I looked at Vincent. "You want to guess who?"
His face had gone white.
"Vincent DeLuca has been systematically stealing from this company since before my mother died," I said, my voice hard. "He's been positioning himself to take over, removing obstacles, inserting people in the right places,” I pointedly looked at the two of them in this room, “and when I started making changes that threatened his access—he decided to frame me for his own crimes and stage a coup."
Margaret was studying the documents with sharp eyes. "These bank records... Vincent, this account number is registered to your name."
"That's… I can explain?—"
"Please do," I said coldly. "Explain how your name ended up on accounts receiving fraudulent payments from our company. Explain the offshore accounts. Explain the shell corporations registered to your address."
He couldn't. He sat there, mouth opening and closing, no words coming out.
"I move to table the vote on Angelina's removal," Margaret said firmly. "And I move that we immediately launch a full investigation into these allegations against Vincent DeLuca."
"Seconded," Thomas Brennan said immediately.
"All in favor?" Margaret asked.
Eight hands went up. Only Vincent's stayed down.
"Motion carries." Margaret turned to Vincent. "Vincent, I'm going to have to ask you to surrender your keys and access cards. Effective immediately, you're suspended pending investigation."
"You can't do this!" Vincent shot to his feet. "I've been with this company for twenty years! You can't just kick me out!"
"We can and we are," I said. "And Vincent? I'm also filing criminal charges. For embezzlement, fraud, forgery, and corporate espionage. The Seattle PD is waiting outside to take your statement."
His face went from white to red. "You bitch. You think you've won? You think marrying Desmond protects you?"
"It does, actually." I smiled. "But that's beside the point. You stole from my mother's company. You stole from me. And now you're going to pay for it. This isn’t about Desmond or anybody else in this room. This ismycompany. It’s personal. I’m tired of you undermining me as if you have a right to be here. My mother showed you mercy and for a while, I did too. Not anymore,uncle."
"I'll destroy you," he hissed, leaning across the table. "I'll burn this whole fucking company to the ground before I let you keep it."
“I’d love to see you try.” I leaned forward with same bravado he’d dared me with. “Goodbye, Vincent.”
The door opened and two security guards entered.
"Gentlemen," I said calmly. "Please escort Mr. DeLuca from the building. He's no longer welcome here."
"You can't—get your hands off me!" Vincent struggled as the guards took his arms. "This isn't over! You hear me, Angelina? This isn't fucking over!"
They dragged him out, his threats echoing down the hallway until a door slammed shut. The boardroom was silent.
"Well," Margaret said finally. "That was dramatic."
I sank into my chair where I belonged and let out a long breath.
"I apologize for the disruption," I said. "But I couldn't let him continue to undermine this company or myself."
"You did the right thing," Sarah Mitchell said. "We should have seen the signs earlier."
"We all should have," Margaret agreed. She looked at me with renewed respect. "Your mother would be proud. You handled that with grace and strength."
My throat tightened. "Thank you."
We spent the next hour going over next steps—hiring an outside firm to conduct a full audit, reviewing all of Vincent's hires and decisions, implementing new financial controls.
By the time the meeting ended, I was exhausted but victorious. Vincent was gone. The company was secure. I'd proven I could handle this without falling apart. And it’d all been done the way that I wanted it to be. I was gathering my materials when my phone rang. Speak of the beautiful devil.
