Chapter 2 — Fifty-One Percent
Chapter 2 — Fifty-One Percent
By noon, the executive boardroom was full.
Department heads.
Senior executives.
Corporate counsel.
Internal auditors.
No one understood why an emergency meeting had been called.
Adrian stood confidently at the head of the table.
"I'm sure this misunderstanding can be resolved quickly."
Before he could continue, I slid a leather folder across the polished table.
The company's general counsel opened it.
Inside were ownership documents.
Voting rights.
Trust agreements.
The room grew silent.
The attorney blinked twice before looking up.
"Mrs...Miss Hail..."
I corrected him.
"Claire Hail Bennett."
He swallowed.
"The Hail Family Trust controls fifty-one percent of Bennett Meridian Group."
Gasps echoed around the room.
One vice president nearly dropped his pen.
Vanessa frowned.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
I turned toward her.
"It means I own this company."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Vanessa laughed nervously.
"That's impossible."
The attorney slowly nodded.
"It isn't."
Adrian closed his eyes.
He knew the truth had finally caught up with him.
I stood.
"As majority shareholder, I am calling an emergency vote."
Every director stared at me.
"The first motion..."
I looked directly at Adrian.
"...is to suspend the CEO pending an independent investigation."
The vote passed.
Nine to two.
May you like
Adrian had just lost control of the company bearing his own name.
Vanessa finally looked afraid.
