Chapter 12
The hearing was set for 9 a.m. in the foundation's main conference room.
Izzy dressed carefully that morning, navy suit, minimal jewelry, and hair pulled back. She looked at herself in the mirror and barely recognized the woman staring back. Two months ago, she'd been scrambling to pay rent. Now she was about to testify in a corporate coup.
Alex knocked on her door. "Ready?"
"No. But let's go anyway."
The conference room was packed. Board members lined one side of the table. Nathan sat with his own lawyer, expression smug. Vivienne was in the back row, watching.
Martin Cross sat on Alex's side, briefcase at his feet. The evidence, all of it, was loaded on a tablet in front of him.
The board chairman, Harold Winters, called the meeting to order.
"We're here to review Alexander Blackwood's performance as CEO and determine whether leadership changes are necessary." He looked at Nathan. "Mr. Hale, you called for this review. Please present your case."
Nathan stood, buttoning his jacket. "Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'll be direct. Alex Blackwood is unfit to lead this foundation. Over the past year, he's made increasingly erratic decisions that have damaged our reputation and threatened our financial stability."
He pulled up a presentation. Financial charts. News headlines. Photos of Alex and Izzy's public argument.
"His impulsive engagement to a woman he barely knows. The media scandals. The security breaches at his private residence." Nathan's voice was measured, professional. "These aren't the actions of a stable leader. They're the actions of a man in crisis."
Several board members nodded.
"Furthermore," Nathan continued, "we've uncovered evidence of financial irregularities. Unauthorized transfers from foundation accounts. Unexplained expenses. Possible embezzlement."
He projected the forged documents that Cross had warned them about.
Izzy felt Alex tense beside her.
"These documents show a pattern of misconduct spanning eighteen months," Nathan said. "Mr. Blackwood has been using foundation resources for personal gain. The total amount exceeds three million dollars."
The room erupted in whispers.
Harold banged his gavel. "Mr. Blackwood, how do you respond?"
Alex stood slowly. "Those documents are fabricated."
"That's a serious accusation," Harold said.
"It's the truth. And I can prove it." Alex nodded at Cross. "Martin?"
Cross stood up. "Mr. Chairman, I drafted the original financial reports that Mr. Hale just presented. What he's showing you is forgeries. Altered to incriminate Mr. Blackwood."
Nathan's smile faltered. "That's absurd. Martin, what are you...."
"I'm telling the truth. Something I should have done months ago." Cross pulled up his tablet. "I have the original files, complete with metadata and timestamps. They tell a very different story."
He projected the real documents. Clean financials. No irregularities. No embezzlement.
"As you can see, the foundation's accounts are in order. Mr. Blackwood has never misappropriated funds."
Harold frowned. "Then where did these altered documents come from?"
"From me," Cross said quietly. "At Mr. Hale's request. He asked me to modify the reports to support his case against Mr. Blackwood. I refused initially, but he was... persistent."
Nathan shot to his feet. "This is slander! I never..."
"You did." Cross pulled up an email chain. "Here's our correspondence. Dates, times, specific instructions on what to change and how to frame it."
The board members leaned forward, reading.
Nathan's lawyer whispered urgently in his ear.
"That's not all," Alex said. "Nathan, you've been working with Vivienne Dane to orchestrate my removal. You planted cameras in my home, leaked private footage to the media, and tampered with legal contracts."
Vivienne stood up. "That's a lie."
"Is it?" Alex pulled up the security footage. The video of Vivienne planting the recording device played on the screen.
The room went silent.
"This was taken three weeks ago," Alex said. "In my private office. Where you had no authorization to be."
Vivienne's face went pale. "I was looking for my sister's belongings."
"You were planting surveillance equipment. And coordinating with Nathan to destroy my credibility."
Alex played the audio recording. Vivienne's voice filled the room: *"Once the hearing destroys him, we move on the estate. It should've been Lila's. It should've been mine."*
The board erupted.
Harold banged the gavel repeatedly. "Order! I will have an order!"
Nathan was on his feet, pointing at Cross. "He fabricated this! All of it! He's trying to save himself—"
"I have phone records," Cross said calmly. "Seventeen calls between you and Ms. Dane over three months. Text messages coordinating your meetings. Financial transfers from your personal account to hers totaling fifty thousand dollars."
He projected everything on screen.
Nathan's lawyer grabbed his arm, trying to pull him back down. But Nathan shook him off.
"You want to talk about misconduct?" Nathan's voice rose. "Alex Blackwood killed his wife. Everyone knows it. He was driving. They were arguing. He walked away without a scratch, and Lila died."
The room went deathly quiet.
