An hour ago, Cole and the remaining minority shareholders voted unanimously to sue you for breach of fiduciary duty. And your access to the company’s servers, bank accounts, and client roster was terminated at nine o’clock this morning.”

My mother, finally grasping that the ship was sinking and taking her retirement with it, turned her fury on the man she’d championed. She pointed a trembling finger at Adrian.

“You promised us she had no real power! You said she was just a paper pusher!”

“Shut your mouth, you stupid old woman!” Adrian snapped, the charming facade gone entirely.

That single insult shattered their alliance.

The room descended into chaos. My father began shouting that the fraudulent invoices had been Adrian’s master plan. My mother shrieked, blaming my father for being dumb enough to physically sign them.