Chapter 11 - THE BOARDROOM
At 6:55 the next morning, Sterling Global's executive boardroom was already full.
Twelve directors.
Four attorneys.
Two security officers.
Dad.
Mom.
Me.
And an empty chair reserved for David Sterling.
At exactly seven, he walked in.
Perfect suit.
Calm smile.
No sign of a man whose access card had been recorded at an arson scene.
“Thomas.”
Dad said nothing.
David looked at Mom.
For the first time, his smile slipped.
“Elizabeth.”
Mom folded her hands.
“Surprised?”
“A little.”
He recovered quickly.
Then looked at me.
“Claire. I'm sorry about your marriage.”
I almost lunged across the table.
Instead, I said, “Save it.”
David sat.
“This meeting concerns Thomas Sterling's fitness to remain chairman.”
One director frowned.
“You're under investigation.”
“For what?”
“Arson.”
David smiled.
“An allegation.”
Mom slid a photograph onto the table.
“You should have checked the second camera.”
His eyes flicked downward.
Tiny reaction.
But enough.
David leaned back.
“Let's discuss facts.”
For the next twenty minutes, he attacked Dad methodically.
Failure to disclose Mom's survival.
Undisclosed family arrangements.
Conflicts involving Vale Capital.
Potential misuse of corporate influence.
Some accusations were twisted.
Some contained uncomfortable pieces of truth.
Dad had hidden things.
Even for reasons he considered protective.
David knew exactly where to cut.
Then he presented proxy votes.
Four directors had signed authorization allowing him to vote on their behalf.
Dad looked genuinely concerned.
I realized something terrifying.
David might actually win.
Then Daniel entered.
He placed a folder in front of each director.
“Before any vote, counsel needs to disclose new evidence.”
David's expression tightened.
Daniel continued.
“Federal investigators have been provided with records connecting entities controlled by Mr. David Sterling to fraudulent transfers involving Vale Capital.”
David smiled.
“Based on Vanessa Cole?”
“Partly.”
“She'll say anything to save herself.”
“Agreed.”
Daniel pressed a button.
The screen behind him lit up.
Adrian appeared on video from his attorney's office.
David's face changed.
Adrian looked terrible.
Unshaven.
Exhausted.
But focused.
He spoke.
“Five years ago, David Sterling approached me through an intermediary.”
The room went silent.
David stood.
“This is absurd.”
Adrian continued.
“He offered funding for my company. In exchange, he wanted introductions into certain circles.”
One director asked, “Did he instruct you to marry Claire Sterling?”
Adrian paused.
My stomach tightened.
“No.”
I exhaled.
“He never told me who Claire was.”
David smiled slightly.
Then Adrian added:
“But after Claire and I got engaged, he told me her family connections would make me rich if I played it correctly.”
Dad's fists tightened.
I closed my eyes.
There it was.
Adrian had not married me as part of David's original plan.
But once he learned I had value, he used it.
Adrian kept speaking.
“I told myself I loved her, so it didn't matter.”
His voice cracked.
“I was lying to myself.”
David stood.
“This testimony comes from a man accused of assault and fraud.”
“Correct,” Daniel said. “Which is why we corroborated it.”
He displayed bank records.
Emails.
Messages.
Payments.
Then Mom placed one final document on the table.
David stared at it.
His face finally lost all color.
“What is that?” I asked.
Mom looked at him.
“The original maintenance record from my plane.”
Dad slowly stood.
Mom continued.
“The mechanic who altered the fuel line is alive.”
David said nothing.
“And yesterday,” Mom said, “he agreed to testify.”
David moved toward the door.
Security blocked him.
He turned.
His smile was gone.
Then he looked at me.
“You think your family wins now?”
I said nothing.
He laughed bitterly.
“You haven't even discovered what your husband did with the last account.”
My stomach dropped.
“What last account?”
May you like
David smiled.
“The one in your name.”
