Chapter 12 - Bianca Takes the House
Bianca’s special shareholder meeting happened on Friday.
Despite the disputed ownership case, the court had not yet invalidated her voting shares.
Unless restrained, the 51 percent block remained powerful.
Bianca used it.
She removed two more directors.
Installed three allies.
Confirmed Gideon as executive chairman.
Then passed a resolution suspending Lucas’s access to all non-public corporate information beyond what he was entitled to as a shareholder.
Sophie received something more personal.
A notice banning her from Vale House premises except by appointment.
Reason:
Workplace violence and disruption.
She read it twice.
“I own fifteen percent of the company.”
Nora replied, “Share ownership does not give unrestricted workplace access.”
“This is because I hit her.”
“Yes.”
Sophie hated the answer.
Because Bianca was using a real mistake.
Not fabricated evidence.
Sophie had assaulted her.
The company had a legitimate workplace-safety basis to restrict her presence.
Bianca’s misconduct did not erase that.
Sophie met with a criminal-defense attorney after Bianca filed a police complaint regarding the slaps.
The backstage video clearly showed the incident.
The attorney said the likely charge would be a low-level offense, depending on injury and prosecutorial discretion.
Bianca had no fracture.
No medical treatment beyond photographs and an examination.
Still, Sophie had struck her twice.
“Do not minimize it,” the lawyer said.
“I’m not.”
“Good.”
The prosecutor eventually offered an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal conditioned on Sophie completing a conflict-management program and remaining arrest-free.
No admission of guilt would be entered if completed.
Sophie accepted.
Reporters framed it as privilege.
Some criticism was fair.
She said nothing publicly beyond:
“I am complying with the process.”
Meanwhile, Vale House deteriorated.
The bank’s borrowing freeze forced the company to postpone two launches.
Vendors demanded faster payment.
Bianca blamed Lucas publicly.
She issued a statement:
Prior management failures created financial instability now being addressed by new leadership.
Lucas nearly threw his phone.
Sophie said, “Don’t.”
He looked at her.
“I get to be angry.”
“Yes.”
She pointed toward his hand.
“You don’t get to throw a phone at a wall and make it Maya’s replacement assistant’s problem.”
He put the phone down.
“Annoying.”
“I learned from you.”
The bank gave Vale House twenty-one days to establish credible ownership governance and resolve disclosure concerns.
If not, covenant remedies could follow.
Bianca proposed selling portions of Celeste’s archive.
Three dresses had already attracted museum and collector interest.
Projected proceeds: $14 million.
Sophie opposed it.
Lucas opposed it.
The Bianca-controlled board approved preliminary auction preparations anyway.
Then another relationship cracked.
Elena received a pension-review letter.
Vale House claimed historical records showed she had been improperly credited with five extra years of service.
Her expected retirement benefit could fall substantially.
Sophie stared at the letter.
“This is retaliation.”
Elena folded it calmly.
“Probably.”
“We’ll sue.”
Elena looked at her.
“You cannot solve every injury by making it part of your war.”
“But this is because you helped us.”
“Yes.”
“Then let me help.”
Elena sighed.
“You may pay for a benefits lawyer.”
Sophie nodded.
“Thank you.”
“But you may not speak for me.”
“Okay.”
“And you may not post anything.”
Sophie gave her a wounded look.
Elena smiled.
“Especially that.”
Maya also suffered.
Bianca’s network quietly told two production companies Maya had violated confidentiality.
Job interviews disappeared.
Sophie wanted to call executives.
Maya refused.
“If you pressure people to hire me because you’re rich, I become exactly what Bianca says I am.”
“What do you want?”
“A lawyer.”
Sophie paid for one only after Maya agreed to a formal loan arrangement that could be forgiven if Maya prevailed in her retaliation claim.
Maya insisted on paperwork.
“Everyone in this story needs better paperwork,” she said.
The joke helped.
The ownership hearing approached.
Bianca’s lawyers produced the alleged June 26 reinstatement in original electronic form.
Their forensic expert argued Celeste could have authorized Gideon to execute it from his laptop.
Nora had no direct witness proving she did not.
The signature system used Celeste’s credentials.
This was the central weakness.
Intent was documented.
Termination was documented.
But the disputed reinstatement still existed.
Then Martin Bell, the former associate Gideon claimed witnessed Celeste’s authorization, was located.
He agreed to a deposition.
Sophie, Lucas, Nora, Bianca’s counsel, and Gideon’s counsel attended remotely.
Nora asked:
“Did Celeste Vale authorize reinstatement of the Moretti stock sale on June 26?”
Martin looked terrified.
“I was told she did.”
“By whom?”
“Mr. Shaw.”
“Did you speak to Celeste?”
“No.”
“Did you see her sign anything?”
“No.”
“Did you upload the waiver?”
Martin hesitated.
“Yes.”
“Using whose credentials?”
“Ms. Vale’s.”
Sophie stopped breathing.
“How did you obtain them?”
Martin looked toward his lawyer.
His lawyer nodded.
“Mr. Shaw gave me a one-time authentication code.”
Nora asked, “Where did he get it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did you believe Celeste had approved the document?”
Martin’s eyes filled.
“At the time.”
“And later?”
Silence.
“Mr. Bell?”
“Later I learned she had emailed him that morning.”
Nora leaned forward.
“What did the email say?”
Martin swallowed.
“‘There will be no sale. Stop sending me papers.’”
Nobody moved.
Sophie’s heart pounded.
“Do you still have it?” Nora asked.
“No.”
“Did Gideon?”
“He told me to delete it.”
Bianca’s attorney objected.
Nora ignored him.
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you telling us now?”
Martin looked directly into the camera.
“Because Gideon put my name on the closing certificate.”
May you like
His voice shook.
“And I’m done being the junior person everyone assumes will take the fall.”
