Chapter 14 - THE BOARDROOM
The boardroom was packed.
Twenty-seven executives.
Nine lawyers.
Three television crews outside.
Daniel walked in holding Betty and Maria's hands.
Every conversation stopped.
He placed two chairs beside him.
“My daughters.”
The board chairman stood.
“Mr. Harden, this is inappropriate.”
Daniel stared at him.
“No.”
He placed a folder on the table.
“This is my family.”
Then he placed another folder beside it.
“This is the evidence.”
The room went silent.
Richard's fraud.
The forged documents.
The intercepted pregnancy announcement.
The trust manipulation.
Everything.
Daniel looked around.
“My father built this company.”
He paused.
“I nearly lost my family protecting it.”
He took a breath.
“I won't make that mistake again.”
The chairman shook his head.
“You're emotionally compromised.”
Daniel smiled.
“Maybe.”
He looked at Rachel.
“But for the first time, I'm thinking clearly.”
Then Betty raised her hand.
Everyone stared.
Daniel blinked.
“Yes?”
“Can I say something?”
He nodded.
Betty walked to the center of the room.
“You keep saying this company is important.”
The executives looked amused.
Betty continued.
“But my mommy says people are more important than money.”
Silence.
Daniel smiled.
“She is right.”
The board chairman sat down.
The vote began.
One by one.
Daniel retained control.
But then his lawyer whispered:
“There's one more issue.”
“What?”
“The trust requires a spouse.”
Daniel looked at Rachel.
She immediately shook her head.
“No.”
He smiled.
“I wasn't going to ask you here.”
“Good.”
“I'll ask you somewhere private.”
Rachel rolled her eyes.
May you like
The twins giggled.
For the first time in years, Daniel laughed too.
