Chapter 13 - VICTORIA’S BOARD COUP
Victoria called an emergency board meeting.
She arrived with prepared resolutions.
Suspend Richard.
Replace him as chief executive.
Challenge my liquidation based on alleged mismanagement by a single officer rather than systemic misconduct.
It was clever.
If Richard alone became the villain, Victoria hoped the company could survive under her control.
I attended with Evelyn.
Richard attended with his own attorney.
He looked at his mother across the boardroom.
“You’re removing me?”
Victoria did not blink.
“This is temporary.”
“You told me we were fighting Emma together.”
“We are protecting the company.”
“You told me not to worry about the witness.”
Victoria’s lawyer touched her arm.
“Do not answer.”
Richard stared.
Something finally broke.
“You paid him.”
Victoria remained silent.
“You moved the money.”
Silence.
“You told me nobody would ever connect the Range Rover.”
Her lawyer stood.
“This meeting is adjourned.”
“No.”
I said.
Everyone looked toward me.
“I hold sixty-four percent.”
I placed my proxy on the table.
“The meeting continues.”
Victoria stared at me.
For the first time, she looked frightened.
Evelyn distributed copies of the emails Brooke had provided.
The directors began reading.
One by one, their faces changed.
Then Richard did something nobody expected.
He opened his briefcase.
“I have more.”
Victoria looked at him.
“Richard.”
He ignored her.
He produced a hard drive.
“My mother kept backup accounting records at the lake house.”
“How did you get them?”
“I had access.”
Victoria’s face turned white.
Richard looked toward me.
“I copied them last night.”
The records showed more than secret fees.
Victoria had been siphoning money from Arden Residential Holdings for twelve years.
Nearly $9 million.
Richard knew about some.
Not all.
Brooke knew less.
But everyone had participated enough to keep the machine alive.
The board voted.
Victoria was removed from all advisory authority.
Richard was suspended pending investigation.
My liquidation resolution passed.
Ten votes to two.
Victoria stood.
“You destroyed your father’s company.”
I looked at her.
“No.”
“My father never owned this company.”
She frowned.
I continued.
“My father funded it for his daughter.”
May you like
I closed the folder.
“And his daughter finally showed up.”
