Chapter 4 - The Unthinkable Offer
Vincent turned back to face his father, his chest heaving, his face pale with humiliation and mounting panic.
“Fine, Sophia is gone! Are you happy now, Father?
Claire wants a divorce, so let her have it! I’ll give her the penthouse and five million in cash to sign an NDA!”
Nathan Brooks leaned forward, sliding our draft petition toward Vincent with a cold, dismissive smile.
“Mrs. Moretti is not asking for your cash, Vincent, nor does she want your penthouse.
She is claiming sole ownership of the North Shore riverside mansion given to her by her late father, and nothing else.”
Vincent stared at Nathan, then at me, completely baffled by our refusal to demand his billions.
“You’re walking away with just your father’s house?” Vincent asked, his tone skeptical and suspicious.
“You’re giving up your claim to twenty percent of my corporate stock options?”
“I don't want a single dollar that touched your hands, Vincent,” I replied, looking directly into his hollow eyes.
“I came here to sign the deed separation, give you your freedom, and close the door on the worst three years of my life.”
Richard Moretti slowly reached across the table, picked up the divorce papers, and tore them cleanly down the middle.
The sharp ripping sound echoed through the library as the white paper separated into two useless halves.
Vincent blinked in confusion, while Nathan and I stiffened in our chairs.
“What are you doing, Richard?” I asked, my voice rising with cautious alarm.
“I am not staying married to your son under any circumstance.”
“I do not expect you to stay married to him, Claire,” Richard replied calmly, setting the torn papers onto the mahogany surface.
“In fact, your marriage to Vincent is officially over, and the dissolution will be filed before noon.”
He turned his piercing blue eyes toward his son, his expression settling into an unyielding mask of stone.
“Vincent, as of eight o'clock this morning, the board of directors convened an emergency executive session.
By unanimous vote of the majority shareholders, you have been removed as Chief Executive Officer of Moretti Holdings.”
Vincent staggered backward, his face draining of all color as his hand flew to his chest.
“Removed? You removed me? I’m your only son! I hold fifteen percent of the voting shares!”
“Your shares are subject to the family trust covenant, Vincent,” Richard stated with absolute legal authority.
“A covenant that explicitly allows the chairman to reassign executive authority in the event of gross moral turpitude that damages corporate value.”
Richard reached into his breast pocket, pulled out a thick parchment document bearing the gold seal of Moretti Holdings, and laid it before me.
“Claire, your father, Arthur Bennett, was my closest partner and the original co-founder of our maritime logistics division.
When you married Vincent, his trust transferred twelve percent of the conglomerate’s voting stock into your name.”
Richard tapped the document with his fountain pen, looking at me with deep, unwavering respect.
May you like
“I am stepping down as Chairman of the Board today, Claire.
And under the powers vested in my family trust, I am nominating you as the new Chief Executive Officer and majority managing partner of Moretti Holdings.”
