Chapter 6 - THE WOMAN SERENA BOUGHT
The leaked Titan deck came from inside Patrick’s office.
They found the source within twenty-four hours.
A junior legal analyst named Erin Walsh.
Serena had paid her through a consulting company.
Patrick was furious.
Adrienne was more interested in why.
“How did Serena know what to ask for?”
Patrick frowned.
“Someone told her Titan had a breakup case.”
“Who?”
They traced calls.
The number belonged to Titan board member Douglas Wren.
He had history with Margaret.
Long history.
College.
Charity boards.
Private travel.
Adrienne stared at the records.
“Are they having an affair?”
Patrick answered carefully.
“Maybe once. Maybe now. We don’t know.”
What they did know:
Douglas opposed any acquisition structure that preserved Blake & Vale intact.
Margaret had quietly encouraged him.
This seemed strange.
If Margaret feared Titan breaking the company apart, why help the one Titan director most likely to push breakup?
Adrienne thought about it.
“Because she wants Titan to look dangerous.”
Patrick nodded.
“If she can convince independent shareholders that your coalition means liquidation, they stay with Serena.”
Margaret was not simply defending her daughter.
She was manipulating the buyer.
Clever.
Adrienne asked:
“Can we remove Douglas from the deal team?”
“Conflict evidence would help.”
Then Patrick found payments from a Blake family charitable foundation to a nonprofit Douglas chaired.
Not illegal.
But enough to create governance concerns.
Titan recused him temporarily.
Margaret responded immediately.
She called a press contact.
The next morning, an article appeared:
WIDOWED HEIRESS LAUNCHES HOSTILE BID AFTER FAMILY DINNER FIGHT.
Adrienne’s stomach turned.
The story described Chloe’s fall as “a spilled drink incident.”
It described Adrienne as “estranged.”
Titan as “predatory.”
Serena as “the longtime operator fighting to preserve jobs.”
That last part mattered.
Employees began emailing the board in support of Serena.
Adrienne realized she had neglected them.
Serena had not.
Even while causing the financial crisis, Serena knew how to frame herself as the defender.
Adrienne called an employee town hall.
Patrick objected.
“You don’t control the company yet.”
“I don’t need control to listen.”
The meeting was brutal.
Employees asked if Titan planned layoffs.
Adrienne said:
“Some restructuring may be unavoidable. I will not lie about that.”
A woman in accounting asked:
“Then why should we trust you?”
Adrienne answered:
“You shouldn’t yet.”
The room went quiet.
“Trust should follow evidence. Not family names.”
That answer traveled.
Not dramatically.
But enough.
Then an older plant manager approached her afterward.
“Your sister knows how to make people feel chosen,” he said.
Adrienne looked at him.
“And?”
“She also keeps lists of people who disappoint her.”
He handed Adrienne a USB drive.
Procurement emails.
Internal performance files.
Private notes.
Serena had maintained unofficial “loyalty ratings” on executives.
Red:
questioned strategy.
Yellow:
unreliable.
Green:
family-safe.
Adrienne stared.
This was not illegal by itself.
But one note beside a CFO’s name read:
RED — remove before debt review.
The CFO had resigned two weeks later.
Adrienne called him.
He agreed to talk.
May you like
His first sentence changed the case.
“Serena’s acquisition wasn’t overpriced by accident.”
