Chapter 5 - The Glass Castle Crumbles
Grant Whitaker spent twelve hours sitting in a concrete holding cell at the county detention facility before his high-priced criminal defense attorney could even secure a bail hearing.
When he was finally released on a half-million-dollar bond, a wall of flashing paparazzi cameras and aggressive reporters swarmed him on the courthouse steps.
"Mr. Whitaker! Is it true you struck your pregnant wife in front of your mistress?"
"Did the board of Whitaker Infrastructure force your immediate resignation this morning?"
"Is Vanessa Lane facing felony possession of stolen property charges?"
Grant pushed through the microphones with his jacket pulled over his head, practically diving into the back seat of his waiting black town car.
"Take me to the corporate tower," he barked at his driver, loosening his wrinkled tie with trembling hands. "Get me to the executive boardroom right now."
"Sir," the driver hesitated, looking at him through the rearview mirror with visible discomfort. "The board of directors sent a directive to corporate security two hours ago."
"What directive?" Grant demanded, a terrible knot tightening in his gut.
"Your keycard has been deactivated, Mr. Whitaker. They told us that if you step onto the thirty-fourth floor, building security is authorized to have you detained for commercial trespassing."
Grant pulled out his phone and frantically dialed his chief operating officer, but the call routed straight to an automated message.
He called his wealth manager, his private banker, and his public relations director.
May you like
Every single call went straight to voicemail.
The man who had commanded boardrooms with a single glance, who had boasted that he could make powerful men weep with a signature, had been erased from his own empire before the afternoon sun began to set.
