Silence.
Victoria felt something cold move through her chest.
“How much?”
“We cannot establish personal net worth accurately.”
“Estimate.”
“Billions.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“And Northstar?”
“The portfolio is enormous.”
“Voting position in Hale Meridian?”
Marcus did not answer immediately.
Victoria looked at him.
“Marcus.”
“Forty-nine percent.”
She stood completely still.
“That’s impossible.”
“It closed Friday evening.”
“Friday?”
“After you fired him.”
Victoria slowly sat down.
“We had a minority investor position from the Phantom Fund.”
“We did.”
“How long?”
“Six years.”
Her eyes lifted.
The same amount of time Daniel had worked there.
Marcus nodded.
“He joined the company four months after the first Northstar vehicle acquired shares.”
Victoria looked back at the documents.
“Get him on the phone.”
“I tried.”
“Again.”
“I tried three times.”
“And?”
“He declined.”
Victoria’s voice hardened.
“Have my office call.”
“They did.”
“What did he say?”
Marcus checked his notes.
“He said any shareholder communication should proceed through formal channels until the extraordinary meeting.”
Victoria stared at him.
“Extraordinary meeting?”
Marcus pushed another document toward her.
“Northstar requested one at 6:12 this morning.”
Victoria read the notice.
The controlling signature appeared at the bottom.
Daniel T. Carter.
Not a fund manager.
Not a lawyer.
Not a trust administrator.
Daniel.
For the first time in fifteen years of running Hale Meridian, Victoria felt the floor beneath her professional life shift.
“He’s acting like he owns the company.”
Marcus looked at her.
“He almost does.”
By 2:00 that afternoon, Hale Meridian’s full board had assembled.
Victoria entered last.
Nobody engaged in ordinary conversation.
The chairman, sixty-eight-year-old Charles Wentworth, held a printed notice in both hands.
“We have a serious ownership issue.”
Victoria took her seat.
“I know.”
Charles looked surprised.
“You know?”
“Northstar.”
“Forty-nine percent.”
“Yes.”
“Did you know Daniel Carter controlled Northstar?”
“No.”
“You terminated him Friday morning.”
“Yes.”
A director at the far end removed his glasses.
“At an airport?”
Victoria’s expression tightened.
“The location is not relevant.”
“It will become relevant if this reaches litigation.”
“It will not.”
Charles looked around.
“Northstar requested an extraordinary shareholder meeting and an immediate preservation order on specific company records.”
Victoria turned.
“What records?”
Marcus answered.