“You can’t suspend me.”
A pause.
“I am Sterling Holdings.”
I almost laughed.
Leonard said something else.
Arthur slowly turned back toward me.
His eyes were full of disbelief.
“You called a shareholder vote?”
I said nothing.
His voice dropped.
“You used the trust.”
“Yes.”
Beatrice looked between us.
“What trust?”
Arthur ignored her.
“You haven’t touched those shares in six years.”
“I touched them today.”
“You don’t even understand what you’ve done.”
That sentence.
After everything.
That sentence nearly made me smile.
I walked toward him until only a few feet separated us.
“My father’s trust owns sixty-two percent of Sterling’s voting shares.
I am its controlling beneficiary.
Effective this afternoon, the board has authority to suspend you pending investigation.”
Arthur stared at me.
“You can’t.”
“I already did.”
His face changed.
For the first time, the mask slipped completely.
“You stupid bitch.”
