Chapter 5: The Day Daniel Seemed to Win
Sterling’s chief technology officer rushed into the boardroom.
“The transfer is moving through three banks,” he said.
“Someone used Mr.
Sterling’s executive credentials.”
Grandfather turned to Malcolm.
“Only your merger team received temporary access to our financial system.”
Malcolm spread his hands.
“Your security failure is not our responsibility.”
“Stop the transfer,” I told the bank representative.
“I cannot take instructions from you while the court order is active.”
Daniel lifted the frozen ownership papers.
“At last, someone understands the law.”
I faced him across the table.
“Return the money.”
“Sign the merger agreement, and perhaps we can solve this together.”
“You want me to hand you Sterling after you forged my name?”
“I want you to be practical.
Your grandfather’s judgment is failing, your authority is frozen, and your company’s cash is disappearing.”
Grandfather raised his cane and pointed it at Daniel.
“You planned every minute of this.”
Daniel looked at me instead.
“Sign before noon.
The bank keeps Sterling open, my father’s company survives, and we tell the public the wedding was postponed.”
“And Vanessa?”
“A mistake.”
Vanessa flinched, but she did not lower her eyes.
“You called me your future.”
“I told you what you wanted to hear.”
She crossed the room and stood beside me.
“Then hear this clearly: I choose her.”
Daniel laughed.
“You two deserve each other.”
Miriam searched the second flash drive.
“The transfer instructions aren’t here,” she said.
“But there’s a list of Sterling employee identification numbers.”
Our chief technology officer leaned over her shoulder.
“One belongs to Leonard Price, the deputy finance director.”
Grandfather picked up the conference phone.
“Bring Leonard to the boardroom.”
The security supervisor answered after a pause.
“Mr.
Price left the building twenty minutes ago.”
“With what?”
“Two archive boxes and a company laptop.”
Daniel checked his watch.
“Forty-three minutes until the overseas transfer becomes permanent.”
I moved around the table.
“Where is Leonard going?”
“Why would I know?”
“Because his identification number was on your drive.”
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Sign the merger, Evelyn.
I’ll stop the transfer and keep your grandfather’s charitable foundation funded.”
Grandfather’s face hardened.
“Leave the foundation out of this.”
“Oh, I can’t.
Its operating account is tied to Sterling’s credit line.
If Sterling falls, the senior-care centers close first.”
My hand tightened around the pen on the table.
Grandfather touched my wrist.
“Do not sign.”
“Hundreds of people depend on those centers.”
“And thousands of employees depend on you not giving this man our company.”
Daniel placed the merger agreement in front of me.
“Thirty-nine minutes.”
Miriam’s phone rang.
She looked at the screen and declined it.
“Who was that?” I asked.
“My daughter.”
It rang again.
This time a photograph appeared in a message.
Miriam opened it, and all the color drained from her face.
“What did they send?” Vanessa asked.
Miriam turned the screen toward us.
Her daughter was standing outside her school beside Leonard Price.
Beneath the photograph were six words: SIGN IT, OR SHE LEAVES WITH ME.
Miriam snatched up her bag.
“I have to go.”
“You can’t go alone,” I said.
“That is my child.”
Daniel folded his arms.
“This meeting seems to be losing focus.”
I looked at him.
“You knew.”
“I know nothing about Miriam’s family.”
Miriam ran toward the door, but the security supervisor blocked it.
“Her daughter just called reception,” he said.
“She’s safe inside the school office.
Leonard took the photograph yesterday.”
Miriam covered her mouth.
Grandfather looked at Daniel.
“A staged threat to frighten a witness.”
Daniel’s attorney whispered urgently to him, but Daniel shoved the merger agreement toward me again.
“Twenty-eight minutes, Evelyn.”
The chief technology officer suddenly held up one of the drives.
“There is a hidden partition,” he said.
“But someone is erasing it remotely.”
Miriam returned to the laptop.
Files vanished one after another.
“Disconnect it!” I cried.
She pulled the cable, but the final folder disappeared.
At that exact moment, the bank representative’s phone chimed.
“The transfer has cleared the first bank,” he said.
“Sterling has twenty minutes left.”
May you like
Daniel slid the pen beneath my fingers.
“Sign,” he whispered, “or watch your grandfather lose everything.”
