MONICA PAYNES' POV
"I would like to speak about this matter. Eli here is qualified to be my secretary. This is not about who his parents are but his qualifications and work ethic. I trust him and ask you all to refrain from such unhandled tricks. If you feel that you do not want to be in Armand Inc., I am ready to buy your shares, and you can leave quietly without causing a hustle. If this happens again, you will finally see how brutal I can be." My nephew Chairman Armand's last words were what I needed to hear as we ended the board meeting.
Everyone left the boardroom, but Max remained behind and then he handed me the evidence of the security breach, it left a bitter taste in my mouth. I had always known James was crude, but this had pushed me to the edge of fury. I sat quietly in the boardroom as the late afternoon sun cast a warm glow through the large window. As I gazed out, my mind drifted back to a time that felt like a lifetime ago, when Armand was just a kid with dreams bigger than his means. I remembered those early days vividly, days marked by struggle and determination.
Armand had come from nothing. I can still see him as he was then, a scrappy, determined boy with an almost palpable hunger in his eyes. His clothes were threadbare, and his shoes were always scuffed, but his spirit was unbreakable. We'd all seen him, shuffling around with a resilience that bordered on defiance. He never seemed to care about the dirt under his nails or the grime on his face. All he cared about was making something of himself as he pushed himself, always chanting that he could not let my brother, his father down.
When Stanley James passed on from lung cancer everything went downhill from there. His wife, Melinda left Utah, leaving the boys to suffer. Armand ended up in a children's home while James was taken in by Melinda's brother.
My sisters, Vikylou and Brenda found him when just turned sixteen, bitter, and had moved from one home to another. A year later he got out of his cocoon and I remembered the way he used to talk about his dreams, his voice filled with a fiery ambition that was both inspiring and a little unsettling. He spoke of building an empire, of making it big, and while I admired his vision, I also worried. We all did. It seemed so far-fetched then, so improbable that someone from his background could rise to such heights.
And yet, against all odds, Armand made it. He clawed his way up from the gutters with nothing but sheer willpower and an almost reckless determination. I watched him transform from that rough, driven kid into a billionaire. It was nothing short of miraculous, and even now, thinking back, it feels like a fairy tale. He worked tirelessly, seizing every opportunity, and navigating the cutthroat world of business with a blend of cunning and charisma. When he finally made it, I was both thrilled and astonished. I'd always known he had it in him but seeing him achieve such success was a testament to his relentless drive. It was a story of triumph against the odds, a classic rags-to-riches tale that would make anyone proud.
I had overlooked what Mark had been doing for the past two years as they tried to cut corners with Bruno, and I knew that it was Melinda's family that was instigating him. The planned security breach was a red flag, and I opted to bring it up in the board meeting so that Mark could understand and see his mistake. Armand's threat was a clear indication that he knew Mark and Bruno were behind the planned system breach so that they could frame Eli.
This was pure sabotage, pure and simple. The realization churned in my gut like a storm, and I could hardly contain my fury. I left the board room, and marched to Mark's office, my heels clicking sharply on the marble floor.
I arrived at his office, yanked the door open and found him conversing with Bruno. Mark looked up from his desk, his face a mask of feigned innocence that made my blood boil. He knew, of course. He knew exactly what he'd done and knew I was coming for him.
"Mark!" I snapped, my voice cutting through the air like a knife. "We need to talk."
He straightened in his chair, trying to compose himself. "Aunt Monica Payne, what's this about?"
I slammed the transaction receipt on his desk "This is about your treachery! I've seen the records, and I know exactly what you've been doing. How could you, Mark? How could you do this to Armand Inc? Do you have any idea what Armand went through to build it?" His eyes widened in shock, but I wasn't in the mood for excuses. "I've always believed in giving you the benefit of the doubt, but this—" I gestured to the documents, "—this is beyond unacceptable. How could you be so selfish?"
He stammered, trying to form a defense. "I didn't— I thought—"
"Thought what?" I cut him off, my voice sharp with disbelief. "Thought no one would notice? Or did you think Armand would thank you for framing Eli Marks?"
"You are not letting me explain myself. Eli Marks is dangerous" Mark stated.
Bruno cleared his throat and Mark stood up, but I wasn't done. "You've always had everything handed to you on a silver platter, and this is how you repay us? By sabotaging your flesh and blood? I can't even begin to express how disappointed I am. This is not how a family member should behave."
I could see the guilt and fear flickering in his eyes, but I wasn't interested in his remorse. "You are going to fix this. Go to Armand and tell him everything. Apologize and never do such a dumb thing again. Then go to your godforsaken maternal family and tell them they will never get a penny from Armand. If you do this again, it will not be Armand who will be coming after you, but me."
With that, I turned on my heel and left the office, my heart still pounding with a mix of anger and disappointment. This wasn't just about business; it was about loyalty, integrity, and respect values Mark had chosen to ignore. And as far as I was concerned, he had a long road ahead to earn back any semblance of trust.