Silas nodded.
“The preliminary evidence was preserved this morning.
Counsel is waiting in the adjoining boardroom.
No private footage beyond the opening hotel frame has been distributed.”
Lena turned to Jasper.
“Did you authorize Ms.
Reed to access the final Northstar model?”
Jasper’s face had lost its color, but his voice remained controlled.
“Evelyn had communications responsibilities related to the announcement.”
“The acquisition had not been approved for announcement,” Lena said.
“She needed context.”
“Did she need the target’s shareholder list?”
He did not answer.
Evelyn did.
“Jasper told me to download it.”
Every head turned toward her.
Jasper’s expression sharpened.
“Be careful.”
“You said Marcus could help us understand how the market would react,” Evelyn continued.
“You said it was informal research.”
“I said no such thing.”
“You called him from the room.”
Jasper stepped away from the microphone and moved toward her.
Silas signaled to two security officers near the side doors.
They did not touch Jasper, but their presence stopped him halfway across the stage.
He turned back to the audience.
“This woman is panicking because she has been caught in an inappropriate relationship.
She is inventing allegations to protect herself.”
Evelyn stared at him.
“You told me Clara had no authority,” she said.
“You said the trust was ceremonial.”
“Stop talking.”
“You said once the acquisition closed, you would move company assets into the Mercer holding group and force her to sell.”
Beatrice closed her eyes.
The sentence hung in the auditorium like smoke.
Jasper’s arrogance had finally met something it could not manage: another arrogant person who believed he would protect her.
He tried to regain control.
“This meeting is adjourned.”
“No,” I said.
He looked at me as though he had forgotten I was still there.
“As controlling shareholder,” I continued, “I request that the independent directors convene an emergency session to consider the immediate suspension of the chief executive and the preservation of all company records connected to Project Northstar.”
Lena glanced at Silas.
“The bylaws allow it,” he said.
The independent directors moved to the long table in front of the stage.
Investors remained in their seats while outside counsel entered with laptops and sealed evidence bags.
Jasper approached me for the first time that morning.
His voice dropped low enough that only I could hear.
“Do you understand what you’re doing? The share price will collapse.
Thousands of employees could suffer because you wanted revenge.”
I looked at the man who had kissed my forehead less than two hours earlier.
“This is not revenge,” I said.
“Revenge would have been playing the entire video.
This is governance.”
His jaw tightened.
“You planned this.”
