Chapter 8 - NATALIE’S REAL PLAN
At 11:18 p.m., our cybersecurity director entered the meeting.
He looked exhausted.
“We identified the outside address receiving Ms. Cross’s confidential files.”
Our general counsel asked the question.
“Who owns it?”
“A company called Crownstone Development Partners.”
I recognized the name.
Crownstone had competed against us for two waterfront acquisitions.
Marcus looked confused.
My father did not.
“Who controls Crownstone?”
The director hesitated.
“Victor Cross.”
Natalie stopped moving.
Her brother.
Every person on the call understood instantly.
I turned toward Natalie’s screen.
“How long?”
She said nothing.
“How long have you been sending your brother our acquisition plans?”
Marcus looked at her.
“Natalie?”
She crossed her arms.
“It wasn’t like that.”
Marcus’s voice rose.
“What did you send him?”
“Nothing important.”
The cybersecurity director shared the transfer log.
Site evaluations.
Pricing thresholds.
Financing models.
Seller contact lists.
Confidential environmental reports.
Marcus stared at her.
“You told me Victor was investing in restaurants.”
Natalie looked irritated rather than frightened.
“He has different investments.”
“You used my access.”
“You gave me access.”
Marcus went silent.
That was another problem.
Natalie had received executive-level privileges without board approval.
Marcus had authorized them.
Our general counsel spoke slowly.
“Mr. Hale, did you provide Ms. Cross with access credentials exceeding her employment clearance?”
Marcus rubbed his forehead.
“She needed information for events planning.”
“Events planning does not require acquisition pricing data.”
Marcus had no answer.
Then Natalie made her mistake.
She laughed.
“You’re all acting like Isabella is some innocent victim.”
I stared at her.
“What does that mean?”
“Ask Marcus about the divorce.”
Marcus’s head snapped toward her.
“Natalie.”
My heartbeat changed.
“What divorce?”
Natalie smiled.
“The one he was planning after the Aspen opening.”
Marcus whispered her name again.
She ignored him.
“He said once the next financing round closed, he’d restructure the company, buy you out, and then file.”
The room became completely silent.
I turned toward Marcus.
“Is that true?”
“No.”
Natalie laughed again.
“You told me you’d have control before Christmas.”
“Natalie, shut up.”
“You said Isabella would leave with whatever the prenup gave her.”
I could barely hear the rest.
Not because she stopped talking.
Because eleven years of memories were suddenly rearranging themselves inside my head.
Marcus had not merely betrayed me.
He had been planning to take the company I had built beside him.
May you like
The irony was almost unbearable.
He had spent months preparing to steal an empire from the woman who already owned it.
