Sophie stared at her blue nails.
“Are you still going to Lisbon?”
Claire looked toward the envelope.
“I don’t know.”
“You should.”
“With who?”
“Me.”
Claire smiled despite herself.
“You have school.”
“So?”
“So education.”
“Terrible excuse.”
Claire laughed.
Then realized she wanted to go.
Not tomorrow.
Not while Meridian was imploding.
But eventually.
Maybe the trip did not need to belong to the marriage simply because she purchased it for one.
Her phone rang.
Benjamin Ross.
The board had scheduled an emergency meeting for seven the next morning.
Apex suspended closing.
Not canceled.
Suspended.
Ryan had been temporarily removed as transaction lead pending review.
Claire stared at the wall.
“Removed?”
“Board chair’s decision.”
“Who’s managing?”
“Marcus Lane and outside counsel overnight.”
Claire did not like Marcus.
But he was competent.
“What do you need from me?”
“Every document you received in March.”
“I’ll find them.”
“Original email chain too.”
“Okay.”
Benjamin hesitated.
“Claire.”
“Yes?”
“I should have been communicating with you directly for the past year.”
She closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
“I accepted Ryan’s representation that you wanted minimal involvement.”
Claire laughed without humor.
“Of course.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Tomorrow.”
She ended the call.
Sophie stared.
“Company?”
“Yes.”
“Is Dad fired?”
“No.”
“Should he be?”
Claire smiled tiredly.
“You are not joining the board.”
“Cowards.”
The next morning Claire entered Meridian at 6:52.
No flowers.
No anniversary dress.
Gray suit.
Hair pulled back.
Black portfolio in hand.
Employees were already at their desks.
News had spread.
The atmosphere felt like a hospital waiting room.
People looked at her.
Some smiled awkwardly.
Some looked away.
Claire understood.
She was both founder and domestic scandal now.
That was unfair to everyone.
At the boardroom table sat six directors.
Thomas Grady.
Marcus Lane.
Benjamin.
Two Apex attorneys joining by video.
Board chair Eleanor Shaw, seventy-one, former technology executive and one of the earliest Meridian investors.
Ryan entered last.
He looked as though he had not slept.
No Vanessa.
Claire sat opposite him.
Eleanor began without greeting.
“We are not here to discuss the Bennett marriage except where representations regarding it affect company documents.”
Claire appreciated that.
Ryan did too, probably.
They reviewed the March packet.
Benjamin had reconstructed the chain overnight.
His firm created an original founder-consent draft.
Transaction counsel, Whitmore Legal, revised it after communication with Ryan and Marcus.
Marcus immediately interrupted.
“I never requested marital language.”
Everyone looked at him.
He continued.
“I requested capital restructuring.”
Benjamin nodded.
Emails supported that.
The marital-separation clause appeared in a later version sent directly between Ryan, Whitmore partner Evan Price, and Ryan’s personal attorney.
Claire looked at Ryan.