The Mafia's Undoing-Chapter 115: The Vote

Fifty-nine minutes.

That’s all we have to stop Victoria from taking everything I’ve built.

Katherine and I are running through the hotel corridors. Heading for the conference room on the top floor.

"She planned this perfectly," Katherine says, breathing hard. "Emergency vote, board already assembled. We’re walking into a trap."

"I know, but what choice do we have?"

"We fight."

"Yes, we fight."

The conference room doors are ahead. Through the glass, I can see them. There were twelve board members, the people who control Marvin Industries.

And Victoria. At the head of the table. Looking like she already owns the place.

Katherine squeezes my hand. "Together."

"Together."

We push through the doors.

All eyes turn to us. Victoria’s smile is cold and victorious.

"Mr. Marvin. Ms. Blaire. How kind of you to join us."

I look at the board members. People I’ve worked with for three years, built relationships with, and created value for.

And six of them won’t meet my eyes.

She already has them.

"This vote is illegitimate," I say, voice steady despite the rage building. "Emergency sessions require forty-eight hours’ notice-"

"Which I provided." Victoria’s tone is patronizing. "Check your email, Tony. Sent three days ago."

I pull out my phone to search my email.

There, but buried in spam. Meeting notice for an emergency board session, dated three days ago.

She planned this, even down to the last detail.

"Convenient," Katherine says. "Spam folder. How did that happen?"

"Technical glitch, I’m sure." Victoria’s smile widens. "But the notice was sent, the vote is legitimate. Shall we begin?"

I scan the room. Twelve board members in total. I need seven votes to maintain control.

Victoria already has six, I can see it in their faces. The ones avoiding eye contact, the ones she’s bought, threatened, or manipulated.

That leaves six undecided.

Six people stand between me and losing everything.

"You have five minutes to make your case," Victoria says sweetly. "Then we vote."

"Five minutes?" Katherine protests. "To undo years of work? That’s-"

"That’s all you get." Victoria checks her watch. "Clock’s ticking, Tony. Better make it count."

I stood and forced myself to breathe. To think.

Five minutes to save my company.

I look at each board member. See their doubt, their greed, and their fear.

"Three years ago," I begin, "I inherited a criminal empire. The Marvin family name was synonymous with corruption, violence, and organized crime."

Robert Gale shifts uncomfortably. He knew my father, knew what we were.

"I could have continued that legacy. Made billions operating above the law - the infrastructure was there, the connections and the power."

"Instead, I chose to walk away. To build something legitimate, something clean."

I meet Janet Park’s eyes. She’s a mother, a grandmother.

"Something my children could be proud of."

Walking around the table now. Making them see me and hear me.

"Marvin Industries employs three thousand people. Supports three thousand families. We pay our taxes. Contribute to our communities. We’ve donated millions to schools, hospitals, and charities."

"Victoria Bridges wants to destroy that." I turn to face her. "Not because it’s bad business. Because of revenge."

Victoria stands. Smooth and confident.

"Revenge?" She laughs lightly and dismissively. "This is business. Pure and simple."

She addresses the board like she already runs the company.

"Tony’s right about one thing: Marvin Industries is legitimate, profitable, growing." She pulls up a presentation on the screen. "But it’s undervalued and mismanaged."

Her eyes flick to Katherine. "Tony’s been distracted, and the company has suffered."

The numbers on screen are compelling, and I could see the board members leaning forward.

"I’m offering you a forty percent return in the first year. Triple your investment in five years."

She lets that sink in, then turns to me.

"Tony’s offering you what? Morality? Legacy?" Her smile is razor-sharp. "Those don’t pay dividends."

Robert Gale speaks first. He’s sixty-something. A self-made businessman and practical.

"Mr. Marvin, your personal story is compelling, but Ms. Bridges’s numbers are compelling too. Why should we choose legacy over profit?"

The question hangs in the air.

"Because profit at the cost of integrity is no profit at all," I say.

"Pretty words." Gale shakes his head. "But I have shareholders. They want returns, not principles."

I’m losing him. Losing them.

Then Katherine stands.

"Mr. Gale, may I?"

She doesn’t wait for permission. She pulls out her laptop and connects to the screen.

Victoria’s presentation disappears, replaced by Katherine’s analysis.

"Victoria’s projections look impressive," Katherine says. "On paper."

She clicks through slides. "But they’re built on aggressive cost-cutting. Layoffs, outsourcing, slashing R&D, and eliminating employee benefits."

The numbers tell a different story now.

"It’s a short-term profit spike. Long-term disaster."

Katherine zooms in on projections. "Within three years, Marvin Industries would be a shell with employees gone, innovation dead, and brand destroyed."

"Then Victoria sells the pieces for parts. Makes her money and walks away."

She turns to the board. "Leaving you holding a worthless company."

Victoria’s smile tightens. "Katherine’s always been good with numbers, but she’s speculating."

"Am I?" Katherine pulls up new data. "I analyzed your previous companies, four of them. Same pattern every time."

The company names appear on screen in financials and timelines.

"Hostile takeover, aggressive cost-cutting, profit spike, and then it collapses."

Each company follows the same trajectory: growth, peak, and crash.

"You’re not a builder, Victoria." Katherine’s voice is cold. "You’re a vulture. You strip companies for parts and move on."

Victoria’s mask slips... just for a second, anger flashing across her face.

She recovers quickly. "At least I’m consistent."

And then she turns to address the board. "Unlike these two. Fighting one month, back together the next. Breaking up. Making up. How can you trust Tony to run a stable company when he can’t maintain a stable relationship?"

"That’s not relevant-" I start.

"Isn’t it?" Victoria’s voice rises. "Leadership requires stability, focus, and commitment. Tony’s been so distracted by relationship drama that he’s neglected this company for months."

She looks at each board member. "Maybe I’m doing you all a favor by removing him."

Katherine steps forward, her voice steady but emotional.

"You’re right, our relationship has been messy. Complicated and imperfect."

Victoria starts to interrupt, but Katherine talks over her.

"Want to know why? Because we’ve spent the last two years fighting for our lives. We’ve been hunted by criminals. Framed for terrorism, attacked, and kidnapped. Nearly killed a dozen times."

She’s not looking at Victoria anymore; she’s looking at the board.

"And through all of that, through every rough crisis, Tony built this company. Legitimized the Marvin name and turned a criminal empire into something real."

"So yes, we had problems. Yes, we struggled, but we never gave up on the company, on each other, and on doing the right thing."

Her eyes find mine. "That’s the kind of leader you want. Someone who fights through adversity, not someone who destroys what others build."