Chapter 14 - The Boardroom Preparation
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The weekend passed in a surreal, strangely peaceful blur. I hired a locksmith to undo the damage Owen had caused, restoring the heavy brass deadbolts to my grandmother’s original doors. I walked through the quiet, empty rooms, methodically gathering Owen's remaining possessions and boxing them up for his lawyer to collect. The house felt lighter, as if a toxic, suffocating gas had finally been vented from the windows.
On Sunday evening, my phone rang. It was Naomi Price.
"Mrs. Mercer, our internal investigation is complete," Naomi stated, her voice tight with professional anticipation. "The evidence you provided gave our cyber team exactly what they needed to crack his encrypted hard drives. The depth of the corruption is staggering."
"What happens now?" I asked, looking at my splinted finger.
"Owen still genuinely believes he is coming into the office tomorrow to clear up a minor misunderstanding caused by a jealous wife," Naomi scoffed quietly. "The Board of Directors has requested a formal, in-person meeting tomorrow morning at nine. Owen has insisted on bringing Dana Vale, claiming she can corroborate his absolute innocence regarding the bidding process."
"He's bringing her into the building?" I asked, amazed by his sheer, suicidal arrogance.
"He thinks he is untouchable," Naomi confirmed. Then, she paused. "Mrs. Mercer, I have a highly unconventional request. The Board wants you present at this meeting. We want you to personally submit the original, unedited photograph directly to the corporate record in front of the executive committee."
I didn't hesitate for a single second. I didn't feel fear, and I didn't feel intimidated by the prospect of facing a room full of powerful executives. I felt the cold, hard resolve of a forensic accountant preparing to deliver a flawless audit report.
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"I will be there," I promised.
I spent Sunday night preparing. I printed large, high-resolution copies of the bedroom photograph, the access logs, and the financial spreadsheets mapping out the kickbacks. I fortified my emotions, locking away the pain of the broken marriage and embracing the sharp, undeniable power of the truth. I was ready for war.
