Chapter 7 - The Price of a Daughter
The next morning, Felix met with the board by video from a hospital conference room.
Twelve faces appeared across the screen.
Odette sat in the center.
Celeste sat beside her.
Sarah remained outside.
This was Felix’s fight.
At least for the moment.
Odette began.
“You have twenty minutes.”
Felix placed the St. Catherine’s invoice in front of the camera.
“Celeste approved a substitution linked to Lily’s allergic reaction.”
Celeste didn’t blink.
“No.”
“The documents show—”
“The documents show my electronic approval.”
She folded her hands.
“They do not show that I selected the ingredients.”
Felix stared at her.
“Then authorize an independent forensic review.”
Celeste smiled faintly.
“You no longer have authority to demand one.”
Several board members shifted uncomfortably.
Felix looked at Odette.
“Mother?”
Odette’s expression was unreadable.
“The company will investigate internally.”
“No.”
Felix’s answer was immediate.
Celeste leaned forward.
“You are willing to damage thousands of employees because of an accusation you cannot prove.”
Felix looked into the camera.
“I’m willing to lose my position to protect a six-year-old girl.”
Celeste’s eyes changed.
“A girl whose mother hid her from you for six years.”
Felix felt the old wound open.
But this time Sarah was not there to defend herself.
So he did it.
“My mother threatened Sarah.”
Odette stiffened.
Felix continued.
“My fiancée helped erase Sarah from company records.”
Celeste’s face hardened.
“And now a product approved under Celeste’s authority put Lily in the hospital.”
Odette cut in.
“This discussion is over.”
“No.”
Felix removed a signed document from a folder.
“I resign as chief executive of Kingsley Hospitality.”
No one moved.
Odette stared at him.
“You will not.”
“I just did.”
“Felix.”
“I’m also resigning from the merger committee and surrendering my operational authority.”
Celeste’s composure vanished.
“You’re insane.”
Felix almost smiled.
“For seven years, all of you assumed the company was the one thing I would never risk.”
He looked toward the hospital room visible through the glass.
“You were wrong.”
Odette’s voice became low.
“If you resign now, the voting coalition shifts.”
“I know.”
“You may never get the company back.”
“I know.”
“Everything your grandfather built—”
“My grandfather built hotels.”
Felix’s eyes hardened.
“You built a system where a pregnant woman could be threatened into disappearing.”
The call went silent.
Felix placed one final document before the camera.
“My attorneys have been instructed to cooperate with any investigation involving Sarah’s intellectual property.”
Celeste stood.
“You don’t have personal counsel separate from Kingsley.”
“I do now.”
He disconnected.
His hands were shaking.
Sarah entered.
“You gave it up.”
Felix looked at her.
“I gave up a title.”
“You could lose billions.”
Felix glanced toward Lily.
“I already lost six years.”
Sarah’s anger softened for one second.
Then Lily’s monitor sounded.
Both turned immediately.
A nurse hurried into the room.
Lily was awake.
She looked pale.
“Mommy.”
Sarah rushed to her.
Felix followed.
Lily looked between them.
Then she asked the question neither adult was ready to answer.
“Why does Mr. Felix look at me like Daddy looks at kids in movies?”
Sarah stopped breathing.
Felix stared at her.
The truth had waited seven years.
May you like
It was not going to wait much longer.
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