Chapter 4 - THE DESPERATE ALLIANCE
The Vanguards were down, but like cornered rats, they weren't ready to die without a fight.
Deprived of their wealth, their status, and their dignity, the family retreated to a cheap, roach-infested motel on the outskirts of the city. Diane, who used to spend thousands of dollars a day on skin creams, was now crying on a stained mattress. Richard spent his days drinking cheap whiskey, while Brendan tried frantically to call anyone who would listen.
But the corporate world is cruel. When you are at the top, everyone is your friend. When the anonymous owner of C.V. Enterprises crushes you, you become a ghost. No one answered Brendan’s calls.
Except for one person.
Jessica.
Jessica hadn't left Brendan just because of her father. She left because she felt humiliated. She had mocked a multi-billionaire to her face, and the shame of that realization was eating her alive. She wanted revenge just as badly as the Vanguards did.
One evening, Jessica secretly met Brendan at a dim, smoky diner.
"My father blocked all my accounts, but I still have my trust fund," Jessica said, sliding a thick envelope across the table. Inside was a stack of cash and a encrypted flash drive. "There's fifty thousand dollars in there. And the drive contains something better."
Brendan looked at the drive, his eyes desperate. "What is it?"
"It’s the medical and personal schedule for Cassidy’s prenatal care," Jessica whispered, her eyes gleaming with malice. "She visits a private clinic downtown every Thursday at 2:00 PM. She thinks she's safe because she has security. But my cousin works at that clinic. We can create a scandal."
Brendan frowned. "A scandal? Jessica, she owns the company. A scandal won't ruin her."
"No, but it will ruin her reputation before the upcoming Global Shareholders Summit," Jessica explained, leaning in. "If we expose that she used corporate funds to hide her identity, or if we frame her for corporate espionage against her own board... or better yet, if we make her look mentally unstable to the public, the board of directors can vote to remove her under the competency clause. If she is removed, the liquidation of the Vanguard branch can be reversed by the secondary board members—members my father can bribe."
Brendan’s heart pounded. It was a risky, dangerous plan. It crossed the line into serious criminality. But looking at the grease on the diner table and thinking about the motel room he had to sleep in, he didn't care anymore.
"What do you need me to do?" Brendan asked, his voice hardening.
"You need to confront her at the clinic," Jessica said. "Bring a camera crew. Bring the paparazzi. We will stage a scene where you beg to see your child, and she orders her thugs to beat you. A pregnant billionaire CEO abusing her poor, heartbroken ex-husband? The internet will explode. The media will eat her alive. The board will have no choice but to suspend her power."
Brendan nodded slowly, a dark smile returning to his face. "She thinks she won. She thinks she can just cast us aside. I'm going to take everything back."
Meanwhile, at my penthouse, I wasn't oblivious. You don't build a multi-billion-dollar empire by trusting that your enemies will accept defeat quietly.
Marcus stood in my living room, presenting a digital map of internet traffic and communications. "CEO Cassidy, we intercepted an encrypted transmission between Jessica’s family network and Brendan Vanguard. They are planning something for your upcoming medical appointment."
I rubbed my belly, feeling a soft flutter inside. My daughter was growing healthy and strong. The thought of these parasites trying to use my child as a weapon made a cold anger burn deep in my chest.
"Let them try," I said softly. "In fact, Marcus, let's make sure the paparazzi they hire have the best view in the house. But change the security detail at the clinic to federal marshals. If Brendan breaks the restraining order, I want him dealt with by the law, not just corporate guards."
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"Understood, ma'am," Marcus smiled. "And what about the Shareholders Summit next week?"
"Prepare the grand stage," I replied. "It’s time for the anonymous owner of C.V. Enterprises to finally show her face to the entire world. Let’s see if Brendan has the courage to stand in the same room."
