Chapter 4 - The Boardroom Storm
The next morning, the fallout from Victoria’s arrest erupted into a public storm. Victoria’s father, Arthur Lane, was a powerful shareholder in Hawthorne Enterprises and held a seat on the board of directors. By 8:00 a.m., national business outlets were broadcasting news of the broken engagement, accompanied by leaked, selective statements from the Lane family accusing Richard Hawthorne of being mentally unstable and running a hazardous home environment.
Richard sat at the dining table, his laptop open, as his chief communications officer called him every five minutes.
"Richard, Arthur Lane is calling an emergency board meeting for 2:00 p.m.," his executive vice president warned over the speakerphone. "He's rallying the board to force a vote of no confidence. He claims your personal life is tanking the stock price and that you're unfit to lead the company."
Richard rubbed his temples. "Let him call the meeting. I’m not coming downtown. My sons need me here."
"If you don't show up, Richard, they will stripped you of your executive power!"
Standing by the sideboard, placing a bowl of fresh fruit on the table for the boys, Emily overheard the conversation. She set the bowl down and walked over to Richard's chair.
"Go to the meeting," Emily said.
Richard looked up, surprised. "You told me yesterday to cancel my schedule."
"I told you to prioritize your sons," Emily corrected. "If Arthur Lane takes your company, he will use his power to drag your name through the mud, and Victoria’s lawyers will use that to reduce her criminal charges. You need to end this threat so your boys can be safe permanently."
She reached into her canvas tote bag, pulled out a thick leather notebook, and laid it on the table.
Richard stared at it. "What is this?"
"Two weeks ago, when I realized Victoria was talking about boarding schools, I started checking the house guest log and her private mail receipts," Emily explained. "She wasn't just planning to send the boys away, Richard. She was meeting with Arthur's financial team in your home office while you were at the office."
Richard opened the notebook. Inside were precise dates, times, and copied document numbers showing that Victoria had been accessing confidential merger files from Richard’s safe—files that Arthur Lane’s firm had used to short Hawthorne Enterprises stock prior to the wedding announcement.
Richard’s eyes widened. "She was committing insider trading... using my private office."
Emily crossed her arms. "I was going to give you this when I had enough proof to convince you. She framed me with that watch because she realized I was keeping track of her visits."
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Richard looked at the notes, then up at Emily. A slow, formidable resolve filled his chest. The grief-stricken, passive father vanished, replaced by the sharp, ruthless strategist who had built a business empire.
"Emily," Richard said, standing up. "Watch the boys. I’m going to end this."
