"Neither do I," Kelsey admitted. She paused, then said, "I wrote down what happened. All of it. I'm sorry I waited until there was a reason to be afraid for myself." Maya studied her face and nodded once. It was not forgiveness, but it was the first conversation between them that did not depend on pretending the previous Monday had been somebody else's problem.
By nine-forty, the auditorium was filling. Sterling Vane's headquarters employees occupied the main seating, with regional staff joining by secure video. The communications team had arranged two cameras to capture the announcement, and Sienna was already preparing a live clip for her followers. A banner behind the stage read STERLING VANE: WHAT COMES NEXT, replacing the Preston-centered design that had been prepared before the committee meeting.
Preston arrived at nine-forty-five, smiling in his tailored dark suit. He had not been told about the committee vote; the notification had been held until the meeting because his systems access was already restricted and the board wanted its decisions delivered with counsel present. He noticed the changed banner but interpreted it as a design adjustment. He walked down the aisle greeting employees by name only when he knew they were managers.
Sienna hurried over. "Big day," she said, raising her phone. "I go live the moment they say your name." Preston smiled at the camera and smoothed his jacket. "Make sure you get the board in the shot," he told her. "People should see this properly."
He saw Imani seated near the front beside Julian and stopped in the aisle. He had expected never to encounter her again after the rooftop party. The sight of her at a company meeting irritated him more than it alarmed him. "Who let her in?" he asked a nearby events coordinator, who looked toward Helena and declined to answer.
Preston approached Imani. "Another wrong turn?" he asked quietly enough to avoid the camera but loudly enough for Julian to hear. Imani looked up. "Good morning, Mr. Hale. I hope you enjoyed your party."
"I did," Preston answered. "And I'm planning to enjoy this morning, too. I suggest you find somewhere else to watch." Julian rose halfway from his seat, but Imani gave him a small motion to remain where he was. Preston walked away with a look of satisfaction, convinced he had delivered the last word.
He settled in the first row and opened the prepared remarks on his phone. They began with a sentence he had practiced several times: It is my privilege to lead Sterling Vane into a bold new chapter. He had already arranged for an assistant to move his belongings into the larger executive office after lunch. The speed with which he had prepared to occupy a position he did not yet hold was about to become one more detail the board would remember.
At precisely ten, Helena Marsh stepped to the podium. She had the calm expression of someone who knew the outcome of a difficult conversation and was prepared to be disliked for conducting it. The room quieted as the cameras began recording. Preston straightened in his seat and prepared to stand.
"Good morning, everyone," Helena began. "As of last Friday, Sterling Vane has a new owner. The transaction is complete, and the company now operates under the ownership of Brooks Meridian. Before we name a chief executive or make decisions about our next phase, the owner has asked to speak to the people who work here."