Chapter 4 - THE BOARDROOM BATTLE
The next morning,
the boardroom was cold and smelled of stale coffee.
The members sat in silence,
their faces grim as they reviewed the documents.
Nathaniel was not there;
he had been barred from the building by security.
His lawyer was there,
a man who looked like he hadn't slept and was already looking for a way to settle.
I sat at the head of the table,
Daniel beside me.
“The evidence is incontrovertible,”
the Chairman began,
his voice heavy.
“Nathaniel has committed multiple acts of fraud,
embezzlement,
and reckless endangerment.”
The lawyer tried to speak,
but the Chairman held up a hand.
“We are moving to remove him as CEO immediately.”
“And we are filing a civil suit to recover the stolen assets.”
I felt a surge of satisfaction,
but it was tempered by the weight of the company’s future.
“What about the Eastside Project?”
one of the members asked.
“The safety concerns are real,”
I said,
stepping into the role I had been preparing for.
“We need to halt construction and perform a full audit of the structure.”
“It will cost millions,
but it’s the only way to save the firm’s reputation.”
They looked at me,
really looked at me,
for the first time.
I wasn't just the wife;
I was the architect who had designed the project before Nathaniel took over.
“We want you to lead the recovery,
Claire,”
the Chairman said.
“As acting CEO.”
I took a deep breath,
the air in the room suddenly feeling lighter.
“I accept.”
The lawyer stood up,
gathering his papers.
“My client will fight this,”
he said,
but his heart wasn't in it.
“Let him,”
I replied.
“He’ll be fighting from a jail cell.”
As they filed out of the room,
I stayed in the chair.
I looked at the empty seat where Nathaniel had sat for so long.
His power was gone,
his name a curse in the halls of his own company.
I picked up the phone and called my attorney.
“It’s done,”
I said.
May you like
“Now,
let’s finish the divorce.”
