Not remorse.
A command.
I glanced at Rachel.
She said nothing.
Grant persisted, “You’re family. Fix it.”
His audacity was almost impressive.
Five minutes earlier, he’d called me “people like you.”
Suddenly, I counted as family.
Charles grew confrontational.
“You think being majority owner makes you untouchable?”
“No.”
“But you’re going to destroy my career over paperwork?”
“I haven’t destroyed anything.”
I held his gaze.
“Your records will decide that.”
Then my phone rang.
Meridian’s general counsel was calling.
I answered on speakerphone.
“Evelyn,” she said, “we recovered the deleted procurement folder.”
Charles turned pale.
She continued.
“The forensic team confirmed the deletion originated from Mr. Whitmore’s assigned laptop. We also found payments to a consulting LLC registered to his brother.”
Diane sank into a chair.
Grant murmured, “Dad?”
Charles stayed silent.
His silence revealed more than any denial.
I hung up.
Rachel followed me to the entrance.
“Mom, wait.”
