Chapter 8 - The Press Conference
The grand auditorium on the third floor of headquarters was packed with over two hundred journalists, financial analysts, and television camera crews by 9:00 AM the following morning.
The news of Alexander Montalvo’s arrest and Camila Reyes’s indictment had swept through the financial media like wildfire. Headlines across The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and CNBC read:
SCHEME AT MONTALVO GLOBAL: Chairman Arrested in $3M Embezzlement Plot.THE INTERN WHO WASN'T: How New CEO Victoria Vance Exposed Corporate Corruption in 24 Hours.
I stood backstage, dressed in a sharp, tailored black suit, my hair pulled into a sleek chignon.
Arthur Vance walked up beside me, handing me a glass of water. “You ready for this, Victoria?”
“I’ve spent six years rebuilding broken factories, Arthur,” I replied, taking a sip. “Rebuilding a corporate reputation is much easier.”
“The board is behind you one hundred percent,” Arthur smiled. “Stock futures are already stabilizing because the market knows you were the one who brought down the fraud.”
A stage manager signaled to me. “Two minutes to live broadcast, Ms. Vance.”
I stepped out from behind the curtain onto the main stage.
Flashbulbs detonated instantly across the room like a sea of lightning. Camera lenses zoomed in as I walked calmly to the podium, adjusting the microphone.
I stood there for three seconds, letting the noise settle, looking directly into the bank of television cameras that were broadcasting my face to millions of viewers worldwide.
“Good morning,” I began, my voice strong, steady, and clear. “My name is Victoria Vance. Yesterday morning, I assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer of Montalvo Global.”
The room fell into an absolute, attentive silence.
“Over the last twenty-four hours,” I continued, “our internal governance team, in cooperation with federal law enforcement, uncovered a systemic scheme of corporate embezzlement, wire fraud, and breach of fiduciary duty carried out by former Chairman Alexander Montalvo and former executive secretary Camila Reyes.”
A hand shot up in the front row from a senior Wall Street reporter. “Ms. Vance! Was the company’s core operational capital compromised? Are shareholder dividends at risk?”
“No,” I answered firmly. “Every single dollar stolen through shell entities has been identified, frozen, and is currently in the process of full asset recovery. Furthermore, the board has approved a comprehensive restructuring of our executive oversight committee.”
Another reporter shouted, “Is it true that you personally uncovered the fraud on your first morning at headquarters while posing as an entry-level employee?”
A soft, knowing smile touched my lips.
“I did not pose as an entry-level employee,” I corrected calmly. “I walked into this building as the Chief Executive Officer. However, certain individuals within this organization had created a culture where authority was abused, staff were mistreated, and arrogance replaced integrity.”
I looked straight into the central camera lens—knowing that in his holding cell at the federal courthouse, Alexander was watching this broadcast on a small wall-mounted television.
“Montalvo Global will no longer be run as a private kingdom for corrupt executives,” I declared. “Starting today, this firm will operate on transparency, accountability, and respect for every single employee—from the night cleaning staff to the corner office.”
The room erupted into applause. Financial analysts in the front row were nodding in deep approval, typing frantic updates into their terminals.
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As I stepped back from the podium, Arthur Vance clapped me on the shoulder, his face glowing with pride.
Montalvo Global was no longer Alexander’s firm. It was mine.
