Chapter 7 - THE BOARDROOM
At nine the next morning, eleven directors sat around the Whitaker Development boardroom.
Mason occupied the chair at the head of the table.
He had built the room specifically to make everyone else feel smaller.
Dark walnut.
Thirty-foot windows.
His father’s photograph on the wall.
Mason’s name engraved on a brass plate.
Peter Lang’s chair was empty.
Mason hated it.
Graham Mercer sat behind him.
Three independent directors had outside counsel present.
That had never happened before.
At 9:03, the doors opened.
Natalie entered.
No maternity dress.
No cardigan.
She wore a simple navy maternity suit and low shoes.
Margaret Sloan walked beside her.
Benjamin remained at the hospital.
He had deliberately stayed away.
This was Natalie’s fight.
Mason stared at her.
“You have no board seat.”
Margaret answered.
“Not yet.”
The chairwoman of the audit committee, Caroline Reed, cleared her throat.
“We called this emergency session to address allegations involving corporate debt and ownership.”
Mason leaned back.
“There are no allegations.”
Margaret placed a binder on the table.
“There are now.”
She distributed copies of the forged consent.
The room became quiet.
Mason’s general counsel looked sick.
Caroline turned to him.
“Did your office review this?”
“No.”
“Who did?”
Mason answered.
“Outside transaction counsel.”
“Which firm?”
No answer.
Natalie watched.
The board began to understand something she already knew.
Mason was hiding more than an affair.
Caroline opened another document.
“Blue Ridge Family Trust asserts that an unauthorized encumbrance triggered conversion rights.”
“Yes,” Margaret said.
Mason scoffed.
“It’s a stunt.”
Natalie spoke for the first time.
“Then challenge it.”
He turned toward her.
“I will.”
“Good.”
She met his eyes.
“Under oath.”
That silenced him.
Caroline continued.
“Until ownership is resolved, I move that Mr. Whitaker be temporarily removed from authority to enter new financing arrangements on behalf of the company.”
Mason shot upright.
“You can’t.”
A director seconded the motion.
Mason looked around.
“These people work for me.”
Caroline stared at him.
“No.”
“They work for shareholders.”
The vote passed eight to three.
Mason’s face became white.
Then Caroline delivered the second blow.
“I further move that an independent forensic review begin immediately.”
Another second.
Another vote.
Passed.
Natalie remained motionless.
Mason looked directly at her.
“You think you won?”
“No.”
She gathered her papers.
“I think you’ve finally been asked to show your work.”
As she turned to leave, Mason spoke quietly enough that only she heard.
“You have no idea what happens if those lenders panic.”
Natalie stopped.
“Then tell me.”
He said nothing.
She faced him.
“How much did you lose?”
His eyes betrayed him.
Just once.
But Natalie saw it.
Not steal.
Not borrow.
Lose.
May you like
She walked out of the boardroom with a new question.
And Mason knew she had asked the right one.
