CHAPTER 3: THE BOARD MEETING
762 Words
10:05 AM. CEO Office. 60th Floor.
Sophia picked up her pen.
Step 3: Destroy his reputation.
She signed her name under PROJECT PHOENIX. The ink was black. Final.
Her assistant knocked. "Ms. Miller, the Board is in the main conference room. 11 AM sharp. And... Mr. Blackwood is requesting 5 minutes to speak."
Sophia smiled. "Give him 2 minutes. On floor 2 time."
Click.
---
10:30 AM. Floor 2. The Intern Pit.
Ethan was in a cheap button-down. No tie. No Rolex.
He stared at his old nameplate, now sitting in a cardboard box: `ETHAN BLACKWOOD, CEO`
Maya dropped a stack of files on his desk. "Board meeting prep. Ms. Miller wants you to present the Q3 losses."
Ethan laughed. "She wants me to humiliate myself."
"She wants results, sir," Maya said. "And sir... you lost them."
Ethan opened the file. Red numbers. Everywhere.
Stock down. Clients leaving. Lawsuits pending.
All from the last 2 years. His years.
His phone buzzed.
Text from Victoria, his secretary: `Baby, what happened? HR called me too.`
Ethan didn’t reply.
Because Victoria was part of Step 3.
---
11:00 AM. Main Conference Room.
12 Board members.
All in suits. All watching Sophia at the head of the table.
On the wall: A screen. Q3 Financial Report. All red.
"Good morning," Sophia said. "Let’s talk about why Blackwood is bleeding."
The doors opened.
Ethan walked in. Late.
Heads turned.
He took the seat at the far end. The intern seat.
Sophia didn’t look at him. "As you can see, we’ve lost $40 million this quarter. Carter Enterprises is leaving. 3 lawsuits for harassment. And our public image is in the trash."
A board member, Mr. Davis, 60s, cleared his throat. "Mr. Blackwood, as former CEO, do you have anything to say?"
Silence.
Ethan stood. "The market is bad. It’s not my fault—"
Sophia cut in. She clicked a remote.
The screen changed.
Photos.
Ethan at a club with Victoria.
Ethan signing off a $5 million "consulting fee" to his mistress.
Ethan yelling at employees. Leaked emails. `Fire her. She’s useless.`
The room went dead quiet.
"These are from company servers," Sophia said calmly. "While Mr. Blackwood was CEO, he used company funds for personal affairs. He created a hostile work environment. And he tanked our reputation."
Ethan’s face went white. "You went through my emails?"
"I’m the CEO now," Sophia said. "I go through everything."
Mr. Davis looked at the other board members. "This is... serious."
"It is," Sophia said. "Which is why I’m proposing a vote. Immediate termination of Ethan Blackwood from all positions at Blackwood Industries. Effective today."
Gasps.
"You can’t do that!" Ethan slammed his hand on the table. "I’m a Blackwood! This is my name!"
"Your name is on the lawsuits," Sophia said softly. "Not the company anymore."
She looked at each board member. "All in favor of termination?"
One by one, hands went up.
8. 9. 10. 11.
12-0.
Mr. Davis nodded. "Motion passes. Mr. Blackwood, you’re terminated."
Security was already at the door.
Ethan stared at Sophia. "You planned this."
"I planned this the night you threw me out," Sophia said. "Day 2 of revenge. Complete."
Two guards stepped forward. "Mr. Blackwood, please come with us."
Ethan looked around the room. No one met his eyes.
He walked out. No cuff. No yelling. Just... empty.
The door closed.
Sophia exhaled. She didn’t feel happy. She felt cold.
"Next order of business," she said. "Rebranding. And bonuses for everyone."
The room clapped.
---
1:00 PM. Lobby.
Employees were watching.
Ethan walked out with a box. His things. 2 years of his life in cardboard.
No one said goodbye.
He stopped at the front desk. The receptionist wouldn’t look at him.
His phone rang. Unknown.
"Hello?"
"Sophia Miller," the voice said. Female. Cold. "I hear you’re free now. We should talk. About your ex-wife."
Click.
Ethan looked up at the 60th floor. At her office window.
He didn’t know who was on the phone.
But he knew Day 2 wasn’t over.
---
6:00 PM. CEO Office.
Sophia was alone again.
She updated PROJECT PHOENIX on the wall.
Step 1: Take his company. ✓
Step 2: Take his clients. ✓
Step 3: Destroy his reputation. ✓
Step 4: Make the board fire him. ✓
Step 5: Find out who called him.
Her phone buzzed.
Unknown: `You think firing him ends it? You have no idea what you started. - V`
V.
Sophia frowned. Victoria.
She picked up her pen again.
Day 3 would be about the mistress.
And Sophia Miller was ready.
- Writer
