Chapter 8 - The Fall of the Patriarch
Hector’s face turned an ugly shade of purple. ""This is an ambush! These documents are forged! I built this company with my bare hands! You cannot strip me of my life's work based on the claims of a dead rebel's bastard!""
""Watch your mouth, Hector,"" I said, stepping closer to the head of the table. ""Julian didn't die in an accident. You killed him.""
The entire boardroom went dead silent. You could have heard a pin drop onto the carpet.
Carmen burst into hysterical sobs, burying her face in her hands. Paola looked at her mother in horror. ""Mom? What is he saying? Tell him he's crazy!""
""Julian discovered your fifty-million-dollar embezzlement,"" I continued, projecting my voice so every board member heard every syllable. ""He was going to turn you over to the SEC. You had his brake lines cut on Christmas Eve. And then, you took his infant daughter, erased her identity, threw her into an orphanage, and when I adopted her, you treated her like an animal in your house because you couldn't bear to look at the living proof of your monstrous crimes!""
""Lies! All lies!"" Hector roared, lunging toward me.
Before he could take two steps, the two federal marshals intercepted him, twisting his arms behind his back and pinning him face-down against the polished marble boardroom table.
""Hector DeLuca,"" one of the marshals announced loudly, clicking heavy steel handcuffs around his wrists. ""You are under arrest for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, interstate wire fraud, and grand larceny. You have the right to remain silent.""
""Carmen DeLuca,"" the second marshal addressed my weeping mother. ""You are under arrest as an accessory after the fact to capital murder and corporate fraud.""
""No! Please! Mauricio, I am your mother!"" Carmen screamed, clawing at the marshals as they pulled her from her chair. ""I did it for the family! I did it to keep us together!""
""You made a six-year-old scrub dishes with scalded hands on Christmas Day,"" I said, staring at her with utter coldness. ""You are not a mother. You are a monster.""
Paola backed away from the table, trembling, her face white as chalk. ""Mauricio... please. Richard and I... we didn't know about Julian! We swear we didn't know about the car!""
""You didn't know about the murder, Paola,"" I said, turning to face my trembling sister. ""But you knew she was an innocent six-year-old child. You watched her stand on that wooden stool yesterday. You laughed while your daughters opened gifts bought with her father's money, and you told her she was a nobody.""
""We were just following Dad's lead!"" Richard cried out, sweating profusely. ""Mauricio, we're family!""
""Not anymore,"" I said. ""As the legal guardian of the majority shareholder, I hereby call this emergency session to order. Board members, I propose a motion to terminate Hector DeLuca, Paola DeLuca-Vance, and Richard Vance from all executive, advisory, and director positions immediately, with all stock options revoked for cause.""
The independent directors, terrified of being implicated in the burgeoning scandal, raised their hands in unison.
""Motion carries,"" the corporate secretary whispered, her hands shaking as she recorded the vote.
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""Get them out of my sight,"" I said to the officers.
As Hector was dragged down the hallway in handcuffs, spewing curses and threats, the glass doors closed behind him. The reign of terror that had ruled our family for four decades had ended in less than ten minutes.
