“Under section four of the Whitmore Trust, a child born to the direct heir changes the distribution of the voting shares immediately.”

“By hiding Lily’s existence, Richard maintained forty percent of the voting power that should have gone to Nathan.”

Nathan’s jaw tightened.

He looked at the empty leather chair at the head of the table.

The chair that belonged to his father.

“I call an emergency session,” Nathan said.

His voice was quiet, but it filled the room.

“We have a quorum,” Mrs. Vance said, looking around the table.

The other board members nodded in unison.

“I second the motion,” said Mr. Sterling, a man who had worked with Richard for thirty years.

“The first item of business,” Nathan said, “is the removal of Richard Whitmore as Chairman of the Board.”

“On what grounds?” a voice boomed from the doorway.

We all turned.

Richard stood there.

His silver hair was slightly damp from the rain outside.

His coat was open, revealing his bespoke charcoal suit.

But his eyes were wide, darting from the dark screen to the papers in front of Mrs. Vance.