“What is the meaning of this?” Victor shouted, his face flushed.

The two security guards stepped forward immediately, blocking his path to the inner suites.

“Victor,” Evelyn said, her voice dropping to a low, authoritative register. “You need to calm down.”

“This is my building!” Victor yelled, pointing a trembling finger at her. “I built this company!”

“You built it with Claire’s money,” Nathan said, stepping in front of me.

Victor glared at Nathan, his chest heaving under his damp shirt.

“You backstabbing piece of garbage,” Victor hissed. “I made you a partner.”

“You made me a scapegoat,” Nathan replied quietly.

Evelyn stepped forward and held out a manila folder.

“Victor, as General Counsel, I am serving you with formal notice,” she said.

“Notice of what?” he demanded, though his voice cracked.

“The board has voted to suspend your executive authority, effective immediately,” Evelyn said.

She extended the papers toward him, but he made no move to take them.

The folder slipped from her hand and hit the floor, the white pages sprawling near his wet shoes.