Chapter 4 - THE EMERGENCY BOARD
At 7:55 the next morning, Daniel entered Hale Meridian’s headquarters wearing the same tuxedo trousers from the gala.
He had changed his shirt.
He had not slept.
Reporters were already gathering outside.
Someone had leaked that police were investigating an incident at the Whitmore Grand.
No names had been officially released.
That had not stopped speculation.
Daniel hurried through the private entrance with Celeste beside him.
She wore oversized sunglasses despite the gray winter sky.
“This will disappear,” Daniel told her.
“You deleted the video.”
“I deleted the ballroom copy.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means there should be nothing.”
Celeste stopped walking.
“Should be?”
Daniel turned on her.
“Do not lose control now.”
“You said Nora had no family.”
“She never told me Whitmore was her father.”
“You married her.”
“She used her mother’s name.”
Celeste folded her arms.
“You told me she came from nothing.”
Daniel lowered his voice.
“She behaved as if she came from nothing.”
The elevator doors opened.
Inside, three members of Hale Meridian’s board were already waiting.
None greeted him.
The emergency meeting began at 8:06 a.m.
Daniel sat at the head of the long glass table.
Celeste took a seat behind him as outside counsel.
She had worked for Hale Meridian for eighteen months.
During that time, she and Daniel had insisted their relationship was strictly professional.
Nora had never believed them.
Now she understood that their betrayal was only one part of a much larger plan.
Charles entered with his attorney and two forensic accountants.
Every director stood.
Daniel remained seated.
“This meeting is unauthorized,” he said.
Charles placed a leather folder on the table.
“WGM Holdings requested it under Section Fourteen of the investment agreement.”
“You are not a board member.”
“Not yet.”
Charles opened the folder.
“As of 7:30 this morning, WGM exercised its conversion rights.”
The room became silent.
Daniel’s face tightened.
“What conversion rights?”
“The rights your company granted when my fund prevented Hale Meridian from entering bankruptcy.”
Charles slid a document across the table.
“WGM now owns fifty-four percent of voting shares.”
Daniel did not touch the paper.
“That clause requires a material ethics violation.”
“Correct.”
“There has been no violation.”
Charles’s attorney connected a secure drive to the conference room screen.
A still image appeared.
It showed Celeste with her arm raised.
Lucy stood in front of her.
The image was frozen one second before the slap.
Celeste inhaled sharply.
Daniel gripped the edge of the table.
Charles did not play the full video.
He did not need to.
“There is also evidence that Mr. Hale used administrator credentials to delete the recording.”
One director removed his glasses.
“Daniel, is that true?”
“No.”
“The access logs say otherwise.”
“Access logs can be manipulated.”
Charles looked at the board.
“The evidence has been delivered to law enforcement.”
Daniel pushed back his chair.
“This is a personal family dispute.”
“You assaulted a shareholder’s daughter during a company event,” Charles replied.
“You attempted to destroy company security records.”
“You sent false information to the board.”
“And we have reason to believe you used corporate money to support a fraudulent network of consulting companies.”
Celeste rose.
“You cannot make accusations without proof.”
One of the forensic accountants placed six thick files on the table.
“We have invoices.”
Celeste sat down again.
Charles continued.
“Until the investigation is complete, I move to suspend Daniel Hale as chief executive officer.”
Daniel looked around the table.
“These people owe their careers to me.”
No one answered.
He pointed at the directors one by one.
“I built this company.”
An older woman named Margaret Sloan spoke first.
“You inherited this company from your father.”
Daniel stared at her.
“And nearly lost it within five years,” she added.
Charles raised his hand.
“All in favor of suspension?”
Six hands rose.
One director abstained.
Daniel was the only vote against it.
The corporate secretary recorded the motion.
“Daniel Hale is suspended effective immediately.”
Daniel stood so quickly that his chair struck the wall.
“You think this is over?”
Charles closed the leather folder.
“No.”
“I think it has finally begun.”
Security officers entered the conference room.
Daniel looked toward Celeste.
She did not look back.
As they were escorted from the building, Daniel’s phone vibrated.
The message came from his mother.
Police are at the house.
Daniel stopped walking.
May you like
A second message appeared.
They have a warrant.