Alex's face drained of color.
Izzy stood up before she could think. "That's enough."
"It's the truth," Nathan spat. "He's been playing the grieving widower for two years, but he's the reason she's dead."
"The police investigated," Izzy said, voice shaking. "It was ruled an accident. You're using a woman's death to justify your own corruption."
"Stay out of this," Vivienne said. "You don't know anything about my sister."
"I know she wouldn't want this. Either of you using her memory as a weapon."
"You didn't know her at all," Vivienne snapped.
"No. But I know Alex. And I know he's spent two years drowning in guilt over something that wasn't his fault." Izzy looked at the board. "Yes, he made mistakes. He hired me to fake an engagement because he was desperate. Because people like Nathan and Vivienne were circling, waiting for him to fail."
She pulled out her own tablet. "I have statements from five staff members. All witnessed Nathan or Vivienne in restricted areas of the estate. All were offered money to spy on Alex and report back."
She projected the testimony.
"This wasn't about protecting the foundation. It was about revenge and greed. And they were willing to destroy anyone who got in their way."
Harold studied the documents. The emails. The footage. The timeline.
Finally, he spoke. "Mr. Hale, Ms. Dane, you have five minutes to respond to these allegations."
Nathan's lawyer whispered frantically. Nathan ignored him.
"I was protecting this foundation from a man who's clearly unstable," Nathan said. "Everything I did was to preserve Lila's legacy."
"By forging documents?" Harold's voice was ice. "By conducting surveillance on a fellow executive?"
"By doing what needed to be done."
"That's not your decision to make."
Vivienne stepped forward. "My sister built this foundation. She dedicated her life to it. And Alex has tarnished everything she worked for with his reckless behavior."
"Your sister," Alex said quietly, "came to Martin Cross a year before she died. She asked about divorce options."
Vivienne froze.
"She was unhappy," Alex continued. "With the foundation. The expectations. The life we'd built. She wanted out." His voice cracked. "But she stayed because she believed in the work. Not because of me. Because of the people we were helping."
He looked at Vivienne. "You want to honor her memory? Actually honor it. Don't tear down what she built."
Vivienne's eyes filled with tears. "She would still be here if not for you."
"Maybe. Maybe not. But destroying me won't bring her back."
Harold cleared his throat. "I've heard enough. The board will vote on three motions. First, the removal of Alexander Blackwood as CEO. Second, the termination of Nathan Hale as COO. Third, legal action against both Mr. Hale and Ms. Dane for corporate espionage and fraud."
"You can't..." Nathan started.
"I can and I will. All in favor of removing Mr. Blackwood?"
Two hands went up. Out of twelve board members.
"Motion fails. All in favor of terminating Mr. Hale?"
Ten hands.
"Motion carries. Mr. Hale, you're fired. Security will escort you out."
Nathan's face went red. "This is a mistake. You're all making a mistake."
"The only mistake was trusting you," Harold said. "Get him out of here."
Security moved in. Nathan struggled, still shouting, as they pulled him toward the door.
Vivienne stood frozen, watching.
"Ms. Dane," Harold said. "You're no longer welcome at foundation events. Your contract as a consultant is terminated. And we'll be pursuing legal action for the surveillance equipment and forged documents."
"I was protecting my sister's legacy," Vivienne whispered.
"You were protecting your own interests." Harold's expression softened slightly. "I'm sorry for your loss. Truly. But this ends now."
Vivienne looked at Alex one last time. Then she turned and walked out.
---
The room emptied slowly. Board members congratulated Alex, shook his hand, and apologized for doubting him.
When they were finally alone, Izzy sat down heavily.
"We did it," she said.
Alex collapsed into the chair beside her. "Yeah."
"You okay?"
"I don't know." He rubbed his face. "Nathan was right about one thing. I was driving. Lila died because of that argument."
"Lila died because of an accident. A drunk driver ran a red light. You read the police report."
"I know what the report says."
"Then believe it." Izzy took his hand. "You've been carrying this guilt for two years. Maybe it's time to let it go."
He looked at their joined hands. "I don't know how."
"One day at a time. Starting with today."
They sat in silence for a long moment.
Then Alex said, "The gala's in four days."
"I know."
"We could cancel it. After everything that just happened—"
"No," Izzy said firmly. "We finish this. We show everyone that we're still standing."
"You sure?"
She smiled. "I wore a wire to Vivienne's bribe attempt. I think I can handle a gala."
Alex blinked. "You wore a wire?"
"You didn't think I went to that meeting unprepared, did you?"
For the first time all day, he laughed. Actually laughed.
And Izzy realized she'd do just about anything to hear that sound again.