Chapter 17 - The Boardroom
The emergency board meeting began at eight the next morning.
Bennett Development occupied the top three floors of a glass tower downtown.
I had visited twice in twelve years.
That morning, I entered as the beneficial owner of the largest equity position in the company.
Ryan was already seated.
Diane sat beside him.
Thomas sat at the opposite end.
He looked terrible.
Seven board members filled the remaining seats.
Ryan smiled when I walked in.
“Emily.”
I sat across from him.
“No private conversation?”
“No.”
Naomi placed our evidence on the table.
The room changed quickly.
The forged signature.
The hidden transfers.
The fake video.
The proxy violation.
The intercepted communications.
Aaron joined remotely and confirmed the financial records.
Ryan attacked him immediately.
“You’re a disgruntled employee.”
Aaron answered.
“I’m your CFO.”
“Former CFO.”
“Fine.”
“Then your former CFO knows where the bodies are buried.”
Nobody laughed.
Diane pushed a document forward.
“As the holder of twenty percent voting interest, I move to approve the sale.”
Naomi looked at her.
“Your shares were transferred yesterday.”
“Correct.”
“By whom?”
“Thomas.”
Everyone looked at him.
Thomas swallowed.
Ryan leaned back.
“Dad decided the family should remain united.”
Thomas stared at his son.
“No.”
Ryan’s smile faded.
Thomas stood.
“I transferred those shares because Ryan told me Emily planned to seize the company and liquidate it.”
Diane hissed, “Thomas.”
He ignored her.
“This morning I learned the transfer document identifies consideration of one dollar.”
He looked at Naomi.
“Can I revoke it?”
“Not casually.”
Ryan smiled again.
“But fraud can invalidate it.”
Thomas placed his own phone on the table.
“I recorded Ryan last night.”
Ryan went still.
Thomas pressed play.
Ryan’s voice filled the room.
Once Mom has the shares, Emily can’t block anything.
Thomas’s recorded voice asked.
And if the trust challenges the transfer?
Ryan answered.
By the time they do, the money will be gone.
Every director stared at him.
Ryan’s face emptied.
Naomi stood.
“On behalf of the Whitmore trust, I formally revoke Ryan Bennett’s proxy for material breach, fraud, and undisclosed conflict.”
Ryan slammed his hand against the table.
“You can’t.”
I finally spoke.
“I just did.”
The board voted.
Six to two.
Ryan was suspended as chief executive pending investigation.
The sale was frozen.
For three seconds, nobody moved.
Then Ryan laughed.
Slowly.
Quietly.
I knew that laugh.
It meant he thought he still had something.
He looked directly at me.
“You should check the company’s primary bank account.”
Aaron did.
May you like
His face went white.
Thirty-one million dollars had disappeared overnight.
