He moved about in his seat and nodded. “Of course. Would you like to handle all of this another day? Maybe you need more time? Sometimes it’s hard to jump into such a leadership role if your mindset is not all there.”
What. An. Asshole.
I wasn’t some weak woman who couldn’t handle a damn meeting. Especially one that had to do with my future. What would the board think if I said I needed more time? I needed to show them I was up for the task.
With a slight grin, I replied, “No, Mr. Ricker, my mindset is perfectly fine to handle all of this today.”
With a tip of his head, he motioned for Mr. Knots to speak after the other board members all came and sat down.
“Ms. Monroe, according to a bylaw that was put into place by your grandfather, there is a stipulation on when you can acquire full control of CMI.”
My brow lifted. “And that is?”
I couldn’t help but notice how he glanced around the room. I followed his gaze. More than half of the board members looked down. Cowards didn’t have the balls to look me directly in the eye. Well, that was except for Mr. Ricker and Mr. Potts, the chief of ethics and compliance officer. They both wore smug expressions.
“Your grandfather felt very strongly about this. When he found out that your father would no longer
be having children, specifically a boy …”
Motherfucker.
This was not going to go where I wanted it. Dear old granddaddy always made it known he was pissed I came out with a vagina instead of a dick. He felt like the role of a woman was at home, ready to provide her man with a cigar and drink when he returned home after a long day of work at the office.
“He wrote it in that if you were to inherit the business from your father due to unforeseen circumstances before you were of the age of forty, that in order for you to become chairman of the board and CEO, you would need to be married.”
My jaw dropped.
The fuck did I just hear?
Mr. Knots cleared his throat and kept reading. “And that your husband would possess at least a Bachelor of Business degree and serve on the board of CMI, t-to, um, well, to assist you if need be.”
My eyes darted to Mr. Ricker, who wore a look on his face that almost seemed like he wanted to laugh. I looked back at Mr. Knots.
“Are you fu—”
Marge, who was standing next to me, placed her hand on my shoulder. “Oh, Charleston, remember our conversation.”
Shutting my mouth, I shook my head, took in a deep breath and laughed. “Are you kidding me? Did my father know about this little … stipulation?”
Now it was Mr. Ricker’s turn. “He did.”
Narrowing my eyes at him, I asked, “And he agreed with it? Because I’m going to tell you right now, I know for a damn fact he would not have agreed for this to remain a standing contingency in the corporation’s bylaws.”
Marge let out a soft grumble.
“He did not agree with it, Charleston.”
Jerking my head to the right, I looked at Mitchel Landing, a chair member my father had appointed not long after he took over as CEO from my granddaddy. Mitchel continued to talk. “He had asked that the bylaw be taken out, since it was never voted in, and that Mr. Ricker was to see to it. From what I understood from your father, he felt it was just a bitter statement his father was trying to make.”
Oh, this keeps getting better.
I had mentioned to my father I didn’t like Ricker. He was old-school and didn’t like change. More than once I said if I had control of this place, his ass would be gone.
“Is that so?” I asked. “And why was this never done, Mr. Ricker?” My voice was strong, and he heard it. What these old bastards needed to remember was I now held more stock than any of them. CEO or not, I could make their lives a living nightmare.
“Your father kept putting it off, Ms. Monroe.”
Liar. He probably told my father it was taken care of, and my father trusted him and never questioned his actions.