Chapter 5 - The Boardroom
The board meeting began at nine.
Daniel arrived at 8:52.
He wore the same suit from the previous night.
Marcus was already seated.
So was Rebecca.
Daniel stopped in the doorway.
“What is she doing here?”
Rebecca looked up.
“I own twenty-eight percent.”
“You haven’t attended a meeting in years.”
“That was your preference.”
“No.”
“That was yours.”
Rebecca smiled.
“Interesting how differently we remember things.”
Daniel looked toward Marcus.
“This is personal.”
Marcus shook his head.
“No.”
“It stopped being personal when company money became involved.”
A forensic accountant presented the findings.
$420,000 paid to Chloe’s company.
$1.6 million transferred to Mercer Capital Partners.
$370,000 in questionable travel and entertainment.
$240,000 in personal vehicle expenses.
Another $190,000 in nonbusiness household services.
Daniel interrupted repeatedly.
“Executive compensation.”
“Client development.”
“Reimbursement.”
“Temporary transfer.”
Every explanation created another question.
Then the accountant displayed an email.
Daniel to company controller.
Move the 1.6 through Mercer Capital before quarter close.
Rebecca doesn’t need to know.
Daniel stared at the screen.
“That was taken out of context.”
Rebecca finally spoke.
“Then give us the context.”
He looked at her.
Twenty-three years of marriage sat between them.
He could not answer.
The board voted to suspend Daniel as chief executive pending investigation.
Five to two.
Daniel’s face went white.
“You can’t do this.”
Marcus looked exhausted.
“We just did.”
Daniel turned toward Rebecca.
“You orchestrated this.”
“No.”
“I documented it.”
“That is not the same thing.”
He slammed one hand against the table.
“After everything I built?”
Rebecca looked at him calmly.
“What exactly did you build, Daniel?”
He stared.
She continued.
“The company?”
“We built it.”
“The penthouse?”
“My trust owned it.”
“The Hamptons house?”
“Trust.”
“The investment portfolio?”
“Mostly my family inheritance.”
“The son?”
“We raised him together.”
“You spent twenty-three years converting every ‘we’ into ‘I.’”
Daniel said nothing.
Then the board attorney slid another envelope toward him.
Inside was the formal suspension notice.
May you like
And beneath it.
Divorce papers.
