He swallowed.
“Silas gave the orders.”
“And you followed them.”
I looked around the room.
“Every executive involved in these transactions will be removed, subject to the appropriate legal procedures. The financial records have already been provided to the authorities.”
Nobody spoke.
Some looked frightened.
Others looked ashamed.
I turned toward Harrison.
“Begin restoring the company immediately.”
He nodded.
“Already underway.”
***
After the meeting, I walked into my father’s office.
The room smelled unfamiliar.
His favorite painting had disappeared.
The shelves had been rearranged.
The antique silver coffee service he loved was missing from its usual place.
I stood quietly, remembering how he used to sit behind that desk.
When I was little, he’d let me draw pictures while he worked.
Later, when I joined the company, he would ask my opinion during difficult decisions.
He never made me feel like an outsider.
He made me feel like his daughter.
