.

They hadn't expected that I, the lazy one, actually knew the company's inner workings inside and out.

I was making an example of them.

I wanted everyone to know exactly who called the shots at this company.

"And you, Paul." My gaze turned to another person. "The money for your son's overseas education—Lisa helped arrange that, didn't she? Using the company's overseas accounts."

"You..." Paul's face also turned deathly pale.

Lisa stood to the side, trembling.

The way she looked at me was full of fear.

She had always thought I was a clueless waste who could be manipulated at will by her and Franklin.

Only now did she understand—I wasn't unaware. I was just waiting.

Waiting for them to personally deliver all the evidence to me.

Franklin watched as I called out his allies one by one, his expression changing from dark to deathly pale.

He finally realized I wasn't throwing a tantrum.

I had come for a reckoning.

"Ivanka, what exactly do you want?" His voice carried a tremor.

"What do I want?" I smiled. "I want to take back what's mine. That's all."

I looked at Johnson, who had remained quiet.

"Johnson, this company was my father's life's work, and yours too. Thank you for these ten years."

Johnson's eyes reddened as he stood up emotionally.

"Ivanka, you're finally back!"

"Yes, I'm back." I nodded, then looked at everyone, my voice clear and firm.

"Now, I announce the second resolution."

"Johnson will temporarily assume the position of Group CEO, responsible for daily operations. At the same time, a special audit team will be formed with Johnson as team leader to thoroughly investigate all company accounts from the past ten years."

"Everyone here, every single one of you—whoever has issues, come forward and explain clearly. Don't wait for me to throw the evidence in your faces."

My gaze swept like a blade across every guilty director.

"Let me be clear: this company doesn't support freeloaders, and it certainly doesn't support parasites."

"Now, those who agree with this resolution, raise your hands."

Johnson was the first to raise his hand.

Then several neutral shareholders hesitated before raising theirs.

Then the directors I'd called out raised their hands, trembling, faces ashen.

They knew resistance was futile.

I held their lifelines in my hands.

Finally, only Franklin remained, sitting there rigidly.

He looked at me, his eyes full of resentment, hatred, and a trace of fear.

The business empire he'd spent ten years building, thinking it impregnable, had been effortlessly dismantled by me in just one hour.

He had lost. Utterly and completely.

I didn't look at him again. I said to Johnson, "Johnson, arrange the handover immediately. Clean out Franklin's office, and Lisa's too."

"Yes, Ivanka." Johnson's voice was strong and clear.

I stood up, preparing to leave.

At the door, I stopped and looked back at the dejected Franklin.

"Oh, one more thing I forgot to mention."

"The villa we've been living in—that's also in my name. You have three days to move out."

"I'll have the housekeeper pack your things. As for anything that doesn't belong to you, don't even think about taking it."