The shareholder filing landed at midnight.
Aria was still at her desk when the notification came through — Clara forwarding the documents with a single line: It's worse than we thought. Call me.
She called.
Clara answered on the first ring. "He's found seventeen external shareholders who collectively hold nineteen percent. Combined with his proxy board positions that's forty-two percent of voting power." A pause. "He doesn't need a majority to create enough chaos to force Ethan's resignation."
"He's not forcing a clean vote," Aria said. "He's forcing a crisis."
"Exactly." Clara's voice was tight. "A public shareholder dispute at this level — the press coverage alone would be enough to destabilize the company. Investors pull out. Stock drops. Board loses confidence." She paused. "Ethan
