Chapter 8 - The Boardroom
Victoria wore white to the emergency board meeting.
I almost admired the arrogance.
Olivia joined by video and let me watch from Lena’s office with Margaret and Daniel.
Ethan entered the boardroom alone.
Seven directors sat around the polished table.
Victoria chaired from the far end.
Marcus sat behind her as counsel.
Harold Stein was present.
So were three independent directors, a private-equity representative, and Olivia.
Victoria began without greeting her son.
“This meeting concerns executive instability.”
Ethan remained standing.
“It concerns your attempt to remove me before I can investigate you.”
A director named Caroline DuPont raised her hand.
“Let’s avoid declarations until we have facts.”
Victoria smiled.
“Agreed.”
She slid folders across the table.
“These are reports of Ethan’s behavior during his wedding reception. Violence. Family disorder. Reputational harm.”
Ethan looked at her.
“You mean the incident where you served garbage to the bride’s mother?”
Victoria’s smile vanished.
Caroline frowned.
“What?”
Ethan connected a laptop.
The authenticated video played.
Victoria scraping scraps.
Her command.
Eat.
The boardroom went silent.
Harold removed his glasses.
Victoria said, “A private family disagreement.”
Ethan replied, “You made it corporate when you pressured Claire’s employer through our sponsorship office.”
Another folder.
The email.
Caroline read it.
Her eyebrows rose.
“Who authorized this?”
Victoria said nothing.
The communications vice president had already confirmed the instruction came verbally from the chairwoman’s office.
Ethan continued.
“Now the historical issue.”
Marcus stood.
“I advise against discussion of privileged legal matters.”
Harold laughed.
“Marcus, you advised us in 2008 too.”
That changed the temperature instantly.
Ethan displayed the board minutes.
Harold’s handwritten objection.
Marcus’s response.
Victoria remained still.
Then Ethan played forty seconds of Richard’s recording.
His father’s voice filled the room.
Victoria finally lost color.
A director whispered, “Is this authenticated?”
“We’re working on formal authentication,” Ethan said. “But the escrow provenance is documented by Wren & Moss.”
Marcus interrupted.
“Richard Blackwood was not a forensic accountant.”
“No,” Ethan said. “Which is why I’m proposing one.”
Victoria leaned forward.
“My son is using family grief to seize control.”
Ethan looked at her.
“You already control the company.”
“And you resent it.”
“No.”
His voice softened.
“I resent what you did to keep it.”
There was pain in that sentence.
Even through a screen, I felt it.
Caroline asked the question that mattered.
“What exactly are you requesting?”
“An independent forensic investigation covering the 2008 North Vale transactions, Samuel Hale’s share surrender, the current ownership of Vantage Crest and Langford Strategic, and the recent removal of historical records.”
Victoria said, “Absolutely not.”
Harold looked at her.
“That sounded like a vote before the vote.”
The private-equity director nodded.
“We have fiduciary obligations. If credible allegations exist, we investigate.”
“They are not credible.”
“The founder recorded himself admitting them.”
“My late husband was consumed by guilt over business decisions.”
“Then the investigation will clear you.”
Victoria said nothing.
That silence cost her.
The vote was five to two.
Investigation approved.
Victoria and one longtime ally opposed.
Then came Ethan’s status.
Victoria moved to remove him as CEO.
Harold asked why.
“Because his judgment is compromised by his wife’s family.”
Ethan corrected her.
“Estranged wife.”
The word landed inside me.
It was correct.
It still hurt.
Caroline said, “Recuse Ethan from oversight of the Hale investigation, appoint a special committee, and leave management stable.”
That passed six to one.
Victoria lost.
But she was not finished.
“Then I move to suspend Olivia Blackwood from her board observer role pending review of unauthorized disclosure of company records.”
Olivia stared.
“Seriously?”
“You gave confidential records to outsiders.”
“I gave them to Ethan.”
“You transmitted them while Claire Hale was present.”
“She’s his wife.”
“Apparently not for long.”
Olivia flinched.
I hated Victoria for enjoying it.
The motion failed.
When the meeting ended, Ethan remained seated.
Victoria waited until the others left.
Only Marcus stayed.
Olivia’s video feed was still connected.
Victoria looked at her son.
“You embarrassed me.”
Ethan gave a hollow laugh.
“You served garbage to Margaret Hale.”
“She spent twenty years waiting to destroy us.”
“No. She spent twenty years staying silent.”
“For money.”
“She refused your money.”
Victoria stood.
“You think the Hales are noble because they’re poor?”
Ethan looked at her.
“No.”
“They want our company.”
“If Samuel’s shares were stolen, part of it is their company.”
Victoria’s hand struck the table.
“You know nothing about Samuel Hale.”
Ethan’s eyes narrowed.
“Then tell me.”
For one second, I thought she might.
Instead she collected her papers.
“When this investigation is finished, you will understand why your father chose me.”
Ethan said, “Dad didn’t choose you.”
She stopped.
“He chose cowardice.”
The words hurt her.
I saw it.
Victoria’s face became rigid.
“You sound like Claire.”
“Good.”
She left.
Olivia disconnected and immediately called me.
“Did you hear everything?”
“Yes.”
“What do you think she meant about Samuel?”
“The four hundred thousand.”
“That’s what I thought.”
Margaret spoke from across Lena’s office.
“There may be someone who knows.”
We all turned toward her.
“Who?”
“Nora Kim.”
The name meant nothing to me.
“She worked with Samuel in accounting. After he was accused, she resigned.”
“Where is she?”
“I haven’t spoken to her in fifteen years.”
Daniel had his phone out.
“Full name?”
“Nora Ji-eun Kim.”
He searched.
There were dozens.
Margaret added, “She moved to Oregon. Her husband was Peter. She had a daughter named Sophie.”
Lena stopped him.
“Use an investigator, not social media.”
Within two hours, her investigator found an address outside Portland.
Nora Kim, sixty-four.
Retired controller.
We called.
A woman answered.
Margaret spoke first.
“Nora?”
Silence.
Then:
“Margaret?”
My mother closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
Another long silence.
“I saw the wedding video.”
Margaret’s face tightened.
“I’m sorry.”
“No,” Nora said. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“Because Samuel asked me to keep something.”
Daniel leaned closer.
“What?”
Nora heard him.
“Is that Daniel?”
“Yes.”
“And Claire?”
“I’m here.”
Nora began crying.
“I told myself I was protecting my family.”
My skin prickled.
“What did Dad give you?”
“A page.”
Daniel and I looked at each other.
Page 185.
Nora continued.
“Samuel tore it from his ledger the night before he left the company.”
“Do you still have it?” I asked.
“Yes.”
My heart pounded.
“What does it say?”
Nora took a breath.
“It explains the four hundred thousand dollars.”
Margaret gripped the phone.
“And?”
Nora whispered:
“Samuel didn’t steal it.”
A pause.
May you like
“He was trying to put it back.”
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