If you won't authorize the $35,000 credit expansion, you're worthless to this firm, my business partner snapped.
Julian finally erupted. “This is insane! She’s a disgruntled ex-employee, a liar trying to get revenge!” He slammed his hand on the table, rattling the coffee cups. “Her word means nothing!”
Kendra didn’t flinch. She simply turned to the independent auditor.
“Mr. Thompson,” she prompted quietly.
The auditor, a man named Mark Thompson, stepped forward. “I’ve cross-referenced Ms. Hollis’s ledgers with the official bank statements and international wire transfer records.” He looked directly at Julian. “The account numbers match. The transaction dates and amounts match. The $120,000 in missing capital reserves from Savor & Soul’s accounts is accounted for, dollar for dollar, diverted to the offshore trading accounts Ms. Hollis identified.”
His words hung heavy in the air, undeniable. Julian sank back into his chair, deflated, his furious glare now tinged with a desperate fear. The board members exchanged anxious glances. Their own civil liability, their negligence in overseeing Julian, was now undeniable.
Solomon Rivers, his face a mask of stone, cleared his throat. “In light of this irrefutable evidence, and the potential for significant legal repercussions for Savor & Soul, the board will convene for an immediate vote.”
He stood up, then sat down, the chair creaking. There was a low hum of hushed conversation, then silence. The tension in the room was palpable.
“The motion,” Solomon announced, his voice devoid of emotion, “is to immediately strip Mr. Julian Carter of all signature authority and remove him from operational management of Savor & Soul.”
He looked around the table. Each board member, one by one, raised a hand. Unanimous.
My heart pounded against my ribs. Julian, stripped of his power. It was a victory, a huge one. Nia squeezed my hand under the table, her eyes shining with relief.
Julian didn’t say a word. He simply stared at Kendra, his eyes burning with a silent, murderous rage. He was beaten, at least for now.
After the session broke, as Julian was being escorted out of the building by security, Solomon Rivers approached me, his voice low.
“Marcus,” he began, his hand resting briefly on my shoulder. “This firm has been through enough. This… incident… has been damaging. For our investors, for our reputation.”
I waited, my excitement tempered by a creeping sense of unease.
“While Mr. Carter will no longer be involved in Savor & Soul operations,” Solomon continued, his gaze drifting towards the downtown skyline, “the board has decided we will not be filing criminal charges. For fraud, embezzlement, or anything else.”
My jaw dropped. “What? After everything he did? The $120,000? The sabotage?”
“A public prosecution,” Solomon explained, his voice hushed, “would only bring further scandal. It would draw unwanted attention to the firm, to our due diligence, or lack thereof. We need to protect the Savor & Soul brand.”
He offered a tight, almost imperceptible nod. “Consider it handled internally. We wish you and Nia the best in rebuilding.”
He walked away, leaving me stunned. Julian had lost his executive seat, his operational power, but he was walking away. No criminal charges. No jail time. The board, in their desperate effort to cover their own negligence and protect their investment, had shielded a criminal. The victory felt hollow, tainted by the knowledge that Julian would still be free, unpunished, and out there.
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