Chapter 5 - THE BOARDROOM
At 9:00 a.m., the Whitmore board met in emergency session.
Charles arrived surrounded by lawyers.
Vanessa came with him.
Victor did not.
They believed the board would save them.
It didn't.
The chairman stood.
“Mr. Whitmore, we need to discuss your resignation.”
Charles slammed his hand onto the table.
“I built this company.”
“No.”
A voice came from the doorway.
Everyone turned.
I walked inside.
My mother was beside me.
Rebecca followed.
Charles stared at us.
“You.”
I smiled.
“Good morning.”
Vanessa stood.
“Daniel, don't.”
I ignored her.
The chairman looked confused.
“Who authorized you to enter?”
I placed a document on the table.
“The controlling shareholder.”
Silence.
Charles laughed.
“Don't embarrass yourself.”
The chairman picked up the document.
His expression changed.
He looked at Charles.
Then at me.
“Mr. Mercer…”
“Yes?”
“This is legitimate.”
Charles snatched the document.
His face went white.
“No.”
I sat down.
“Twenty-two years ago, my father transferred the controlling shares of Northbridge into a trust.”
Charles shook his head.
“That company has nothing to do with Whitmore.”
“Actually, it does.”
I placed another document on the table.
“Because Whitmore Holdings has been using Northbridge assets as collateral for twenty years.”
The lawyers began whispering.
Charles stared at me.
“You were behind the banks.”
“Yes.”
“You destroyed my credit.”
“No.”
I leaned forward.
“You destroyed your own credit.”
Vanessa suddenly spoke.
“Daniel, please.”
I looked at her.
“You knew.”
She froze.
“What?”
“You knew who I was.”
She said nothing.
I pressed a button.
The screen behind me displayed her message to Victor.
Her face drained of color.
Charles looked at his daughter.
“What is this?”
Vanessa shook her head.
“Dad…”
“You knew?”
“Listen to me.”
“You knew?”
She began crying.
“I was trying to protect us.”
Charles stared at her.
“You were working with Victor?”
She couldn't answer.
That was answer enough.
The room erupted.
Board members demanded explanations.
Lawyers stood.
Phones rang.
Then the doors opened.
Federal investigators entered.
“Charles Whitmore?”
He turned.
“Yes?”
“You're being investigated for financial fraud, conspiracy, and obstruction.”
Charles stared at me.
“You planned this.”
I stood.
“No.”
I looked at my mother.
“My father planned it.”
Charles's face collapsed.
He finally understood.
This wasn't my revenge.
It was a debt being collected.
As officers escorted him away, he shouted:
“You think you've won?”
I stopped.
Charles smiled through his anger.
“You don't know what Victor has.”
I looked at him.
“Then I'll find out.”
He laughed.
“You're going to lose your mother.”
My expression changed.
Charles was smiling.
He knew something.
Something I didn't.
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A man's voice whispered:
“Come alone if you want your mother to live.”
I looked beside me.
My mother was still there.
Then I realized.
The woman beside me wasn't my mother.
May you like
It was Rebecca.
My mother was gone.