“This is absurd,” Nathan said, his voice rising as he took a step toward his mother.

“My mother is behind this. She fabricated those documents.”

Eleanor sighed, a soft, theatrical sound of disappointment.

“Nathan, please,” she said.

“Do not make this more difficult for yourself than it already is.”

“The board has already been notified of the discrepancies.”

“I tried to warn you about the company’s integrity, but you refused to listen.”

Nathan’s phone rang again in his hand, the screen lighting up his pale face.

This time, he answered it, pressing the receiver to his ear.

“Arthur,” Nathan said, referring to the board chairman.

He listened for a long moment, the color draining completely from his lips.

“You cannot be serious,” Nathan said.

“You are suspending me? Based on an anonymous leak?”

The house was silent except for the faint hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen.

Nathan slowly lowered the phone, his arm dropping to his side.

“They have suspended me,” he said, turning his eyes to me.

“The board voted to remove my executive authority pending an internal investigation.”