Chapter 14 - The Vote Nathan Couldn't Control
The shareholder meeting began at six that evening.
It was my twenty-ninth birthday.
I'd spent most of the day moving between the courthouse, the workshop, and Maya's office.
I hadn't opened a birthday card.
I hadn't eaten anything except half a sandwich Denise had placed on my desk.
And I was about to face my husband across a conference table where he'd expected to take my mother's company away from me.
Nathan arrived with his attorneys.
Celeste followed him.
Iris sat beside the representative of Harrow Capital.
Denise attended on behalf of the employee trust.
Maya sat to my right.
Nathan scanned the room.
Then he looked at me.
"You've made your point. Can we finish this?"
Maya placed the court order on the table.
"The disputed proxy cannot be used. The proposed sale is restrained."
Nathan's attorney acknowledged the order.
The meeting could address permitted matters, but the planned sale vote would not proceed.
Nathan leaned back.
"This is ridiculous. We're wasting time while the company collapses."
I opened the financial report Daniel had prepared.
"Then perhaps we should discuss why it's collapsing."
Nathan's face changed.
I turned to Iris.
"The company paid more than two hundred sixty thousand dollars to Nathan's retail business under questionable licensing and promotional charges. We've requested the supporting agreements."
Nathan interrupted.
"Those were legitimate expenses."
"Then you'll have no problem providing the records."
He looked toward Celeste.
She didn't meet his eyes.
Iris spoke next.
"Harrow has also reviewed the Arden advance and the information presented to us regarding outstanding customer orders."
Nathan straightened.
"Iris, we've discussed this."
"Yes," she said.
"We have."
She opened her folder.
"And the documents I've reviewed don't fully support what you told us."
The air seemed to tighten.
Nathan looked from one person to another.
For the first time, he seemed to understand that his confidence couldn't substitute for evidence.
Denise spoke about suppliers waiting for payment and production orders suspended without explanation.
I presented the verified customer commitments.
Maya summarized the limits imposed by the court.
No one declared the company saved.
No one pretended the financial problems were small.
But Nathan could no longer describe the sale as the only possible solution without being challenged.
After the shareholder meeting adjourned, a separate board meeting convened under the company's notice procedures.
Iris had helped arrange it.
The board reviewed the preliminary audit concerns and the risk of further unauthorized expenditures.
Nathan protested when a motion was introduced to place him on administrative leave pending an independent investigation.
"This is my company," he said.
I looked at him.
"No, Nathan."
My voice remained steady.
"You own shares in it. That doesn't make the people or their work yours."
The board voted.
Three directors supported the motion.
Two opposed it.
Nathan was removed from day-to-day management pending the investigation.
He stood so abruptly that his chair scraped against the floor.
"You'll regret this."
I looked at the bruise still fading beneath my eye.
"I already regret enough."
He turned toward Celeste.
"Get your things."
She didn't move.
"Celeste?"
She stared at him.
"I think you should leave without me."
His expression twisted.
"What?"
"I've spoken to my attorney," she said.
Nathan froze.
She gathered her papers.
"I'm not taking responsibility for decisions you made."
He looked at her as though he'd never seen her before.
For a brief moment, I recognized the same disbelief I'd felt when I learned about their affair.
Then he pushed past us and walked out.
Celeste remained seated.
May you like
She looked at Maya.
"There are emails your investigator should see."
