Chapter 13 - THE NIGHT THE EMPIRE FELL
The extraordinary board meeting began at nine o'clock on Friday morning.
Victor Vasseur entered the Valmont Group's executive conference room wearing a dark suit and the confident expression of a man who believed victory was inevitable.
Twelve directors sat around the long table.
Asterion Biomedical's acquisition documents were arranged before them.
The proposed transaction had been presented as a historic opportunity.
Victor intended to secure approval before Adrien could interfere.
He had underestimated his cousin.
At 9:17, the conference room doors opened.
Adrien Valmont entered in a wheelchair.
Sophie walked beside him.
Daniel Mercer followed with two attorneys from an independent firm.
Every conversation stopped.
Victor rose slowly.
"Adrien?"
Adrien looked directly at him.
"Good morning, cousin."
Victor forced a smile.
"You should be in the hospital."
"My doctors cleared me to attend with appropriate precautions."
"This meeting concerns complex financial matters. You're not well enough—"
Adrien interrupted.
"Then perhaps you should let the board decide that after hearing the evidence."
He turned toward the directors.
"Ladies and gentlemen, before you approve the acquisition of Asterion Biomedical, I believe you deserve to know who actually benefits from the transaction."
Victor's expression hardened.
"This is inappropriate."
Adrien ignored him.
An independent forensic accountant connected a presentation to the conference room screen.
The first slide showed Asterion's ownership structure.
The second showed Northbridge Capital Partners.
The third revealed a network of related entities receiving payments from the Valmont medical foundation.
Then came the financial transfers.
Millions of dollars.
Hidden consulting agreements.
Inflated invoices.
Undisclosed beneficial ownership.
Several directors exchanged alarmed looks.
Victor stood.
"These allegations are completely false."
Adrien turned toward him.
"Then explain why your investment company paid Gabriel Delacroix two million dollars shortly before my accident."
Victor's face changed.
A director leaned forward.
"Is that true?"
Victor hesitated.
"The payment concerned legitimate advisory services."
Adrien nodded toward the screen.
The consulting agreement appeared.
The phrase continued incapacity was highlighted.
Silence filled the room.
Adrien continued.
"An independent examination also found evidence that my orthopedic brace had been deliberately altered. I am not accusing anyone here of committing that act without a completed investigation. But I am asking this board to consider whether the medical opinions used to justify Victor's authority can still be trusted."
Victor slammed his hand against the table.
"This is a coordinated attack!"
Adrien looked at him.
"Then cooperate with the investigation."
Victor's eyes narrowed.
"You have no idea what you're doing."
Adrien leaned forward.
"I know exactly what I'm doing. I'm protecting this company from people who treat patients, employees, and shareholders as disposable."
The board chair requested an immediate recess.
Within an hour, the directors voted to suspend the Asterion transaction pending an independent investigation.
Victor was removed from his interim executive position.
His access to company systems was revoked.
The company's audit committee referred the evidence to law enforcement and regulators.
Adrien had regained control of the business.
But the victory felt hollow.
His father remained missing.
Émilie was still in danger.
And Laurent had disappeared.
That afternoon, Daniel received a critical update.
Authorities had traced the location of Émilie's interrupted video call to a property near the Swiss border.
A coordinated operation was underway.
Adrien waited in his hospital room, unable to sit still.
Sophie remained beside him.
Hours passed.
Finally, Daniel called.
"We found the property."
Adrien gripped the phone.
"Is Émilie there?"
"She was."
Adrien's heart sank.
"What do you mean?"
"The building was abandoned shortly before investigators arrived."
"And my father?"
"No sign of him."
Adrien closed his eyes.
Daniel continued.
"But we found something important."
"What?"
"A medical transport manifest."
Adrien frowned.
"For whom?"
Daniel hesitated.
"It lists two patients transferred to a private clinic."
Adrien felt his pulse quicken.
"Names?"
"Étienne Valmont."
"And?"
Daniel's voice became grim.
"Lila Valmont."
Adrien stood instinctively.
Pain tore through his injured leg.
He collapsed against the bed.
Sophie caught his shoulder.
"What happened?"
Adrien stared at the phone.
His daughter was supposed to be safe.
Protected.
Hidden.
But according to the manifest, someone had arranged for a child using Lila's name to be transported to the same facility as his father.
Daniel spoke urgently.
"We haven't confirmed that Lila was actually moved. The manifest could be fraudulent."
Adrien barely heard him.
He looked at Sophie.
"Call her security team."
Sophie reached for her phone.
The call connected.
A guard answered.
"Mr. Valmont?"
Adrien shouted.
"Where is my daughter?"
The guard hesitated.
"Sir, we have a problem."
Adrien felt his blood turn cold.
"What problem?"
The guard's voice shook.
"Someone came to the house with documents authorizing her transfer."
"Who?"
"A woman claiming to be her mother."
Adrien stopped breathing.
"And Lila?"
The guard whispered.
May you like
"She's gone."
END OF CHAPTER 13
