Chapter 13 - THE COMPANY CLAIRE DIDN'T KNOW
The scandal became bigger than the affair.
Bigger than the Cole claim.
Whitmore Meridian had problems Claire had not caused personally but had failed to see.
A regional executive buried harassment complaints.
Procurement managers favored family vendors.
Foundation funds paid for luxury travel labeled donor development.
One trip had Claire’s name on it.
She had attended.
She had not asked who paid.
That mattered.
At the press conference, a reporter shouted, “Are you blaming subordinates?”
Claire looked at the cameras.
“No.”
Ruth had advised a narrower answer.
Claire ignored her.
“I am saying people committed misconduct. I am also saying I was chair while systems failed to catch it. Those are different responsibilities. Both matter.”
The clip went viral.
Some praised her.
Some called it performance.
Both were probably true.
Sabrina watched from the side.
Afterward she said, “You always were good at microphones.”
Claire turned.
“That sounded like an insult.”
“It was half an insult.”
“Progress.”
They almost laughed.
Then a reporter asked Sabrina whether she had slept with Daniel to gain leverage over Claire.
Sabrina froze.
Claire could have walked away.
Instead she stepped back to the microphone.
“Her relationship with my husband was a betrayal of me. It is not evidence about her grandfather’s legal claim.”
Sabrina stared at her.
Later she asked, “Why did you defend me?”
“I didn’t.”
“You did.”
“I separated two facts.”
“That’s annoyingly mature.”
“Don’t get used to it.”
Then Ruth called.
Nina Hale had agreed to meet.
But only with Claire and Sabrina together.
“She says she can prove who reused Eleanor’s signature.”
“Who?”
Ruth paused.
“She says it was someone we haven’t suspected because he never needed the company.”
Claire’s stomach tightened.
“Who?”
May you like
“Your brother.”
