Chương 4 - Câu Chuyện Của Những Cái Tên

“I knew you consultants.”

“You knew who Derek was.”

“I knew Derek was cousin. I know owned CCG.”

laughed once.

“’s ridiculous.”

Lauren’s face went white.

Ellen kept going.

“There’s also an email chain involving two distribution accounts.”

She slid another document toward Lauren.

said, “We don’t need to .”

Marsha spoke the first time.

“, we .”

Lauren read the email.

Her expression changed as she moved down the page.

“ Lakeview Wholesale?”

didn’t answer.

Ellen .

“ broker associated Carter Commercial Group.”

Lauren .

“You told me they were potential regional partner.”

“They are.”

“The email says you wanted Bennett to release two exclusivity agreements so Lakeview could take the accounts.”

“ have better margin structure.”

“ who?”

said nothing.

I watched my daughter realize something in real time.

She believed she was building power her husband.

Now she was seeing building something beside her.

Possibly through her.

Lauren dropped the paper.

“ has nothing to Mom’s shares.”

“,” I said. “ doesn’t.”

She me sharply.

“ has nothing to Noah’s last name.”

“.”

surprised her.

I leaned forward.

“You changing son’s name hurt me.”

She opened her mouth.

I kept going.

“You doing father was dying hiding from him hurt more.”

away.

“But neither of those things why we’re here.”

I tapped the documents.

“ .”

Lauren’s eyes filled anger.

“I didn’t steal anything.”

“I didn’t say you .”

“You’re removing me.”

“We’re considering whether you exercised appropriate oversight.”

“I have running company almost year.”

“.”

“ Dad was sick.”

“.”

“ you disappeared.”

one hit.

I let .

was partly true.

I disappeared.

Into hospitals.

Medication schedules.

Hospice nurses.

Insurance calls.

Into sleeping on couch next to Michael woke frightened three in the morning pretended wasn’t.

I said, “ father was dying.”

Lauren away.

Frank cleared his throat.

“Lauren, you disclose the Carter relationship?”

“.”

“Why ?”

“ I didn’t know the ownership structure.”

Marsha asked, “ you ask?”

“.”

“ you approve the payments?”

“.”

“ you approve ’s proposal involving the distribution accounts?”

Lauren the email again.

“I approved an exploratory discussion. I approve transferring customers.”

said, “’s you said home.”

She turned on him.

“Stop talking.”

The board recessed twenty minutes.

When we came back, was removed from the room.

Lauren stayed.

Frank delivered the motion.

Lauren be removed as president CEO effective immediately.

Her access to company systems be suspended pending the review.

She remain employed only through short administrative transition counsel reviewed the records.

The vote was three to one.

Lauren voted against.

I enjoy .

I need understood.

I imagined plenty of confrontations my daughter over the previous week.

None of them ended her sitting across from me swollen eyes an attorney collected her access card.

But when the vote was finished, Lauren me said the one thing I dreading.

“You planned .”

“.”

“You waited until Dad died.”

I stared her.

“You think I waited father to die so I could take back job I gave you?”

“You never wanted me to have .”

Michael have laughed .

spent years telling me I was too hard on Lauren.

I said, “ father pushed promotion more than I .”

“ believed in me.”

“.”

“ now you’re throwing me out.”

“ I found evidence required board action.”

She stood.

“I’m only child.”

I didn’t respond.

She took step toward me.

“Who exactly you think you’re saving company ?”

“Sit down.”

“.”

“Lauren.”

“You Dad spent my whole life telling me be mine someday.”

“Someday today.”

“’s dead.”

The sentence hit the table like broken glass.

Lauren seemed to hear herself only after she said .

Her mouth opened.

Then closed.

I said quietly, “. .”

Tears spilled down her face.

She wiped them angrily.

“So ? You’re going to leave to strangers now?”

“.”

“Then who?”

I Olivia.

She knew I was asking.

She opened her briefcase.

Lauren followed my eyes.

“ ?”

I said, “You asked I meant the funeral home.”

Her face went blank.

“.”

“You wanted to know I never told you.”

“Mom, don’t.”

“We can privately.”

She around the room.

Frank Marsha were still there.

Ellen begun gathering her papers.

Lauren laughed bitterly.

“Now you care about privacy?”