Chapter 12 - The Vote
Cole Development’s emergency shareholder meeting happened two weeks later.
Richard had been suspended.
Vanessa had resigned.
Eleanor agreed to cooperate with investigators.
The company was collapsing.
Claire could have walked away.
Instead, she entered the boardroom.
Daniel sat beside her.
One director asked the question everyone wanted answered.
“Do you intend to sell your shares?”
Claire looked around the table.
“No.”
Several people exchanged nervous glances.
“Then what do you intend to do?”
“Fix what they broke.”
The room went quiet.
Claire presented a restructuring plan.
Independent audits.
Repayment funds for affected clients.
New compliance leadership.
Employee protections.
Complete cooperation with investigators.
One director shook his head.
“It’ll cost millions.”
Claire nodded.
“It should.”
“You could lose most of your inheritance.”
“It was never supposed to be mine.”
Daniel watched her quietly.
The vote passed.
Eight to three.
Claire became interim chairwoman.
She didn’t smile when the result was announced.
May you like
This wasn’t victory.
It was responsibility.
