Chapter 9 - THE BOARD MEETING THAT ENDED HIS RULE
Aaron entered the boardroom expecting to defend himself.
He left knowing he was no longer chief executive.
The emergency meeting began at nine on a Thursday morning.
Olivia presented the financial findings.
Independent counsel summarized the internal investigation.
The audit committee outlined the related-party transactions, approval failures, and concerns about the handling of confidential information.
Aaron insisted he had not known Jasmine was forwarding strategic documents to Garrett.
The board considered that statement.
But ignorance did not resolve the governance failures.
Aaron had approved a consulting arrangement involving a woman with whom he was having an undisclosed personal relationship.
He had allowed her unusual access to executive information.
He dismissed financial concerns raised by employees.
And he had used his executive office in connection with the disputed attempt to obtain financing against my separate property.
Each issue required examination on its own merits.
Together, they raised serious doubts about whether he could continue overseeing the company during the investigation.
I was not in the room for the board's personnel deliberations.
Harborstone's properly appointed representatives handled its participation under the applicable governance rules.
I was with Nathan in another office when Harriet called.
“The board has voted to place Aaron on leave and appoint Olivia as interim CEO.”
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Three years earlier, I would have been devastated.
Aaron's title had seemed inseparable from his identity.
I organized my life around protecting it.
Now I simply asked:
“What happens to the employees?”
Harriet's voice softened.
“The company will continue operating. Olivia has a stabilization plan, and the board is prioritizing payroll, customers, and ongoing projects.”
I exhaled.
“Good.”
Harborstone agreed to continue working with the company under enhanced oversight while the financial review proceeded.
The decision wasn't a favor to me.
Prescott Global had valuable operations, skilled employees, and a viable business worth protecting.
Aaron's personal failures did not automatically make every person working for him disposable.
That afternoon, the announcement reached the company's employees.
The news moved quickly.
Some people were shocked.
Others seemed relieved.
Rebecca Moore and the analysts who raised concerns were offered protection against retaliation while their complaints were reviewed.
The company also began examining ways to restore the employee scholarship program.
I was reading the announcement when my phone buzzed.
A message from Brooke, Aaron's sister.
You finally got what you wanted.
I stared at it.
Then replied:
What I wanted was a husband who came home.
I blocked her number.
That evening, Jasmine's attorney issued a statement disputing allegations of wrongdoing.
Garrett's company also denied that it had obtained information improperly.
Investigators continued examining the communications and transactions.
Then Olivia's team identified an attempted withdrawal from a corporate escrow account.
The request concerned several million dollars reserved for a canceled acquisition.
It had been initiated through credentials previously available to Jasmine.
The bank's controls prevented the transfer from being completed.
When investigators reviewed the destination details, they discovered that the proposed recipient was another company linked to Garrett.
The affair was no longer merely a personal betrayal.
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It had opened the door to a financial and corporate scandal that could affect hundreds of people.
And Aaron had given Jasmine the access that made it possible.
