Arthur walked slowly over to the desk, his hand resting on the smooth leather of the folder. "Did the compliance audit clear?"
"Every single line item," Elena confirmed, opening the dossier to reveal rows of certified financial statements. "For the past four years, Vivienne has been routing operational subsidies from the subsidiary accounts through shell companies registered in her maiden name. Total divergence: over four point two million dollars."
Arthur’s eyes narrowed. He had suspected financial indiscretion, but the scale of the betrayal struck a deeper nerve. It wasn't just greed; it was an engineered systematic attempt to hollow out the family's liquid assets before Clara could assume control of the board.
"They thought they could force my hand with an ultimatum," Arthur murmured, looking toward the rain-streaked windows. "They assumed emotion would override evidence."
"Emotions fade when the auditors knock, Arthur," Elena said calmly. "And the state prosecutor's office has already received the preliminary files. The question isn't whether they will face consequences. The question is whether you want to present the final notice personally, or let the receivers do it at tomorrow morning's board meeting."