Jesus, fuck. I couldn't escape any of it. "Yes?"
"An emergency board meeting has been called. We will all convene here at the office at nine o'clock tonight."
They had to be fucking kidding me. I looked at my watch. It was seventy thirty. "Is this the meeting where you're going to fire me?"
"There have been some disturbing allegations made. But of course, we won't do anything until we hear your side."
I hung up. What was there to say? Instead, I went to my home office to gather all the documents I could about George and his connection to my father. I thought I would have more time to build leverage, but it appeared I was out of time.
I called my attorney and told him the information I had gathered—well, actually, Reyna had gathered—on potential fraud and asked the best way to report it to the authorities. If I was going down, I'd take George with me. I wondered if they'd put him in a cell alongside my father, considering he was involved in several of my father's schemes, and of course, the two of them were continuing questionable acts behind the company's back.
At nine, I strode into the board room pissed and ready to take them all down. I stood at the head of the table while George stood at the other end. He was staking his claim on the company. We were facing off, almost like we were about to duel.
"I learned today that James Dunsmore was deceiving all of us." George sported that same smug look he had earlier. How I wished Amelia were here to smack it off his face.
I scoffed. "Since when do you care about deception?"
George scowled at me. "James’s marriage is a scam. He couldn't pull off being a real husband, and as it turns out, he can't pull off being a fake one, either."
Several members of the board shifted uncomfortably. We had some tough moments in board meetings, but George clearly came in ready to hit under the belt.
"Do any of you care to see our financials?" I asked, taking time to look at each and every one of them. "Or do you want to stand around and listen to George tell you gossip about my personal life?"
Simon looked at George. "The financials have been very good, George. The company is in a better place now.”
George frowned. "This is not James's business. It is his fault that his father is in prison. He's weak and not up to the task. If he can't keep his wife happy at home, how is he going to run a company?"
“Let’s ask your wife, shall we?” I tossed back. “Or should we ask your mistress?”
The rest of the board looked down, and I was embarrassed that we were having to endure this.
“I get that you want me out, George, but for God’s sake, don’t be a hypocrite. Pick something more substantial to vote me out.” I scanned the other members, expecting them to say something. But they all remained quiet. Did George have dirt on them and now owned them? Were they just weak? What was clear was that none of them were going to support me. None were going to stand up for me.
I started to take a breath to fight, but then all the fight left my body. Why was I fighting so hard for this company? The anger was gone. I was left with emptiness.
I considered walking out but decided I was going to rally one last time. I shoved an envelope to the middle of the table. "Since you're more interested in gossip and scandal, here's some interesting tidbits you might want to know about. They all have to do with George and his involvement in fraud with my father. In fact, while my father might be in prison, he and George are still making decisions on behalf of the company without any of you or me knowing. I believe that’s why he wants me out. He wants the power, the money, and probably to cover up his illegal activities.”
George’s face was so red, I wondered if he might have a stroke.
"It’s always been baffling to me that you don’t care about fraud, bribery, and coercion, but you worry your pretty little head about my private life."
I took a breath. "I resign."
I hadn’t meant to say that. I hadn't walked into the meeting to resign. I had walked in to fight for this company. But I couldn't think of a reason to continue to fight for it. I'd never had any joy working here, except for the few months that Reyna and I had worked together. Hell, I hadn't had very many happy moments in my life except for the last few months with Reyna.
I started for the door."And by the way, I expect my full severance, my fifteen million in deferred compensation, my half-million-dollar bonus, and the half-million annual payments for the rest of my life.”
“You quit—”
I pointed to the package on the table. “I have another copy ready for the authorities.”
George growled.
“I expect my money within the week.” I scanned the room. For so many years, I felt like this was the place I was supposed to be. But as I looked at the men and women around the table, I felt like a stranger in a strange land.
I walked out of the office and straight to the elevator. Once I was inside the car and the elevator doors shut, my hands gripped the railing as my knees shook. What the hell had I just done?
During the ride down, a shift settled through my body. By the time the elevator reached the bottom floor, a sense of rightness had filled my chest. This company was not my purpose in life. I hadn’t known it because it was all I'd ever done. I'd been raised to take over the company someday, but it hadn't necessarily been a dream of mine. I couldn't remember ever having a dream growing up. It made me think of Reyna and how she had said something similar.