Chapter 7 — The Empty Company
Chapter 7 — The Empty Company
The Carter Group had once been worth nearly eighty million dollars.
By the time Ryan reached the emergency board meeting, its accounts were close to collapse.
Emma attended as the representative of the trust that still owned twelve percent of the company. Ryan had not known she held those shares either.
Victoria arrived with two attorneys.
She sat at the far end of the boardroom table as though she still owned everyone in it.
The chief financial officer displayed the transactions.
Money had been moved through consulting fees, property purchases, and false vendor contracts.
Ryan stared at the screen.
“Who approved these?”
The CFO looked uncomfortable.
“Your electronic authorization was used.”
“I never approved them.”
Victoria spoke smoothly.
“You sign dozens of documents every week.”
Ryan turned.
“Did you use my signature?”
“Don’t be dramatic.”
“Did you?”
Victoria leaned back.
“I protected this company long before you understood what a balance sheet was.”
Samuel placed copies of several transfers on the table.
“Funds were sent to companies connected to Claire Morgan.”
Victoria smiled faintly.
“Then arrest Claire.”
“Some were sent to her,” Samuel said. “Others went to an account controlled by you.”
The directors began murmuring.
Victoria’s attorneys whispered urgently.
Emma remained silent.
She had expected cruelty.
She had not expected theft on this scale.
Ryan looked at his mother.
“Why?”
Victoria’s eyes flashed.
“Because your father left me with nothing.”
“He left you six properties and a ten-million-dollar trust.”
“He controlled the trust.”
“To stop you from draining it.”
Victoria’s face twisted.
“You sound exactly like him.”
Ryan’s voice lowered.
“Maybe he was right.”
The words wounded her more deeply than any accusation.
She turned toward Emma.
“This is her fault. She filled your head with lies.”
Emma finally spoke.
“I didn’t know about the missing money until Samuel showed me.”
“But you’re enjoying this.”
“No.”
Emma looked around the boardroom.
“I’m watching a family destroy itself because nobody was willing to say no to you.”
Victoria pointed at her.
“You stole my house.”
“Your father-in-law sold me a house because he knew you would eventually mortgage it into the ground.”
The chairman called for a vote.
Ryan was temporarily suspended as chief executive while investigators determined whether he had knowingly approved the transfers.
Victoria was removed from all advisory authority.
The vote was unanimous.
When the meeting ended, reporters were already waiting outside.
Someone had leaked the scandal.
Cameras flashed as Victoria stepped onto the sidewalk.
“Mrs. Carter, did you steal company funds?”
“Was your son involved?”
“Is it true your pregnant daughter-in-law evicted you?”
Victoria spun toward Emma.
“You did this.”
Emma stopped.
“No.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“I didn’t call the press.”
Samuel checked his phone.
His expression changed.
“What is it?” Emma asked.
He turned the screen toward her.
An anonymous account had uploaded internal company files, photographs of the ruined nursery, and the threatening message sent to Emma.
The post ended with one sentence:
Ask Victoria Carter what happened to her first daughter-in-law.
Emma looked at Ryan.
“You were married before?”
May you like
Ryan’s face went gray.
Victoria whispered, “We need to leave.”
