A brilliant white beam of light swept across the room. It ignored the gilded tables, ignored the Rossi family, and fell on me with precision.
I stood in the center of the light, my black dress suddenly becoming like armor. The entire ballroom fell silent. The hum of the air conditioning was audible.
Vanessa stood frozen, one foot on the first step of the podium. She turned around, a look of dismay on her face. “That light… it’s a mistake. Please direct it at the podium!”
The announcer smiled and nodded at me. “President Rossi? The podium is yours.”
Chapter 4: Madam President
I was in no hurry. I walked with the steady, rhythmic gait of someone who knows exactly where they’re going.
As she passed Vanessa, she reached out and grabbed my sleeve. “Isabella, go back to your table!” This isn’t funny!
Elias, who had just returned from the infirmary, appeared immediately. He didn’t say a word; he simply placed a firm hand on Vanessa’s shoulder and pulled her out of the way. She gasped and stumbled backward, bumping into a bouquet of flowers.
I climbed the stairs. I felt the heat of the spotlight on my skin. I reached the stage and looked down at a sea of faces.
I looked at Marcus Rossi. He looked as if he’d seen a ghost. My mother clutched her throat, her face deathly pale.
I leaned into the microphone.
My voice didn’t tremble. It sounded clear and resonant, filling every corner of the Grand Astoria. “I’m Isabella Rossi. But in the financial world, I’m known as the founder and CEO of Aurora Holdings.”
A soft murmur, like the sound of a distant storm, filled the room.
“I’ve spent the last hour listening to my sister, Vanessa, take credit for a merger she wasn’t even involved in. I’ve heard her referred to as the ‘brains’ of the family. It’s a compelling story. The only problem is… it’s completely untrue.”
“Liar!” Vanessa shouted from the floor, her voice trembling. “She’s lying! She’s a cheater! She’s just a jealous sister trying to ruin this moment for me!”
I didn’t even look at her. I clicked the small remote control in my hand.
The gigantic, forty-something-meter-long LED screen behind me flickered. It wasn’t displaying photos of Rossi’s family, but a series of internal emails and logs from Aurora Holdings.
“These,” I said, pointing to the screen, “are the reports from the negotiations for the $500 million capital injection. As you can see, all communications originated from my private server. And here…” I clicked again. “…are Vanessa Rossi’s personnel file at Titan Corp.”
I marked the fragment.
“Of the three months Vanessa claimed to have spent ‘sleepless nights’ working on this deal, her keycards show she spent only twelve hours in the office. The rest of the time was spent at the Azure Spa or boutiques in Paris. She didn’t win this deal. I conceded it.”
Shareholders in the front row began to whisper loudly. The CEO of Northern Bank looked at Marcus Rossi with horror.
“Why?” I asked, lowering my voice to a whisper that was louder than a shout. “Why would the CEO of Aurora Holdings invest in a failing company like Titan Corp? I did it for my legacy. I did it because, despite everything, I wanted to believe my father’s company was worth saving. I wanted to give my family one last chance to build a decent life.”
I looked Vanessa straight in the eyes.
“But tonight I learned that some things aren’t worth saving. Tonight I saw a “lifeguard” hit a five-year-old for pouring water on her dress. I saw a grandmother kick her own grandson while he was unconscious. I saw a grandfather disown his daughter for being a mother.”
Vanessa rushed downstage, her face contorted with rage. “This is all a trick! Marcus, do something! She’s ruining everything!”
I looked down at her. “I’m not ruining everything, Vanessa. I’m just taking back what’s mine.”
Chapter 5: Destruction
The crowd fell silent again. The terminology was familiar to every investor in the room.
“When I signed the merger agreement,” I continued, “I included a standard ‘default clause.’ It states that if the management of a subsidiary—in this case, Titan Corp—engages in unethical behavior, a public scandal, or commits a crime, Aurora Holdings has the right to launch a full, hostile takeover. Effective immediately.”
Marcus Rossi finally found his voice. “Isabella… Bella, honey, let’s talk about it. We didn’t know! If we knew you were the one…”
