Chapter 9 - THE BOARD VOTE WITHOUT HER
The Mercer board refused to wait.
Dalton gave them forty-eight hours.
If the board delayed, the buyer would reduce its offer by twenty million dollars.
The independent trustee holding Emily’s votes requested instructions.
Emily was now medically cleared.
That should have returned her authority immediately.
Grant challenged the clearance.
Not because she was incoherent.
Because he claimed pain medication and concussion affected judgment.
The judge rejected that argument.
Emily got her vote back.
Then everyone expected her to vote no.
Grant certainly did.
The meeting began at ten.
Emily appeared remotely.
Grant sat at the board table.
The Dalton deal came first.
Emily surprised everyone.
“I vote yes.”
Grant stared.
The motion passed.
The company survived.
Then Emily introduced a second motion.
Remove GMM Strategic from the compensation schedule.
Appoint independent counsel to review all related-party fees.
Grant’s face hardened.
The motion passed too.
Emily had separated the deal from the man.
Grant requested to speak.
“Without my work, there is no deal.”
Emily answered:
“That will be valued independently.”
“You are humiliating me.”
“No.”
She looked at him through the screen.
“I am paying what is proved.”
That line would follow the rest of the case.
The board suspended Grant as chairman pending conflict review.
Not fired.
Not convicted.
Suspended.
He left the room without looking at Emily.
Three hours later, he filed for divorce.
Sarah almost laughed when she received it.
“He thinks this is leverage.”
Emily looked at the papers.
“Maybe it is.”
The marriage had survived the shove.
Barely.
It would not survive the vote.
Emily signed acknowledgment of service.
May you like
Only that.
Old habits were gone.
