Chapter 11 - THE MAN WHO THOUGHT HE WAS SAVING THE COMPANY
Howard did not deny signing.
He sat across from Samantha in the same conference room where her father once held Monday meetings.
“I believed you were losing control.”
Samantha looked at him.
“So you promised my husband my company.”
“No.”
“You signed his future CEO agreement.”
“With Blackridge. Not Carter Performance.”
“After they bought enough of us.”
Howard exhaled.
“Yes.”
There.
Finally.
His motive was not money.
Not primarily.
He believed Samantha was sentimental, indecisive, and unwilling to sell dying divisions.
Derek impressed him.
Derek made fast decisions.
Jonathan wanted redemption.
Blackridge offered a path.
Howard thought he was protecting James Carter’s company from James Carter’s daughter.
Samantha almost laughed.
“My father trusted you.”
“He trusted me to protect the business.”
“From me?”
Howard’s eyes filled.
“When necessary.”
That hurt more than Derek.
Then Naomi asked:
“Did you give Jonathan the master credentials?”
Howard nodded.
“Yes.”
“Did you know he would use them on the Lamborghini?”
“No.”
“Did you know Derek planned to manufacture instability around Samantha?”
Howard hesitated.
“I knew he wanted documentation.”
“Of what?”
“Her volatility.”
Samantha stared.
“You were collecting evidence against me.”
“I was preparing for governance failure.”
Same thing.
Howard continued.
“Sam, look at what you did on that call.”
Samantha went still.
“You threatened a man who believed he might die.”
“Yes.”
“Your father would have removed any executive who did that.”
Probably true.
The truth landed.
Howard was involved.
And he was still right about one thing.
Samantha had crossed a line.
She looked at Naomi.
“What happens if I stay CEO?”
“Even if we win?”
“Yes.”
Naomi answered carefully.
“The board may never trust your judgment again.”
Samantha nodded.
Then she did something Howard did not expect.
“I’ll step down temporarily.”
His face changed.
“But I’m not selling control to Blackridge.”
Howard stared.
Samantha continued.
“Independent interim CEO. Full forensic audit. Open auction for any assets we decide to sell.”
She removed herself from the position Derek wanted to use against her.
And in doing so, she removed his strongest argument.
Then Marcus entered with a laptop.
“We found the account that paid Jonathan to clear the car.”
Everyone looked at him.
“It wasn’t Blackridge.”
“Who?”
Marcus turned the screen.
The payment came from a Carter Performance executive reserve.
Authorized by Howard.
Howard’s face went white.
May you like
“I never approved that.”
Someone had forged his authorization too.
