Chapter 10 - The Vote That Didn't Happen.
The board meeting ran for another two hours.
By ten thirty, nobody was discussing Claire's temporary leave anymore.
They were discussing access controls, document authenticity, and Ethan's undisclosed sale conversations.
Henry suspended the motion for sole managing director before it could reach a vote.
Instead, the board authorized an independent forensic review.
Ethan objected immediately.
"You're letting a marital dispute paralyze the company."
Henry stared into the camera.
"No, we're refusing to make a permanent governance decision while basic facts are disputed."
Claire felt relief but not victory.
Nothing was finished.
The fake documents still existed.
The expense entries still carried her credentials.
And the unknown messenger had not identified themselves.
Ethan disconnected from the meeting without saying goodbye.
Madison remained in the conference room after the directors left.
Rachel asked her to stay available for formal interviews.
Claire gathered her papers without looking at her.
"Claire."
She stopped.
Madison swallowed.
"I know an apology doesn't fix this."
"No, it doesn't."
"I believed what he told me about you."
Claire turned around.
"You believed the version that benefited you."
Madison had no answer.
Claire continued.
"You accepted a trip you knew was supposed to be ours."
"I did."
"You edited the governance packet."
Madison looked down.
"I formatted it."
"You didn't ask whether I had approved it."
"No."
Claire appreciated the answer because it did not hide behind excuses.
"Helping now doesn't erase helping then."
Madison nodded.
"I know."
Nora entered with another update from the auditors.
They had discovered that several suspicious expense approvals were created using a remote-access tool installed on Claire's laptop.
The installation required administrator credentials.
Ethan knew them.
But so did one other person in the company.
Madison.
The room changed again.
Madison's eyes widened.
"I never installed anything on Claire's computer."
Nora placed the access record on the table.
"Your admin account authenticated the installer."
Madison went pale.
"That's impossible."
Claire looked at her.
Ten minutes earlier, Madison had seemed like a compromised witness trying to correct a bad choice.
Now the evidence placed her much closer to the center.
Rachel asked the question Claire was already thinking.
"Who had your administrator password?"
Madison hesitated.
Ethan had asked for it months earlier during a system migration.
She had given it to him because he was the founder and she did not think twice.
"Ethan did."
Nora shook her head.
"Then we have two compromised accounts and one person with access to both."
Madison sat down slowly.
Claire's phone vibrated.
The anonymous messenger had returned.
"Do not trust her yet."
Claire stared at the words.
She looked at Madison, then at Nora.
"Someone is still watching this meeting."
Nora checked the room equipment.
Nothing appeared unusual.
Another message arrived.
"Ask Madison who first gave her the investor file."
Claire lifted her eyes.
"Madison, who showed you the sale documents?"
Madison's expression changed.
"Ethan didn't."
"Then who did?"
Madison took a long breath.
May you like
"Henry Walsh."
Claire turned toward the empty chair where the board chairman had been sitting less than fifteen minutes earlier.
