Chapter 9 - The Reckoning
The boardroom erupted into chaos. Glenn lunged forward to snatch the documents, but Noah stepped smoothly into his path, placing his broad shoulder between his father and the evidence.
""Don't touch them, Dad,"" Noah said, his voice remarkably steady, devoid of the fear that had paralyzed him for an entire year. ""It’s over. Every file from your safe is already backed up on the county prosecutor’s secure server. You can't threaten anyone anymore.""
Glenn looked at Noah, his face contorted with a venomous rage that finally stripped away every trace of his refined, respectable facade. ""You ungrateful little parasite!"" Glenn snarled, spittle flying from his lips. ""I gave you a roof over your head! I gave you everything! You are nothing! A dropout! A guitar-toting nobody! You ruined this family!""
""No, Glenn,"" I interrupted, stepping forward so that my gaze locked onto his bulging eyes. ""You ruined this family the day you decided that your image was more important than human lives. Noah didn't destroy you. Your own cowardice did.""
The head of the ethics committee looked up from the ledger, his expression filled with disgust. He looked at Glenn, then turned to the corporate secretary. ""I move to formally cancel the vote for executive restructuring. I further move for the immediate, permanent termination of Glenn Cross as Chief Financial Officer, without severance, effective immediately.""
""Seconded,"" three board members shouted simultaneously.
""You can't do this to me!"" Glenn screamed, slamming his fists onto the mahogany table. ""I built this company! I made you all rich!""
""You embezzled from us, Glenn,"" David said coldly. ""And you disgraced our family name. Pack your personal belongings. You have until five o’clock. If you are on company property at five-o-one, building security will have you arrested for criminal trespass.""
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Two hours later, we stood by the grand glass entrance of the Cross Heritage Tower. Down the granite steps, Glenn Cross walked alone, carrying a single cardboard box containing his personal desk ornaments. His silver Mercedes had already been impounded under the court’s asset freeze order; he was forced to hail an ordinary yellow cab in the middle of the crowded downtown traffic.
As he climbed into the back of the taxi, he looked back toward the towering building he had tried to conquer. He saw David, Noah, and me standing together in the afternoon light. He didn't look like a powerful executive anymore. He looked like an empty, broken man who had traded his soul for numbers on a ledger and lost them both.
