Chapter 14: The Boardroom Belonged to Me
The Ashford Global boardroom occupied the entire forty-second floor.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked Manhattan.
Twelve directors sat around an enormous black marble table.
At the far end stood Preston.
He wore a charcoal suit and carried a leather folder.
Cassidy sat beside him, her face pale.
Dr. Hales was nowhere to be seen.
When the doors opened, every head turned.
Gideon entered first.
I followed.
Preston's expression changed.
"Vivian?""
I walked toward an empty chair.
"Good morning, Preston.""
He looked at Gideon.
"Why is she here?""
Gideon placed a document on the table.
"Because she has every right to be.""
Preston laughed.
"She's not an executive.""
"Not yet.""
I sat down.
The chairman of the board, Richard Coleman, cleared his throat.
"Mr. Ashford, we are prepared to begin.""
Gideon nodded.
"Please proceed.""
Richard opened his folder.
"Mr. Whitmore has submitted a motion requesting the temporary removal of Gideon Ashford as chairman due to alleged financial mismanagement and conflicts of interest.""
I looked at Preston.
He smiled.
For a moment, he seemed completely confident.
Richard continued.
"He has also requested that the board recognize his authority over the company's western division pending a restructuring.""
Gideon folded his hands.
"Before we vote, I believe the directors should review the company's original ownership documents.""
He passed copies around the table.
Preston frowned.
"What is this?""
Gideon looked at him.
"The original shareholder agreement.""
Preston flipped through the pages.
Then he stopped.
His face changed.
"Where did you get this?""
"From the original trust administrator.""
Preston looked at me.
"No.""
I met his eyes.
"Yes.""
Richard adjusted his glasses.
"According to this agreement, the controlling shares transferred to Vivian Lawson Whitmore upon confirmation of her father's death or legal disappearance, subject to independent verification.""
He turned another page.
"The beneficiary's identity has now been verified, and the trust administrator has confirmed the transfer.""
A director leaned forward.
"How many shares?""
Richard checked the register.
"Fifty-one percent of Ashford Global's voting shares.""
Silence.
Preston stood abruptly.
"This is fraudulent!""
Gideon remained seated.
"Which part?""
"She has no connection to the company!""
I looked at him.
"My father founded it.""
Preston laughed.
"Your father is dead!""
The door opened.
A wheelchair entered.
Behind it stood my father.
Thomas Lawson.
Preston's face lost every trace of color.
My father looked directly at him.
"Good morning, Preston.""
Preston took a step backward.
"No.""
Richard stood.
"Mr. Lawson?""
My father nodded.
"I'm alive, Richard. And I have a few things to correct.""
The directors began whispering.
My father was escorted to the head of the table.
He placed a folder in front of him.
"Twenty years ago, Gideon Ashford and I established this company. I transferred my shares into a trust for my daughter. I intended for her to inherit control when she was ready.""
He looked at Preston.
"Unfortunately, someone decided to take that inheritance before she had the chance.""
Preston shook his head.
"You're confused. You were declared dead.""
My father gave him a cold smile.
"That was convenient for you, wasn't it?""
Gideon's attorney distributed additional documents.
The first contained evidence of the original insurance claim.
The second detailed the payments to Dr. Hales.
The third showed Preston's attempts to transfer company funds into private accounts.
Richard examined the records.
"Mr. Whitmore, do you dispute these transactions?""
Preston adjusted his tie.
"Those transfers were legitimate consulting expenses.""
I opened my folder.
"Then perhaps you can explain why the same consulting company received money from my insurance settlement.""
I passed the documents around.
"Or why it paid my surgeon $480,000.""
Cassidy suddenly stood.
"Preston told me the money was his!""
Everyone turned toward her.
Preston glared.
"Sit down.""
"No!""
She pulled a USB drive from her handbag.
"I have the emails.""
Preston's face changed.
"Don't you dare.""
Cassidy looked at the directors.
"He told me to delete them, but I kept copies. He said if I helped him secure the promotion, he would marry me and make sure our baby inherited everything.""
I stared at her.
"Everything?""
She nodded.
"He said your father was dead, your mother was cooperating, and you would eventually be declared incapable of managing the trust.""
Preston slammed his hand against the table.
"You're lying!""
Cassidy began crying.
"I have the messages, Preston. All of them.""
Gideon signaled to his attorney.
The USB drive was collected and placed into an evidence bag.
Richard looked toward the directors.
"I believe we have sufficient grounds to suspend Mr. Whitmore's corporate authority.""
Preston turned toward me.
"Vivian, please.""
I remained silent.
He stepped closer.
"You can't do this. Everything I've built is here.""
I looked at the company logo engraved on the wall.
"Everything you stole is here.""
Richard called for the vote.
The result was unanimous.
Preston's executive authority was terminated.
His access to corporate systems was revoked.
His financial authorizations were suspended.
Then the board turned toward me.
Richard stood.
"Mrs. Whitmore, as the verified majority shareholder, would you accept the position of interim chairwoman?""
I looked at Gideon.
He gave me a small nod.
I thought about the thirteen surgeries.
The nights I'd cried into my pillow.
The medical bills I'd paid while Preston spent my compensation.
The backless dress.
The ballroom.
The people who had laughed at my scars.
Then I looked at the board.
"Yes.""
Applause filled the room.
Preston stood motionless.
His entire future had disappeared in less than an hour.
But just as security approached him, his phone rang.
He glanced at the screen.
The name displayed was *Margaret Lawson*.
He answered.
"What?""
I couldn't hear her words.
But I watched his expression change.
Then he slowly turned toward me.
"Vivian," he whispered.
I frowned.
"What?""
He swallowed.
"Your mother has disappeared.""
Gideon stood.
"What do you mean?""
Preston looked down at his phone.
"She left a message. She says she has the original fire evidence.""
My heart stopped.
"What evidence?""
Preston looked directly at me.
"The evidence that proves who actually ordered the fire.""
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Then he added something that made my blood run cold.
"And apparently, she has the person who gave the final order.""
