My wife was sitting with my co-owner Roger, he had 49% of Royal's stock, but was basically useless. All the patents were mine, not the companies. I made sure of that as owner and CEO so that if I was ever voted out by an ungrateful board, I still had the financial leverage. He was too stupid or lazy to pay attention when our new patents went to the patent office. My best friend Sam Huddleston, was our corporate lawyer and he made sure my back was covered in all dealings. He never like Roger, even way back in college.
The mayor was winding down his speech and I knew my time was coming up shortly. Rolling my tumbler in my hands out of the corner of my eyes I saw my wife get up and come over to me. I was about to go up as the mayor was introducing me and my wife leaned over, "Oh, by the way, I'm leaving with Roger right after this god forsaken function. I'm divorcing you, with my half of the stock in this company, Roger will fire you."
I guess she was expecting me to become flustered or lose control, she didn't expect me to react with laughter. I finished my Old Fashion, stood up, fixed my suit jacket and pants and walked up to the platform. You see my wife thought I was a spineless nerd with no balls. I guess she thought she'd make me appear the fool as I would be all emotional and look like an idiot stumbling with his words because of the bombshell she laid on me just seconds before my acceptance speech.
I continued to chuckle as I walked on the platform. I looked at Roger seeing the smirk on his face, I looked back at my wife and she saw the steel in my eyes. I think I saw fear in her eyes, maybe a little regret. I think she knew this wasn't going as planned.
I thanked the mayor, said some pleasantries regarding the award. Then I started the meat of my acceptance speech, or was it my severance speech?
"Many of you know me," that received laughter and applause, "but many of you don't know is that as of last week I was relieved of my position as CEO and majority stock holder at Royal Manufacturing. I sold all of my controlling stock to our biggest competitor, Ace Manufacturing."
The murmuring and rumbling from the audience was getting louder as I took a moment to let what I said sink in. Panic was almost setting in but with both hands out front I gestured for everyone to sit back down, which they did.
"You see, I heard through the grape vine that my wife Evelyn and Roger Stockman were having an affair and that they were maneuvering to hijack the company that I started (Roger came in later with much needed capital that he received from his father, thus procuring 49% stock interest), and force me out.
Again more rumbling and stern looks going towards Roger and Evelyn. See, I was the golden boy that brought life back into our town with the jobs my company created. I couldn't do wrong, they were messing with the goose that lays the golden egg.
"I assure you that ACE Manufacturing will come in and make sure everything runs smoothly and with a painless transition. I have it on good authority that no jobs will be lost, in fact they will be expanding. Applause ensued.
They also expressed their interest in firing Roger Stockman, as anyone with the moral character to seduce his partner's wife has no place in running a company. They will be enforcing our policies, especially the morals clause that covers every employee from the CEO to the janitor.
The look on Roger's face was priceless. "What, no more smirk Roger? You still get the consolation prize, my soon to be ex-wife who with the enforcement of my prenup and the fact that I sold my stock to ACE for a dollar, she'll be needing your trust fund to keep her in the lap of luxury she has become accustomed to.
I then turned to my wife, "oh yes, I have every right and power to enforce the prenup. Security cameras have you and Roger screwing like rabbits in his office. I also have plenty of video of the two of you in our house acting like oversexed teenagers.
"Seeing how the house was mine prior to our engagement and marriage, you have two days to remove all your personal, i.e. clothes and what you brought to the marriage, out of my house.