Chapter 10: The Person Inside My Company
“Read me exactly what the note says,” I told Emily.
She took a breath.
“It says, ‘Linda handled the authorization. Richard handled the board. Vanessa handled the family.’”
I closed my eyes.
Linda Parker had worked for me for nine years. I'd trusted her with payroll, confidential contracts, employee records, and sensitive company information.
She knew where every important document was stored.
She knew my electronic signature procedures.
And she knew how to access my personal files.
“Dad?”” Emily asked.
“I'm here, sweetheart.””
“Does this mean Linda helped them?””
“I don't know yet. But I'm going to find out.””
I instructed Emily not to touch anything else in the Mercedes. Then I contacted Susan and forwarded photographs of the envelope and handwritten note.
Her response came within minutes.
Do not confront Linda. We need to establish the authenticity and origin of the documents first.
The following morning, I arrived at my company's headquarters shortly before seven.
The parking lot was nearly empty.
I walked through the glass entrance and approached the reception desk.
The receptionist, Michelle, looked surprised.
“Mr. Williams! We weren't expecting you.””
“Is Linda here?””
“She's in the executive conference room.””
“Who else?””
Michelle hesitated.
“Mr. Lawson.””
I felt my jaw tighten.
“Richard?””
She nodded.
I walked straight toward the conference room.
Through the glass walls, I could see Linda sitting beside Richard. A stack of documents lay between them.
Richard was smiling.
He looked perfectly comfortable sitting in the chair I'd occupied for eleven years.
I opened the door.
“Good morning.””
Linda nearly jumped out of her seat.
Richard slowly turned around.
“Marcus. What a surprise.””
I looked at the documents.
“Having a meeting about my company?””
Richard smiled politely.
“We're discussing the transition.””
“What transition?””
“The board has concerns about your recent conduct. Vanessa informed us that you've been experiencing some difficulties.””
I walked toward the table.
“Show me the authority under which you're running this meeting.””
Richard opened a folder.
He slid a document toward me.
It was the same power of attorney I'd seen in the photograph.
My signature appeared at the bottom.
So did Emily's forged witness signature.
I pushed it back.
“That's fraudulent.””
Richard shrugged.
“That's a serious accusation.””
“It's an accurate one.””
Linda stared at the table.
I turned toward her.
“Linda, did you upload this document?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Marcus, I was told you had approved everything.””
“By whom?””
She glanced at Richard.
He immediately interrupted.
“Linda, you don't need to answer questions outside the meeting.””
I looked at him.
“She's my employee.””
“Not anymore, technically.””
He opened another document.
It was a board resolution appointing him interim chief executive officer.
I laughed.
“You think a forged document makes you the CEO of my company?””
Richard's smile disappeared.
“Your wife has already explained your condition.””
“My wife isn't a doctor.””
“Perhaps not. But she has provided evidence.””
I leaned forward.
“Let me explain something to you. I built this company. I own sixty-eight percent of its shares. And I have never authorized you to control a single account.””
Richard closed the folder.
“Ownership doesn't necessarily mean control when the owner is incapacitated.””
I stared at him.
“Then you'd better hope your medical story holds up.””
His expression changed.
Only for a moment.
But I saw it.
He was worried.
I walked out without saying another word.
Outside the conference room, I called Susan.
“Richard is holding meetings inside my office.””
“Don't confront him again. I've already requested an emergency review of the disputed corporate resolutions.””
“Can we remove him?””
“We can challenge the documents, notify the bank, and seek appropriate court orders. But I need something stronger connecting Richard to the forgery.””
I looked through the glass wall.
Linda was still sitting across from him.
“I think I know where to find it.””
An hour later, Linda called me.
She sounded frightened.
“Marcus, can we meet?””
“Where?””
“Somewhere private.””
We met at a coffee shop two blocks from the office.
Linda arrived carrying a small laptop bag.
She sat down and immediately began crying.
“I didn't know what they were planning.””
I remained silent.
She opened her laptop.
“I found the original files.””
“What files?””
“The power of attorney. The medical statement. The board resolution. All of them.””
She turned the screen toward me.
The documents had been created using the company's internal document system.
I recognized the administrator account.
It belonged to Linda.
“Why would you do this?””
She shook her head.
“Vanessa told me you were suffering from memory problems. She said you had authorized the transition because you wanted to retire.””
“And you believed her?””
“She showed me a recording.””
“What recording?””
Linda opened another file.
It was a video of me sitting in my office, discussing company restructuring.
But something was wrong.
My voice sounded unnatural.
My mouth movements didn't perfectly match the words.
Linda whispered, “Richard told me it was recorded during a private meeting.””
I stared at the screen.
“It's fake.””
She nodded.
“I know that now.””
“Who created it?””
“Richard sent it to Vanessa. She forwarded it to me.””
Linda then opened a hidden folder.
Inside were dozens of documents.
Some contained financial information.
Others contained photographs of my driver's license and passport.
Then I noticed a spreadsheet titled:
*PROJECT WILLIAMS — FINAL DISTRIBUTION.*
The spreadsheet listed the expected proceeds from the company loan, the fraudulent vehicle financing, and the proposed ownership transfer.
Beside each amount was a recipient.
Richard Lawson Holdings.
Daniel Carter Consulting.
Vanessa Williams.
Brianna Williams.
I stared at the last name.
“Brianna had a payment scheduled?””
Linda nodded.
“Two hundred thousand dollars.””
I leaned back.
Then I noticed another line.
A payment of $450,000 was scheduled to go to someone named Peter Shaw.
I looked at Linda.
“Who is Peter Shaw?””
Her face turned pale.
“He's the person who came into the office last week.””
“What did he do?””
“He collected the original company seal.””
I froze.
“The company seal?””
Linda nodded.
“He said Richard needed it for the ownership transfer.””
I stood so quickly that my chair scraped across the floor.
“Linda, where is it now?””
She looked down.
“Richard has it.””
My phone vibrated.
An email from Susan.
*URGENT: The court filing has revealed a second ownership transfer. Call me immediately.*
I opened the attachment.
The document stated that my sixty-eight-percent controlling interest had been transferred to a holding company registered three months earlier.
The sole director was listed as Peter Shaw.
And the effective date was that morning.
I stared at the page.
May you like
They hadn't simply planned to take my business.
They had already tried to make it disappear.
