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The front door swung open with a force that echoed through the mansion.
Six men in tailored black suits stepped inside first, followed by two uniformed security officers. Behind them walked Arthur Bennett, Executive Vice President of Legal Affairs at Morrison Global Holdings.
The moment Diane saw him, the wine glass slipped from her hand and shattered across the marble floor.
“Arthur?” Brendan asked, confused. “What are you doing here?”
Arthur didn’t even acknowledge him.
Instead, he walked directly toward me, removed his glasses, and spoke in a respectful tone that stunned everyone in the room.
“Ms. Cassidy Morgan, my deepest apologies that we couldn’t arrive sooner.”
The room fell silent.
Jessica blinked.
Diane frowned.
Brendan laughed nervously.
“What is this?” he asked. “Some kind of joke?”
Arthur slowly turned toward him.
“I’m afraid this is no joke.”
He handed me a leather folder.
“I’ve brought the emergency authorization documents exactly as requested.”
I calmly signed the first page while water continued dripping from my sleeves.
Then Arthur faced the Morrison family.
“As of ten minutes ago,” he announced, “Protocol 7 has officially been activated.”
Brendan folded his arms.
“Someone explain what the hell that means.”
Arthur looked directly at him.
“It means the Board of Directors has suspended every member of the Morrison family from all executive responsibilities pending investigation.”
Brendan laughed again.
“You can’t suspend me. My father owns this company.”
Arthur remained expressionless.
“No.”
The single word landed like thunder.
“He never did.”
Confused murmurs filled the dining room.
Diane stepped forward.
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
Arthur opened another folder.
“For the past twelve years, Morrison Global Holdings has been owned through a private investment trust.”
He looked toward me.
“The sole beneficiary and controlling shareholder of that trust is Ms. Cassidy Morgan.”
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Jessica’s mouth slowly fell open.
Brendan stared at me before bursting into laughter.
“She’s broke!”
Arthur raised an eyebrow.
“Actually…”
He slid another document across the table.
“Ms. Morgan currently owns 82 percent of Morrison Global Holdings.”
Brendan’s smile disappeared.
“The company has a market valuation exceeding forty-three billion dollars.”
Jessica dropped into her chair.
Diane looked as though she couldn’t understand the words.
Arthur continued calmly.
“Which means Ms. Morgan’s personal assets exceed thirty-five billion.”
The room became so quiet that the sound of water dripping from my dress onto the floor seemed deafening.
Brendan finally whispered,
“No…”
I looked at him without anger.
“You always wondered why I never asked for money after the divorce.”
He stared.
“I didn’t need yours.”
Arthur continued reading.
“Effective immediately, all Morrison family executive contracts have been terminated under Section Nine of the shareholder emergency protection clause.”
Brendan’s face turned white.
“My office…”
“Locked.”
“My company car?”
“Returned.”
“My stock options?”
“Frozen.”
“My pension?”
“Suspended.”
Diane grabbed the edge of the dining table.
“This is impossible.”
Arthur calmly handed her another envelope.
“Your consulting agreement has also been terminated.”
“But I’ve worked there for twenty years!”