I studied the transaction number.
“I did not authorize that transfer.”
He laughed once.
“Of course not.”
Daniel shook his head.
“The request originated from Adrian’s executive credentials.”
The confidence vanished from Adrian’s face again.
Ruth examined the details.
“Why would he send money to Eleanor?”
Martin already understood.
“Because he wanted it discovered after she was removed,” he said.
Adrian said nothing.
Daniel opened the authorization trail.
The transfer had been scheduled the previous evening from Adrian’s office computer.
A memo attached to it read: discretionary chairwoman withdrawal.
It was a crude trap, but a dangerous one.
Once Adrian became acting chair, he could claim he had uncovered evidence that I had stolen company funds.
The transfer would justify terminating me, freezing my accounts, and referring the matter to prosecutors.
By the time investigators untangled the authorization trail, he would control the board and the Savannah project.
He had planned to use my grief, my silence, and a fabricated theft accusation in the same day.
One of the older directors, Margaret Ellis, removed her glasses.
“Adrian,” she said, “did you initiate this transfer?”
“No.”
Daniel tapped the screen.
“Your credentials did.”
“Then they were compromised.”
“The login required your password, your security token, and facial verification.”
Adrian looked toward the door.
The security officers stepped inside.
He turned on me instead.
“You arranged this.”
I almost pitied the desperation in his voice.
Almost.
“Yesterday you called me too emotional to lead,” I said.
“Now you want the board to believe I hacked your face.”
A nervous laugh escaped from someone at the far end of the table.
Adrian heard it, and rage tightened his jaw.
He pointed at Martin’s file.
“That trust can be challenged.”
“Certainly,” Martin replied.
“But until a court rules otherwise, your voting authority is suspended under its express terms.”
Ruth folded her hands.
“I am recommending an immediate independent investigation, suspension of Adrian’s executive authority, preservation of all electronic records, and referral of the wire transfer to federal authorities.”
Adrian looked around the room for support.
No one met his eyes.
These were the same directors who had remained silent while he described me as unstable.
Their silence had wounded me then.
Now it condemned him.
Margaret spoke first.
“I second the recommendation.”
The vote passed without opposition.
Adrian’s face went gray.
“You cannot remove me based on accusations from a hysterical wife.”
The word hung in the room.
Sloane flinched.
