Chapter 1
Part 2
By the time Daniel reached the hotel penthouse, his confidence had returned.
He poured champagne while Sophie laughed about Claire and planned the East Seventy-Second apartment.
Then his corporate card was declined.
Another card failed too.
Then an email appeared: EMERGENCY BOARD SESSION — MANDATORY ATTENDANCE.
Northstar Holdings had requested an immediate review of unauthorized spending and breach of fiduciary duty.
Sophie crossed her arms.
“Go downstairs and remind them who built the company.”
A message from the CFO followed: Daniel, I’m locked out of treasury access.
Who authorized Northstar to freeze executive spending?
For the first time that night, Daniel looked afraid.
“Claire must have complained to Margaret.”
Sophie laughed.
“Your wife is a numbers woman with a good tailor.
Stop giving her magical powers.”
The board waited in a private conference room on the fourth floor.
Chairman Arthur Bennett sat with four directors and outside counsel.
A high-backed chair at the far end faced the windows.
Daniel entered without knocking.
“If this is about my personal life, I will not allow a domestic dispute to interfere with a merger that benefits every shareholder in this room.”
Arthur removed his glasses.
“This is not about gossip.
It is about company money.”
A folder slid across the table.
Inside were receipts for a forty-two-thousand-dollar necklace, private flights, luxury hotel rooms, and the $480,000 transfer to Lane Design Group.
Sophie tried to call it consulting until outside counsel pointed out that her company had been formed eleven days earlier.
“I’m CEO,” Daniel snapped.
“I have discretion.”
“Up to fifteen thousand dollars per transaction,” Arthur said.
“Several larger expenses were broken into smaller charges to avoid review.”
Daniel felt the room closing around him.
“Then I want Northstar’s representative here.
I am tired of being lectured by proxies.
For years those people have hidden while I built this company.
If they have something to say, they can say it to my face.”
The chair at the end of the table turned.
Claire sat there in a cream-colored suit, her dark hair pinned back and her reading glasses resting in one hand.
She did not look angry.
That frightened Daniel more than anger would have.
“Hello, Daniel,” she said.
“You wanted Northstar.
I’m listening.”
Sophie laughed once, too sharply.
“This is ridiculous.”
Daniel stared at his wife.
“What are you doing in that chair?”
Claire answered, “Sitting in the chair of the majority shareholder.”