He looked across the polished mahogany table at his business partner.

“It’s over, Daniel,” Ethan said.

Evelyn stood up from her seat, her tailored jacket sharp against the dim light of the high-rise window.

“I am calling an emergency vote of the board of directors,” Evelyn said.

She looked at each person sitting around the table.

“As the majority shareholder representation, I move to remove Daniel Pierce from his position as Chief Operating Officer and his seat on the board, effective immediately.”

“I second the motion,” a man at the far end of the table said.

“All in favor,” Evelyn said.

Every hand in the room went up, except for Daniel’s.

“The motion carries,” Evelyn said, her voice completely flat. “Daniel, you are no longer an officer of this company.”

Daniel looked at the hands raised against him.

His face had gone a strange, sickly grey color.

“You’re making a mistake,” Daniel said, his voice barely a whisper. “You need me to manage the transition.”

“We don’t need you for anything,” Ethan said.

The heavy double doors of the boardroom clicked open.