Chapter 2
He shook his head.
“No.
You told me Northstar was a family office.
You said the investors wanted privacy.”
Claire held his gaze.
“They did.
I did.”
Daniel sank into a chair.
“You own Northstar?”
“I own all of it.”
Outside counsel placed certified ownership records on the table.
Northstar held sixty-two percent of Whitmore Technologies’ voting stock, and Claire controlled Northstar.
She had funded the seed round and guaranteed the company’s first major credit line.
“You let me think I built this,” Daniel said.
“I let you lead in public.”
“You made me look like a fool.”
Pain crossed Claire’s face, quick and clean.
“No, Daniel.
I spent fourteen years making sure you never looked like a fool.
You managed that by yourself.”
Sophie pulled the necklace from her throat.
“This is a marital fight.
I have nothing to do with it.”
“You accepted company property and received corporate funds for work you did not perform,” Claire said.
“You have quite a lot to do with it.”
Daniel turned desperately.
“Give the necklace back.
Send back the money.”
Claire said, “The transfer has already been reversed.
The audit committee will decide what must be reported.”
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Claire, please.
We can go home and talk.”
She answered, “For six months I waited for you to come home and talk.”
“I made a mistake.”
“A mistake is forgetting an anniversary.
This was a system.”
He reached toward her.
“I love you.”
Claire looked at him with exhausted sadness.
“You loved being admired.
I made admiration easy.”
Daniel faced the board.
“If you remove me, the merger collapses.
Harland wants me.”
“No,” Claire said.
“Harland wants the technology, the patents, and the operating team.
Their CEO knows what is happening, and the merger will proceed under new leadership.”
Arthur cleared his throat.
“Motion to remove Daniel Whitmore as chief executive officer for cause, effective immediately.”
The vote went around the table.
Every director said yes.
Daniel’s face emptied.
Claire stood.
“Turn over your company phone, laptop, key card, and vehicle.
Security will escort you out.”
Daniel spun toward Sophie.
“You’re fired.”
She stared at him.
“What?”
“You heard me.
Claire, she’s gone.
It’s over.”
Claire closed her eyes for one second.
“That may be the ugliest thing you have done tonight.”
Two security officers entered.
Daniel looked at Claire.
“Where am I supposed to go?”
“The apartment on East Seventy-Second is company housing owned by a Northstar subsidiary,” Claire said.