Press lowered their cameras slightly.

Melissa forced a laugh.

“You can’t just undo leadership decisions after the fact.”

The lawyer looked at her directly.

“This isn’t a leadership decision. It’s a corporate filing discrepancy.”

He turned a page.

“Company registry records confirm the amendment listing you as co-founder was submitted without unanimous shareholder consent.”

A murmur spread through the room.

Melissa’s tone sharpened.

“I had verbal approval from Hannah’s family—”

“Irrelevant,” the lawyer said calmly. “Only registered shareholders can authorize structural changes.”

He placed another document on the podium.

“Additionally, the filing was submitted while Ms. Reid was under documented medical incapacity following childbirth.”

The room went silent.

My name being said like that made everything feel sharper.

Melissa glanced at me for the first time.

Like she had forgotten I was even there.

The lawyer continued.

“As of this notice, the amendment is suspended pending formal investigation, and all representations of co-founder status are invalid in public and investor materials.”

The investors exchanged looks.

One of them closed their folder.

Then another.

Melissa stepped back from the microphone.

“This is humiliating,” she whispered.

“No,” I said quietly from the back of the room.

“This is correction.”

The lawyer closed the file.

“Effective immediately, control of the company structure remains solely with the original founder.”

Applause didn’t come.

It didn’t need to.

Because the room had already understood what had just changed.