Chapter 2 - Fifty Eight Percent
Nobody moved.
Not Julian.
Not Camilla.
Not the eight hundred employee company represented by the two hundred people in that ballroom.
For a few seconds, even the hotel servers stopped.
Then Julian laughed.
It was too loud.
Too artificial.
“This is some kind of stunt.”
Malcolm remained beside me.
“No.”
Julian looked at him.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
“Northstar’s beneficial ownership was disclosed to the transaction committee under confidentiality.”
His eyes snapped back to me.
“You bought my company?”
The room changed.
My company.
He had said it into a microphone area.
Elena Shaw noticed too.
I answered:
“Aurelia was never your company.”
He stepped toward stage.
“You know what I mean.”
“I do.”
That was the problem.
Julian thought titles were proximity to ownership.
Camilla recovered faster.
She lifted her chin.
“This announcement has nothing to do with communications leadership.”
“No.”
I agreed.
“Your employment review is separate.”
Her face tightened.
Then I turned to employees.
“I want to make one thing clear before rumors get ahead of facts.”
Malcolm nodded.
Good.
“Aurelia Systems is not shutting down.”
A visible release moved through room.
“Northstar’s investment provides sufficient liquidity to refinance the near term debt schedule and fund the already approved operating plan.”
I kept language precise.
“No mass layoff is part of the transaction.”
Applause started tentatively.
I lifted hand.
“However, the board has also authorized an independent review of vendor payments and executive approvals identified during due diligence.”
Silence returned.
“Northstar did not conduct that investigation alone. Aurelia’s independent directors retained outside counsel and forensic accounting.”
Nathan stood.
Elena beside him.
Julian pointed.
“You had people digging through my expenses?”
Elena answered before I could.
“Aurelia’s board authorized review of company records.”
“Based on what?”
Nathan opened spreadsheet on ballroom screen.
The first line appeared.
MERIDIAN INFLUENCE LLC
$420,000
Executive approval:
JULIAN VANCE.
Then:
VERITY MEDIA PARTNERS
$310,000
JULIAN VANCE.
Then:
GOLDLINE PUBLIC AFFAIRS
$265,000
JULIAN VANCE.
Camilla folded arms.
“These are legitimate communications vendors.”
Nathan answered:
“Some services were legitimate.”
Good.
Not accusing whole amount.
Then:
“Some invoices appear substantially inflated relative to work product.”
Julian looked at me.
“You are humiliating me publicly before investigating.”
Elena corrected.
“The board has already investigated for six weeks.”
Then:
“No final criminal conclusion has been made.”
Important.
Julian looked toward Malcolm.
“You were supposed to announce president.”
Malcolm’s face revealed something close to pity.
“There was no board resolution appointing you president.”
Julian froze.
“What?”
“I told you the board would discuss leadership after recapitalization.”
“You said tonight was my night.”
Malcolm stared.
“I said tonight was important.”
Several employees looked away to hide reactions.
Julian had built his promotion partly from assumptions.
Maybe Malcolm had let him believe too much.
But there had never been signed appointment.
Then Camilla whispered:
“This is Audrey’s revenge because Julian chose me.”
I looked.
“No.”
“You think everyone cannot see?”
She touched earrings.
I almost laughed.
“My marriage is irrelevant to whether company funds were misused.”
Then:
“The earrings are separate too.”
Camilla’s hand dropped.
“What earrings?”
I looked at Malcolm.
“May I?”
He nodded.
I addressed ballroom.
“My personal dispute with Julian will not be litigated here.”
Then:
“The board’s investigation will proceed through normal employment and legal channels.”
Good.
No spectacle beyond what was necessary.
Then Julian tried reclaim control.
“You are majority shareholder. You cannot personally fire me without board process.”
I smiled.
“Correct.”
He blinked.
“I have no intention of bypassing governance.”
That frightened him more.
Because I was not angry wife with checkbook.
I was prepared.
Malcolm took microphone.
“Effective immediately, Julian Vance is placed on paid administrative leave pending completion of the special committee review.”
Julian stared.
“And Camilla Price?”
Malcolm continued:
“Camilla Price is also placed on administrative leave.”
Camilla shouted:
“On what basis?”
Elena answered:
“Potential conflicts involving communications vendors.”
Then hotel security approached, not police.
To collect company devices after counsel protocols.
Julian looked at me.
“Do you understand what this does to our marriage?”
I nearly laughed.
“You shoved me into a table while your mistress wore my mother’s earrings.”
The entire ballroom went silent.
I had not intended to say mistress publicly.
But word existed now.
Camilla turned red.
Julian whispered:
“Audrey.”
I continued quietly enough that only nearest heard.
“Our marriage was already discussing itself.”
Then I removed microphone.
No more.
Employees deserved evening not divorce.
Malcolm announced reception would continue.
It did, awkwardly.
Julian refused surrender laptop until Elena explained employment policy and data preservation.
Then he did.
Camilla handed over company phone.
Her personal phone remained hers.
Good.
No illegal seizure.
Then hotel security manager approached me.
“Mrs. Vance.”
“Yes?”
“There is security footage from the champagne table.”
My shoulder throbbed.
“I assumed.”
“Would you like us to preserve it?”
“Yes.”
Then:
“We also have footage from the fourth floor executive lounge before the reception.”
I looked.
“What happened?”
He hesitated.
“Your husband and Ms. Price entered together.”
That was not surprising.
Then:
“Mr. Vance was carrying a small black jewelry case.”
My breathing stopped.
“What time?”
“Six thirty eight.”
I had arrived at seven.
The earrings had not merely appeared on Camilla.
May you like
Julian had brought them.
And somewhere between our home and the ballroom, my husband had knowingly taken my dead mother’s jewelry to place on another woman.
