Chapter 11 - THE BOARDROOM WAR
Every person in the boardroom looked at Victoria.
She stared at the document.
“I never notarized this.”
Gavin smiled.
“Your seal says otherwise.”
Miriam examined it.
“The date is six months ago.”
Victoria shook her head.
“My seal was stolen last spring.”
I remembered.
She had reported a missing briefcase.
Gavin’s smile weakened.
Miriam looked at him.
“You built an entire fraud structure using stolen seals and forged signatures.”
His attorney whispered something.
Gavin snapped, “Stop talking.”
I stepped toward him.
“You still think you’re winning.”
“I think you’re emotional.”
There it was again.
The insult men use when facts stop helping them.
I turned to the trustees.
“My signature is false.”
Miriam distributed authenticated signature records.
“My aunt denies notarizing the transfer.”
Victoria stood.
“I do.”
The board’s senior trustee adjusted his glasses.
“Then the transfer is invalid pending investigation.”
Gavin slammed his hand on the table.
“No.”
The trustee continued.
“We proceed with Olivia Hart’s voting rights intact.”
The vote began.
One by one.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Convert the preferred shares.
Yes.
Remove Gavin Mercer as CEO.
Yes.
Suspend Victoria Hart pending independent investigation.
Yes.
By 2:17 p.m., the company Gavin believed would become untouchable after our wedding belonged to Hart Capital.
He sat motionless.
Then the senior trustee said:
“Effective immediately, Olivia Hart is appointed interim executive chair.”
Gavin looked at me.
Pure disbelief.
“You?”
I stood.
“Yes.”
“You know nothing about running MercerArc.”
“I know enough to stop you from stealing from it.”
He laughed bitterly.
“You’ll destroy it.”
“Maybe.”
I leaned closer.
“But if it survives, it survives without you.”
Federal agents entered the boardroom.
Gavin’s attorney stood.
Agent Reyes approached him.
“Gavin Mercer, we need you to come with us.”
Gavin looked at me.
“Olivia.”
I said nothing.
“You know me.”
That almost broke me.
Because once, I had believed I did.
He stepped closer until Reyes blocked him.
“I loved you.”
I looked into his eyes.
“You loved access.”
Reyes led him away.
The boardroom doors closed.
I thought I would feel victorious.
Instead, I felt empty.
Miriam squeezed my hand.
“You did the right thing.”
I nodded.
Then my phone buzzed.
A hospital number.
Andrew.
He had regained consciousness.
I answered.
“Andrew?”
His voice was weak.
“Olivia.”
“You’re safe.”
“I’m sorry.”
“We’ll deal with that later.”
He breathed painfully.
“There’s something I have to tell you.”
“What?”
“The forged signatures weren’t Gavin’s idea.”
I closed my eyes.
“Whose?”
Andrew whispered a name.
May you like
And every bit of relief disappeared.
“Victoria.”
