Chapter 7 - THE WOMAN BEHIND THE BOARD
Evelyn denied everything.
She stood in the center of the morning room while Daniel placed Victor Dane’s phone on the table.
“I don’t know why he sent me that.”
“It wasn’t sent.”
“Then you have even less.”
Daniel stared at his mother.
“Where is Victor?”
“How should I know?”
“You spoke to him twelve times yesterday.”
“He chairs our company.”
“You made him chairman.”
Evelyn smiled coldly.
“I also made you chief executive.”
“No.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“Grandfather did.”
Charles flinched.
That old wound still mattered.
Evelyn had spent years telling the world she controlled Hawthorne Capital.
But the voting trust created by Daniel’s grandfather gave Daniel final authority once he turned thirty-five.
His birthday was six weeks away.
Helena noticed Evelyn’s reaction.
There it was.
Fear.
“Daniel,” Helena said quietly.
“When do you gain control of the family trust?”
He looked at her.
“September twentieth.”
Evelyn turned toward Helena.
“This is none of your concern.”
Helena ignored her.
“What happens to your mother’s voting authority after that?”
Daniel stared at Evelyn.
“It drops from thirty-eight percent to eleven.”
The room became still.
Adrian leaned against the mantel.
“And the Sterling merger?”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
“It would create a new holding corporation.”
“Voting structure?”
Daniel went pale.
“I would receive nonvoting preferred shares for the first three years.”
Helena understood immediately.
“So the merger would prevent you from taking control in September.”
Daniel looked toward his mother.
“You knew.”
Evelyn’s voice sharpened.
“The merger protects this family.”
“It protects you.”
“You have no idea how to control an empire.”
“I run it.”
“You manage it.”
Evelyn stepped toward him.
“I preserved Hawthorne Capital while you chased idealistic projects and bookstore girls.”
Helena watched Daniel absorb the insult.
Only this time he did not excuse it.
He did not receive a phone call.
He did not walk away.
“You called Victor during the rehearsal dinner.”
“Yes.”
“You told him to keep interrupting me.”
Evelyn’s silence answered.
Daniel laughed once.
A broken sound.
“You wanted me to leave her alone.”
“I wanted you to remember your responsibilities.”
“You humiliated my fiancée and then deliberately pulled me away every time I tried to defend her.”
“She was lying to you.”
“You didn’t know that until last night.”
Evelyn looked toward the window.
Daniel understood.
“You did know.”
Helena’s eyes sharpened.
Adrian straightened.
“What did you know, Mrs. Hawthorne?”
Evelyn said nothing.
Daniel walked to her desk.
He began opening drawers.
“Daniel.”
He ignored her.
The third drawer was locked.
Charles spoke quietly.
“Key behind the clock.”
Evelyn turned on him.
Charles finally looked directly at his wife.
“I’m tired.”
Daniel found the key.
Inside the locked drawer were dozens of photographs.
Helena outside the bookstore.
Helena walking through Central Park.
Helena meeting Amalia secretly six months earlier.
Helena entering the Varenne consulate.
At the bottom sat a photocopy of a diplomatic passport.
HELENA ADELAIDE ELISE VON ARDEN.
Daniel stared at the issue date.
Eight months earlier.
He slowly looked up.
“You knew.”
Evelyn’s face hardened.
Not last night.
May you like
Not last week.
She had known for eight months.
