Two hours later, the large screen in the War Room was fractured into twelve video feeds. The Board of Directors had convened an emergency session.
“This is a disaster, Victoria,” Mr. Sterling shouted, his face pixelated and red with rage. ” The Asian markets open in three hours. The stock is already trading down four percent in pre-market futures.”
“We need to mitigate the damage,” another director insisted. “We’ve drafted a statement announcing your immediate medical leave of absence. William can step in as Interim CEO until… after the confinement.”
Victoria sat at the head of the table, flanked by William and Malcolm. She wore a high-collared robe, hiding her neck, but her eyes were blazing.
“I am not sick, gentlemen,” Victoria said icily. “I am pregnant. There is a difference.”
“To the shareholders, it’s the same thing!” Sterling countered. “It’s a distraction. You cannot run a Fortune 500 company while shopping for strollers. Step down, Victoria. For the good of the share price.”
“No,” Victoria said, reaching for the remote. “I will address the shareholders myself. Tonight.”
“You can’t go on air,” Sterling warned. “They’ll tear you apart.”
“Let them try,” she said, and severed the connection.