Chapter 5 - THE BOARDROOM SEAT WITH HER NAME ON IT
The emergency Vellum Crown board meeting was scheduled for Monday morning.
Corbin believed he had been invited to discuss The Glass Monarch marketing strategy.
Vivian arrived with him.
That irritated Blythe.
“She has no reason to be here.”
“Let her sit in reception,” Selena said.
“Why?”
“Because I’m done arranging rooms around Corbin’s comfort.”
At 8:55, Selena entered through the executive elevator.
Plain black suit.
No jewelry except her mother’s pearl earrings.
She took the seat at the head of the table.
At 9:03, Corbin walked in.
He stopped.
For a second, no one moved.
“Selena?”
She looked at him.
“Good morning.”
His eyes moved from her to the directors.
Then to Blythe.
Then back.
“What are you doing here?”
Selena did not answer.
Board secretary Elaine Wu did.
“Ms. Renner is chairing today’s special meeting in her capacity as controlling shareholder representative.”
Corbin actually laughed.
“What?”
No one joined him.
His smile faded.
“Selena?”
She opened the agenda.
“We’ll begin.”
He remained standing.
“What does she mean controlling shareholder?”
Selena looked directly at the man who handed her divorce papers between her parents’ graves.
“My family owns Vellum Crown Media.”
He went completely still.
“How much?”
“That isn’t relevant to today’s agenda.”
“It’s relevant to me.”
“Today’s agenda concerns The Glass Monarch.”
His face changed.
He finally understood.
The movie.
The bonuses.
The side companies.
The rights deals.
Everything depended on a company his wife controlled.
“How long?”
“Longer than our marriage.”
Corbin lowered himself into his chair.
For once, he had nothing clever to say.
The audit presentation began.
$2.94 million paid to Vivian-linked vendors.
$4.6 million to Aster Row.
Undisclosed rights participation.
False representations.
Potential conflicts.
Corbin recovered quickly.
“This is retaliation.”
Selena’s expression did not move.
“No.”
“You’re doing this because I left you.”
“The audit began before the funeral.”
That silenced him.
“My father requested it.”
Corbin looked around.
“You expect me to believe that?”
Blythe placed Thomas Renner’s signed resolution on screen.
Date.
Eleven days before his death.
Corbin’s face drained.
Selena continued.
“You are not being removed today.”
He looked surprised.
“Why?”
“Because this board will not punish someone before completing the review.”
He seemed almost disappointed.
Perhaps he had expected cruelty because cruelty would let him become the victim.
Instead, she gave him process.
Temporary suspension of discretionary spending.
No new related-party contracts.
No transfer of project rights.
Independent review.
The Glass Monarch remained scheduled pending findings.
Corbin stood.
“You’re freezing me.”
“We’re protecting the company.”
“This is personal.”
Selena looked at him.
“You made it personal when you brought Vivian to my parents’ funeral.”
A few directors looked down.
“But this meeting is business.”
That distinction destroyed his argument.
Then Elaine Wu moved to the next item.
“Silver Arc Entertainment.”
Corbin froze.
Selena saw it.
“You’re familiar with them?”
He recovered.
“Everyone is.”
The acquisition proposal appeared on screen.
Corbin’s name.
Transition president.
His expected compensation:
$12 million over four years.
Vivian:
$2.5 million consulting and branding package.
The board had never seen it.
Corbin had.
Selena asked:
“Would you like to explain why you negotiated an employment package with a potential acquirer without disclosing it?”
His mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Then the boardroom door opened.
Malcolm entered carrying a sealed envelope.
He whispered something to Selena.
“What?”
Her expression changed.
The Renner estate had found a document among Thomas’s private files.
A letter.
Signed by Corbin.
Three years earlier.
It stated that if Silver Arc ever acquired Vellum Crown, Corbin would receive an additional payment tied to facilitating shareholder consent.
Amount:
$18 million.
Corbin had not simply expected a new job.
May you like
He expected to be paid for helping convince Selena’s father to sell.
And Thomas had known.
