Chapter 10 - THE BOARDROOM WAR|
The emergency shareholders' meeting began at nine the following morning.
Camille entered the boardroom carrying a slim folder. Lydia walked beside her, while Everett and his team waited outside.
Nathan was already seated.
Russell Briarwood stood near the window, speaking to two directors.
When Camille entered, he smiled as though she were a child arriving late to a family dinner.
"Camille. I hope you've had time to reconsider."
"I have."
"Good."
"I've decided not to let you take my grandmother's company."
His smile disappeared.
Lydia placed a formal notice on the table.
"We challenge the petition to appoint Mr. Harrow as temporary trustee. The trust's governing documents require independent medical review and prohibit the transfer of voting authority without the successor trustee's consent."
Russell looked at Nathan.
"You told me this had been handled."
"It has."
"Clearly not."
Camille took her seat.
"Before we discuss the petition, I want the board to see something."
She connected her laptop.
The recording began.
Nathan's voice filled the room.
"Once Camille signs, we can move the shares without Beatrice finding out."
Russell's response followed.
"And if she refuses?"
"She won't. She thinks she's saving the hotels."
The recording ended.
Nobody spoke.
Nathan stood abruptly.
"This is illegally obtained."
Lydia replied, "The recording was voluntarily provided by a witness. Its admissibility will be determined through the appropriate process. Today, however, it raises serious questions about the integrity of the proposed transfer."
Russell looked furious.
"You're allowing a personal dispute to destroy this company."
Camille turned toward him.
"You made my engagement part of your financing agreement. You made my grandmother's trust part of your acquisition plan. You don't get to call this personal now."
A director cleared his throat.
"Mr. Harrow, did you authorize the transfer of the trust shares?"
Nathan looked around the room.
"I was acting in the company's best interests."
"That wasn't the question."
Nathan's jaw tightened.
Camille placed the original trust summary on the table.
"My grandmother appointed me successor trustee three years ago. The bank holds the original documents. I have requested an independent confirmation, and it will be delivered directly to the board."
Russell laughed.
"You think a piece of paper makes you qualified to run eleven hotels?"
"No," Camille said. "I think the people who built those hotels deserve someone who won't use them as bargaining chips."
A director nodded slowly.
Then another.
Nathan looked at the changing faces around the table.
"You can't do this to me."
Camille's voice was quiet.
"You did it to yourself."
The board voted to suspend the proposed transfer pending investigation.
It was not a victory, but it was the first time the Briarwoods had been stopped.
As the meeting ended, Oliver approached Camille.
"I owe you an apology."
"Yes, you do."
"I knew my father wanted us engaged. I told myself it was just business."
"That doesn't make it better."
"I know."
He looked genuinely ashamed.
Then he handed her a sealed envelope.
"My father gave this to me last week. He said to destroy it if the deal failed."
Camille opened it.
Inside was a list of properties scheduled for transfer.
May you like
And at the bottom was the name of a hotel she knew very well.
Her grandmother's first hotel.
