Chapter 7 - The Board Meeting Without a Throne
Three days after the twins were born, Vale Meridian’s board called an emergency meeting.
Dominic arrived expecting to regain control.
He wore his most expensive suit and entered the boardroom carrying a prepared statement accusing Whitmore Capital of unfair interference.
The directors were already seated.
Silas occupied a chair near the end of the table as the company’s principal lender. Mara sat beside two outside attorneys.
The chair at the head of the table was empty.
Dominic walked toward it.
“You will sit over there,” the board chairwoman said, pointing to a seat near the wall.
Dominic looked offended.
“I founded this company.”
“You have been suspended pending investigation.”
“You cannot suspend the chief executive without a formal vote.”
“We voted before you arrived.”
Dominic looked around the table.
Several directors avoided his gaze. Others looked directly at him without sympathy.
Then the conference room door opened.
Audrey entered.
She was still recovering and moved slowly, but she refused the wheelchair waiting outside. She wore a simple navy dress and carried no designer bag, no dramatic evidence box, and no visible symbol of the Whitmore fortune.
She did not need one.
Dominic stood.
“You should be at the hospital.”
“The twins are stable. My grandfather is returning me there after this meeting.”
“This is company business.”
Audrey sat in the empty chair at the head of the table.
“It has always been my business.”
One of the attorneys displayed the original company documents.
Audrey’s operational models, hospital contracts, and intellectual property contributions appeared on the screen.
The board members had seen some of the materials before, but Dominic had removed Audrey’s name from later versions.
Mara presented evidence of the forged signature, the personal expenses, and the hidden entities receiving company money.
Dominic denied everything.
“These documents have been manipulated.”
“The electronic records came from your accounts,” Mara replied.
“Audrey had access.”
“Not to the account created under Natalie Cross’s name.”
Dominic’s eyes shifted toward the door.
As though summoned by the mention of her name, Natalie entered with her own attorney.
Dominic looked stunned.
“What are you doing here?”
Natalie placed a phone on the table.
“I am providing the recordings you told me to delete.”
The room became silent.
Dominic had frequently sent Natalie voice messages bragging about financial transfers and explaining how he planned to pressure Audrey into signing the divorce papers.
One recording was especially damaging.
Once she signs, Dominic’s recorded voice said, she’ll have no money to fight me. She has no real family, and she’ll be too busy with the babies to investigate anything.
Audrey did not look at him while the recording played.
She focused on keeping her breathing steady.
The board chairwoman called for a second vote.
Dominic Vale was removed as chief executive immediately.
The company would enter temporary independent management while the financial investigation continued. Audrey would serve as special advisor for hospital operations and intellectual property.
Dominic laughed bitterly.
“You think she can run this company? She waited tables when I met her.”
Audrey finally looked at him.
“And you had eleven dollars in your business account.”
A few directors lowered their eyes to hide their reactions.
Dominic pointed at Silas.
“This is because of him. Without your grandfather, you are nothing.”
Audrey rose from her chair.
“My grandfather did not create the evidence against you. He did not forge my signature, steal from the company, abandon his children, or bring his pregnant mistress into a NICU.”
She stepped closer.
“You did all of that by yourself.”
Security opened the conference room door.
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Dominic was escorted from the building he had once treated like a kingdom.
This time, no one followed him.
