Chapter 8 - Victor Loses the Vote
Victor learned about the court order during a board meeting.
Samuel Denton entered and handed him the signed decision.
Victor read the first paragraph.
Then the second.
His face turned red.
Helena watched quietly.
“What?” asked board member Thomas Wynn.
Victor folded the paper.
“Nothing.”
Samuel said, “It isn’t nothing.”
Victor glared.
Samuel continued.
“The Grant Family Trust’s twenty-two-percent block has been placed under temporary independent fiduciary control.”
Silence.
Thomas frowned.
“How does that affect the Price transaction?”
Victor answered too quickly.
“It doesn’t.”
Samuel corrected him.
“It may.”
Grant Premier had six voting shareholders.
Victor personally controlled forty-three percent.
Evelyn’s trust held twenty-two.
Helena owned five.
Three longtime investors owned the remaining thirty.
For years Victor voted the trust block, giving him effective sixty-five-percent control.
Now he had forty-three.
Still the largest shareholder.
No longer absolute.
Thomas Wynn leaned back.
“So Sophie can stop a sale?”
“The trustee can,” Samuel said.
Victor slammed the paper onto the table.
“This is temporary.”
Helena asked, “Who did the court appoint?”
“First National Fiduciary.”
Her expression changed.
“Independent.”
Victor looked at her.
“That is generally what fiduciary means.”
She ignored the insult.
First National would examine every proposed use of trust assets.
Every recapitalization.
Every sale.
Including Harrow’s rescue plan.
Victor had lost the one thing he valued more than money.
Unilateral control.
After the meeting, Helena followed him into his office.
“We need to settle with Sophie.”
“No.”
“You cannot close anything while she litigates.”
“I said no.”
“Then Price walks.”
“Let him.”
“Harrow?”
“I’ll handle Harrow.”
Helena laughed.
“You are forty-three-percent owner of a company carrying more debt than anyone knows, with a frozen inventory line and a daughter suing you.”
Victor turned.
“You think I’m finished?”
“I think you’re becoming dangerous.”
He stepped toward her.
“You knew what this business required.”
“Yes.”
“You benefited.”
“Yes.”
“You were in every meeting.”
“Yes.”
“Then stop talking like you’re outside it.”
Helena stared at him.
“I’m beginning to wish I were.”
Victor’s eyes narrowed.
A line had been crossed.
At William Price’s home that evening, Daniel confronted his father.
“Two hundred five million?”
William poured coffee.
“That’s our revised value.”
“It destroys Victor.”
“Victor destroyed value.”
“It also affects Sophie’s trust.”
“Her trust owns twenty-two percent of a company whose value is lower than represented.”
Daniel sat.
“You could pay more.”
William looked at him.
“That is not how acquisitions work.”
“You can afford it.”
William set down the cup.
“And there is the reason you should not be involved.”
Daniel bristled.
“I’m not asking you to overpay because I love Sophie.”
“You just did.”
Daniel stood.
William remained seated.
“You want to help her?”
“Yes.”
“Then stop confusing money with rescue.”
Daniel stared.
William continued.
“I can pay Victor seventy-five million more than the company is worth. That does not make me generous. It makes me reckless with other people’s capital.”
“It’s your family office.”
“It has employees, partners, tax obligations, covenants, and governance.”
Daniel said nothing.
William almost smiled.
“You sound like you are dating a dealership owner’s daughter.”
“I’m not sure I’m dating anyone.”
That softened William.
“Sorry.”
Daniel sat again.
After a moment William said, “Your mother once accused me of trying to solve every emotional problem with a transaction.”
Daniel looked up.
“Was she right?”
“Usually.”
“Did you change?”
“Slowly.”
Daniel smiled faintly.
“Genetic.”
William nodded.
“Unfortunately.”
Meanwhile Sophie met First National Fiduciary’s appointed trustee, Andrew Kline.
He was an accountant with no interest in family drama.
“I need to understand what your mother intended,” he said.
“She intended my father not to use my shares to benefit himself.”
“That appears likely.”
“What happens to the Price deal?”
“I review it independently.”
“Can you vote against my father?”
“Yes.”
“For me?”
“No.”
Sophie frowned.
“I vote for the trust.”
“That’s me.”
“No. That’s the trust.”
The distinction annoyed her.
Then she understood its value.
Andrew would not obey Victor.
He would not obey Sophie.
He would follow Evelyn’s document.
Another layer of control removed from the family.
Victor hated it.
Sophie found it strangely comforting.
Three days later Price formally submitted the revised $205 million proposal.
Victor rejected it publicly.
Privately, Continental Dealer Finance gave him ten business days to restore acceptable borrowing ratios.
Harrow Capital offered emergency money at brutal terms.
Victor had options.
None preserved his empire exactly as it was.
Then Helena brought him one more.
“Maddox Equity is willing to buy five dealerships for one hundred twenty million.”
Victor frowned.
“That’s less than their appraised real estate.”
“They close fast.”
“What’s your fee?”
Helena stared.
“Excuse me?”
“I know you met Harrow.”
Her face changed.
Victor placed photographs on the desk.
A private investigator had followed her.
Helena sitting across from Owen Harrow.
Victor smiled.
“You thought Sophie was the only person who could hire someone?”
Helena’s face became cold.
Victor leaned back.
“Tell me what you promised them.”
She said nothing.
“Six million?”
Still nothing.
Victor smiled wider.
“For the first time in twelve years, Helena, I think you’re trying to leave me.”
She looked at him.
“No.”
May you like
Victor waited.
“I’m trying to survive you.”
