The emergency Board meeting was held via a secure video conference screen set up in the dining room. The Directors looked grim.
“We have heard the federal allegations,” the Chairman said. “But we need internal corroboration. Lady Beatrice, you reside in the home. Have you witnessed any suspicious behavior from William?”
William stood in the doorway, flanked by agents. He looked at his grandmother. He remembered their conversation in the garden, the “Alliance” they had formed, and the ledger she had told him about.
*Please,* his eyes begged. *Be the mother you promised to be.*
Beatrice stood at the head of the table. Her hands were shaking violently. She looked at William, tears pooling in her eyes. Then, she looked at Alistair, who was idly tapping the pocket where the recorder lay.
“Yes,” Beatrice whispered, her voice cracking. “I saw him.”
William felt the air leave his lungs.
“I saw William enter the guest room with the black drive last night,” Beatrice lied, creating the fiction that would destroy her grandson. “He told me… he told me he was going to burn the company down to save us.”
The Chairman’s face hardened. “Motion to remove William Croft as an officer of the company effective immediately. All in favor?”
“Aye,” the voices chorused.
William stared at Beatrice, the betrayal cutting deeper than any knife. She hadn’t just chosen Alistair; she had chosen her own survival over his life. The trap had snapped shut.