Chapter 12 - THE COMPANY MEETING
My father called an emergency board meeting four days after the wedding.
For some reason, he expected me to attend quietly.
I arrived with an attorney.
Her name was Rachel Kim.
Dad’s expression changed the moment he saw her.
“This is a family matter.”
Rachel placed her briefcase on the table.
“Not anymore.”
Preston sat at the opposite end of the conference room.
He had been released pending further investigation.
He looked exhausted.
But not ashamed.
If anything, he looked offended.
His attorney sat beside him.
My mother was not there.
Claire had already filed papers seeking to end the marriage.
Nathan Cole attended as a witness.
The company’s outside accountant attended too.
Dad opened the meeting.
“We need to stabilize the business.”
I almost admired his ability to pretend the past week had merely been an operational inconvenience.
Rachel spoke first.
“Before discussing stabilization, we need disclosure.”
Dad frowned.
“Of what?”
“All related-party transactions involving Preston Whitman.”
Preston laughed.
“This is ridiculous.”
Rachel ignored him.
“All payments to PNR Events, Northline Consulting, Briggs Vendor Solutions, and Wexler Development Services.”
The outside accountant shifted in his seat.
Dad noticed.
“What?”
The accountant cleared his throat.
“I requested documentation for those vendors last year.”
My father stared at him.
“And?”
“I was told the supporting files were unavailable.”
“By whom?”
Nobody answered.
Then Nathan placed a folder on the table.
“I have the emails.”
Preston stood.
“You stole company records.”
Nathan looked at him calmly.
“No.”
He slid the folder toward Dad.
“I refused to destroy them.”
My father opened the first page.
His face slowly changed.
Invoice after invoice.
Approval after approval.
Preston’s digital signature appeared repeatedly.
Then Rachel placed another document beside them.
“This is a property record.”
Dad looked at it.
Rachel continued.
“Northline Consulting’s registered mailing address belongs to a condominium purchased eighteen months ago.”
She looked at Preston.
“The owner is Claire Bennett.”
Claire’s maiden name.
Claire had known nothing about it.
Preston had apparently purchased investment property using money routed through a fake company and placed it under his bride’s name.
Possibly to hide ownership.
Possibly to move assets.
Possibly both.
Dad looked at Preston.
“Tell me this isn’t true.”
For the first time in my life, I heard something unfamiliar in my father’s voice.
Not anger.
Fear.
Preston stared back.
May you like
Then he said the sentence that finally broke whatever loyalty remained between them.
“You signed half of it.”
