Chapter 16 - Evan’s Real Assignment
“Tell me.”
Evan remained standing across the boardroom.
The city reflected in the glass behind him.
“My father asked me to join Vanguard.”
Sarah, who had returned after hearing about the call, stared at him.
“You said you took the position independently.”
“I did.”
“That is not what you just said,” I replied.
He rubbed his jaw.
“Charles contacted me after you announced the rebranding. He told me Vanguard belonged to our family morally, even if not legally.”
“And?”
“He wanted somebody inside.”
Marcus stepped closer.
“Spy.”
Evan didn’t argue.
“At first.”
The word hit harder than I expected.
I had defended him during executive hiring discussions.
Promoted him over three internal candidates.
Trusted his judgment.
“How much did you give him?”
“Nothing confidential.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
He looked directly at me.
“In the first month, I confirmed executive schedules, operational priorities, and which divisions were struggling.”
Sarah swore under her breath.
“Did you provide financial data?”
“No.”
“Passwords?”
“No.”
“Board materials?”
“No.”
“Names?”
“Yes.”
My anger became ice.
“Whose?”
“Howard Pike.”
Marcus muttered, “That’s how Charles found him.”
Evan nodded.
“I told my father Pike still resented the restructuring. I didn’t know he would recruit him.”
“So this entire attack began because you opened the door.”
“Yes.”
His willingness to accept responsibility did not make me less furious.
“Why stop helping?”
“Because I saw what you were actually building.”
I almost laughed.
“You expect that to matter?”
“No.”
“Good.”
He removed his Vanguard identification card and placed it on the table.
“I’ll resign.”
Sarah looked toward me.
I wanted to accept immediately.
Emotion demanded it.
Leadership required more thought.
“How much does Charles trust you now?”
Evan hesitated.
“Very little.”
“But some?”
“Yes.”
“Enough to meet him?”
“Probably.”
Marcus understood.
“You want to use him.”
Evan looked at me.
“I’ll do whatever you ask.”
“No.”
He seemed surprised.
“I’m not asking you to become an undercover operative because you feel guilty.”
“Then fire me.”
“I might.”
Before anyone could respond, my phone rang.
Federal prosecutor Elena Morales.
We had worked with her during Daniel’s case.
“Rebecca, we arrested Howard Pike.”
“I heard.”
“He wants to cooperate.”
“That was fast.”
“He saw the sentencing exposure.”
“What did he give you?”
“One name.”
Charles.
I expected that.
Then Elena continued.
“And one planned location.”
That I didn’t expect.
“Charles Whitmore is hosting a private investor dinner tomorrow night at the Langham.”
“Why?”
“He’s presenting an alternative restructuring proposal to Vanguard institutional shareholders.”
Sarah’s eyebrows shot upward.
“He’s launching the proxy fight now.”
Elena continued.
“We believe he’ll argue that your leadership created unacceptable legal and governance risks.”
“After he created the risks.”
“That irony won’t matter if the shareholders panic.”
No, it wouldn’t.
Investors cared about returns.
Not morality plays.
“How much support does he have?”
“Pike thinks at least twenty-seven percent.”
Combined with Northstar’s hidden twelve-percent position, that could become dangerous.
“Rebecca,” Elena said, “there’s another complication.”
“What?”
“Charles believes he possesses documents showing Vantage Point Capital acquired Mercer debt using information you learned while married to Daniel.”
I froze.
That allegation could transform my legitimate rescue of the company into insider dealing.
“It’s false.”
“I believe you.”
“But shareholders might not.”
“Exactly.”
After the call ended, nobody spoke for several seconds.
Then Evan said, “I can get you into that dinner.”
Sarah shook her head.
“No.”
“He’ll expect me.”
Marcus frowned.
“He also knows we may suspect you.”
“My father always believes blood wins eventually.”
I studied Evan.
“Does it?”
He looked toward the ID card on the table.
“No.”
I pushed the card back toward him.
“You’re suspended, not fired.”
His eyes widened slightly.
“Don’t mistake that for forgiveness.”
“I won’t.”
“You will cooperate fully with federal investigators.”
“Yes.”
“You will disclose every conversation you ever had with Charles concerning Vanguard.”
“Yes.”
“And tomorrow night, you are not going into that hotel alone.”
Marcus almost smiled.
Evan looked at me.
“You’re coming?”
“No.”
Sarah grinned.
“She’s doing something worse.”
The next evening, twenty-three of Vanguard’s largest investors entered the Langham expecting Charles Whitmore to reveal why Rebecca Hale should be removed.
What they didn’t know was that thirty minutes before Charles began his presentation, every one of them received an invitation to a second meeting.
Same hotel.
Same floor.
One hour later.
Hosted by me.
If Charles wanted a battle for my company, he was finally going to get one.
May you like
But this time, he wouldn’t be fighting a Mercer.
He would be fighting the woman who rebuilt everything the Mercers nearly destroyed.
