The hall was gripped by silence as James Crawford methodically opened the files, one after another. Every gesture was precise—his demeanor a testament to years of forensic auditing and corporate share valuation.
He pulled out a sleek digital scanner and a folder sealed with the insignia of the National Board of Shareholding and Audit Affairs, instantly commanding silent respect from everyone in the room.
Jessica stood confidently at the far end of the table, her arms slightly crossed, watching him with unshaken composure, not a flicker of anxiety in her gaze.
James expertly scanned the documents. He checked embedded watermarks, cross-referenced signature patterns, and validated timestamps with an encrypted system on his tablet.
His gloved hands moved in elegant and quick precision, his forehead furrowing only when verifying details meticulously.
Every click and tap from his device echoed like thunder through the boardroom, each one peeling away Desmond’s composure inch by inch.
Seconds stretched into minutes, and with every passing moment, the atmosphere grew more tense. Every member of the board sat with fingers crossed, waiting in breathless anticipation, hearts thumping wild with expectation.
Desmond fidgeted in his seat. Beads of sweat formed beneath his brow despite the air-conditioned room. He sat upright. His hand clenched as fingers entwined with another.
Vera’s gaze continuously darted between Desmond and James, her throat tightening with every passing second.
The board members exchanged uncertain glances, their initial confidence in Desmond giving way to an undercurrent of doubt. While some of them had already begun swearing allegiance to Jessica..
Desmond drew a deep breath, his eyes scanning the faces around the table.
His heart sank as he realized their attention had shifted entirely to the verification process and possibly to the impending announcement of the results. Doubt swirled in his thoughts like a brewing storm.
With all indications pointing toward confirmation, he could feel his support beginning to slip away.
He glanced briefly at Jessica, her relaxed poise and then at Davis, whose nonchalance since the beginning of this struck him harder than any verbal blow. A twist of dread curled in his stomach.
Yet, at this point, he couldn’t act impulsively. Every move he made had to be calculated and ensured especially now.
"No, I can’t let this go on... but I can’t act on impulse either. What now?" he muttered under his breath, defeated by helpless indecision.
Desmond didn’t expect that in today’s situation, he would be at a loss of what to do.
After fifteen grueling minutes, James finally straightened.
He adjusted his tie, stood tall, and with a composed voice declared, "These shares—amounting to 70%, with an additional 5% in trust—are genuine, unaltered, and legally assigned by the original shareholder."
The transaction has been verified under the Corporate Securities Act. The certificates are digitized, properly notarized, and the documentation is traceable in the federal archives.
He gestured toward his assistant, who stepped forward with another set of documents. James quickly scribbled his official report, signed off on the approval, and prepared the final certificate.
Taking a deep breath, he looked around the room and delivered the verdict:
" Jessica Allen, by all legal standards, is now the largest shareholder in Allen Group."
He paused briefly, his voice firm and unwavering.

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