The board convened by emergency video call that same afternoon. Everyone understood that the situation was serious, but nobody seemed prepared for just how damaging the evidence would be. The company’s security report documented what had happened on company property, leaving very little room for excuses or competing interpretations. A senior executive had allowed a personal relationship with a subordinate to become a physical assault against the CEO’s spouse. Worse, it had happened where employees and security personnel could witness it. The company could not simply dismiss the incident as a private disagreement. It had become a corporate crisis, and the board needed to decide how much damage it was willing to accept to protect Sebastian.

Sebastian appeared on the video call with the confidence of a man who still believed his position could protect him. He spoke about misunderstandings, personal matters, and the need to keep emotions from influencing a business decision. But the evidence was already in front of the board. Behind the demand for his removal stood the one shareholder bloc that could not be outvoted. My family’s trust controlled the shares that mattered most. Sebastian had spent years believing the company belonged to him because he occupied its highest office. He had forgotten that titles could disappear far more quickly than ownership. By the time the afternoon meeting reached its final decision, the board was preparing to take a step that would change everything.