Chapter 17 - THE CHOICE
Victor arrived at Sterling Holdings at eight in the morning.
He entered the boardroom confidently.
Several executives were waiting.
He believed Adrian was still weak.
Still spoiled.
Still easy to manipulate.
Then the doors opened.
Adrian walked in.
Without his designer watch.
Without his luxury clothes.
Without the confidence he once carried.
Richard followed.
Victor's expression changed.
“What is this?”
Richard placed a folder on the table.
“We know.”
Victor's face went pale.
“Know what?”
Adrian opened the folder.
“The transfers.”
Victor looked at him.
“You don't understand.”
“I understand everything.”
Victor laughed nervously.
“You're just a kid.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“That was your mistake.”
The room became silent.
Victor tried to blame Adrian.
He claimed Adrian had approved the transactions.
But Adrian had evidence.
Emails.
Security logs.
Financial records.
Messages.
Everything.
The board voted unanimously to remove Victor.
Security escorted him from the building.
Afterward, Richard and Adrian remained alone.
Richard looked at his son.
“You could have taken revenge.”
Adrian shook his head.
“I didn't want revenge.”
“What did you want?”
Adrian looked around the boardroom.
“To fix what I broke.”
Richard smiled faintly.
Then he placed a document on the table.
Adrian looked down.
It was a new succession agreement.
His name was there.
But not as chairman.
Not yet.
Instead, it contained a condition.
Five years of independent leadership.
No family money.
No personal withdrawals from the company.
No luxury purchases above a fixed amount.
Adrian looked up.
“You're giving me another chance.”
Richard nodded.
“I'm giving you a path.”
May you like
Adrian picked up the pen.
This time, he didn't hesitate.
