Dominic blinked.

She regarded him calmly.

“Good morning.”

Something inside him shifted.

Not guilt.

Instinct.

Danger.

Dominic forced a laugh.

“Alright, enough games. What is this?”

Arthur Graham stood beside the projector.

“Please sit, Mr. Stone.”

The use of his surname hit differently.

Dominic remained standing.

“I asked a question.”

Arthur pressed a button.

The massive screen illuminated.

OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE — STONE CAPITAL.

Legal documents filled the display.

Trust percentages. Voting control. Executive authority.

Dominic frowned impatiently.

“What am I looking at?”

Arthur answered evenly.

“The truth.”

Another slide appeared.

PRIMARY CONTROLLING BENEFICIARY: ELIZA VALE STONE.

51% controlling interest.

Dominic stared.

Silence swallowed the room.

Then he laughed.

Actually laughed.

“This is ridiculous.”

No one joined him.

His smile weakened.

Arthur continued.

“Through Vale Holdings and Horizon Trust, Mrs. Stone retains majority ownership of all subsidiaries beneath Stone Capital.”

Dominic looked toward Eliza.

She said nothing.

His pulse began climbing.

“It is fully documented,” Arthur replied.

“No.” Dominic shook his head harder. “No, I built this company.”

Eliza finally spoke.

“My father built it.”

Her voice remained quiet.

That frightened him more than screaming would have.

“You expanded it using his capital,” she continued. “You operated it using his infrastructure. And you represented it publicly because he believed charisma attracted investors.”

Dominic’s face flushed.

“You let me run everything.”

“Yes.”

“Then why hide this?”

Eliza held his gaze.

“To see whether you loved the company… or merely the throne.”

Sierra shifted uncomfortably beside him.

Dominic pointed toward the screen.

“This is manipulation.”

Arthur calmly slid a thick folder across the table.

“Those are the agreements you signed personally over the last twelve years.”

Dominic opened it.

Every signature belonged to him.

Every page.

His breathing changed.

A dangerous stillness entered the room.

Then Arthur pressed another button.

New images appeared.

Hotel surveillance. Private dinners. Financial statements.

Sierra’s expression drained white.

Dominic looked furious.

“Corporate misconduct investigation,” Arthur answered.

“Conducted under authority of the majority owner.”

Eliza rose slowly from her chair.

Every eye followed her.

“For twelve years,” she said, “I protected your image.”

Dominic opened his mouth.

She continued before he could interrupt.

“When investors questioned your impulsiveness, I defended you. When employees feared your temper, I excused it. When tabloids linked your name to women, I ignored it.”

She stepped closer.

“But last night you humiliated me publicly while standing on a stage financed by my family’s legacy.”

Dominic swallowed.

“And that,” Eliza finished softly, “was very expensive.”

Arthur handed documents to each board member.

“Effective immediately, Dominic Stone is removed as acting chief executive officer pending civil review.”

Dominic slammed both hands onto the table.

“You can’t do this.”