Chapter 13 - The Boardroom
The Carter Holdings boardroom had never seen a meeting like it.
Victor Hale sat at the head of the table with a temporary court order in front of him.
Sophia sat two seats away.
Alive. Calm. Perfectly dressed.
Michael entered with Reese, Helen, Daniel, and Emily behind him.
Sophia’s smile flickered when she saw Emily walking.
“I heard you were on bed rest.”
Emily answered, “I heard you were in Boston.”
No one laughed.
Victor stood. “This is a private corporate proceeding.”
Reese showed her badge. “Not anymore.”
Victor’s lawyer objected immediately.
Michael ignored him.
He placed Thomas’s real trust amendment on the table.
Sophia’s face changed.
“That’s fake.”
Helen said, “No. The fake one is the version I signed after Thomas died.”
Victor turned toward her. “Helen, you’re confused.”
“For years, you counted on that.”
The board members shifted uneasily.
Emily handed the forensic audit to the chair.
“Nine hundred twelve thousand dollars moved through Northstar Civic Partners. Victor controlled Northstar. Sophia controlled the recipient company.”
Sophia leaned back. “You’re an accountant playing detective.”
Emily met her eyes. “And you’re a thief who shoved a pregnant woman down a staircase while a camera was recording.”
Sophia’s jaw tightened.
Victor stood. “This meeting is over.”
“No,” Michael said. “It’s finally starting.”
Reese played Mason’s video.
Victor’s voice filled the boardroom:
Then your father didn’t die for nothing.
Every face turned toward him.
Victor’s confidence finally cracked.
Sophia shot to her feet. “That recording is manipulated!”
Then another voice came from the doorway.
“No, it isn’t.”
Arthur Bell walked in with two federal agents.
Victor went white.
Arthur placed the flash drive on the table.
“I kept the books.”
Sophia stared at him like she had seen a ghost.
The federal agents approached Victor.
He backed away.
Then the fire alarm screamed.
Sprinklers exploded from the ceiling.
People shouted and surged toward the exits.
In the confusion, Sophia grabbed Emily by the wrist.
Emily jerked back.
“Let go.”
Sophia leaned close enough that only Emily could hear.
“You think this ends because Victor gets arrested?”
Emily’s blood ran cold.
Sophia smiled.
May you like
“He was never the one I was afraid of.”
Then the lights went out.
