Vanessa’s confidence disappeared.
“I mean—I thought she did.
I was frightened.
Everything happened quickly.”
“The footage shows you looking at the door before you fell,” one director said.
“You timed it.”
Vanessa’s eyes filled with tears, but they no longer resembled the elegant tears she had summoned on the staircase.
“Nathan was leaving her anyway,” she said.
“Everyone knew it.
Claire was humiliating him by refusing to let go.
I only wanted him to see what kind of woman she was.”
“So you framed her,” Claire said.
“I wanted him to choose.”
Nathan stared at Vanessa as though he had never seen her before.
She stepped backward.
“You are the one who ordered the guards.
I never told you to do that.”
“You told me not to punish her too harshly.”
“That was a figure of speech.”
“You were smiling.”
Patricia moved between them.
“Enough.
This family will not destroy itself in front of employees.”
Arthur looked at her.
“Mrs.
Crane, the destruction occurred last night.
Today is documentation.”
He distributed three resolutions to the directors.
The first suspended Nathan as chief executive officer effective immediately.
The second revoked his authority over all corporate accounts, properties and personnel.
The third authorized an independent investigation into misuse of company funds, intimidation of employees and conduct exposing the company to criminal liability.
Nathan read the first page and tore it in half.
Arthur calmly placed another copy before him.
“Paper is not authority, Mr.
Crane.
The votes are.”
One by one, the directors raised their hands.
Nathan watched men and women who had applauded him at galas remove him without a speech.
The final vote was unanimous.
“You can’t do this,” he said.
“It is done,” Arthur replied.
Nathan turned back to the screen.
His anger began changing into something closer to desperation.
“Claire, listen to me.
We can fix this privately.
You are injured and emotional.
Let me come to the clinic.
We will talk without all these people.”
“The clinic has your photograph at every entrance.”
“I’m your husband.”
“Not for much longer.”
His face collapsed for a second.
Then he reached for the only weapon he thought remained.
“You lied throughout our marriage.
You concealed your identity, your assets and your family.
Any judge will see that you manipulated me.”
