Chapter 8 - THE MEETING ON MONDAYMonday morning arrived with glass walls, polished concrete and the kind of silence that existed only in expensive conference rooms.
Chase was there first.
He wore a charcoal suit and a navy tie.
No black shirt.
No visible anger.
No trace of the man who had stood outside Bellavere telling an eight-year-old where he belonged.
His presentation deck was open.
His smile was ready.
At 8:58, Dana Brooks entered with two partners from Whitcomb Capital.
Chase stood.
“Dana. Good to see you.”
“Chase.”
He looked behind her.
No Aaron.
Relief loosened something inside his chest.
Maybe Aaron had recused himself.
That would make sense.
Professional conflict.
Personal incident.
Problem solved.
Then the conference-room door opened again.
Aaron walked in.
No suit.
Dark-blue jacket.
White shirt without a tie.
Same quiet expression.
Chase's smile froze.
“Aaron.”
“Mr. Barron.”
The formality was deliberate.
Chase glanced toward Dana.
“Should we address Friday before we begin?”
Aaron placed a folder in front of his seat.
“No.”
“I think perhaps—”
“This meeting concerns Barron Mobility.”
Chase sat slowly.
Dana began.
“We've expanded diligence in three areas: executive expenses, governance and employee retention.”
Chase gave Aaron a knowing look.
“How coincidental.”
Aaron didn't react.
Dana did.
“These areas were flagged by our review team based on documents and interviews.”
“After Friday.”
“Yes. The review accelerated after Friday because Mr. Whitcomb requested that we make a decision based on complete information rather than emotion.”
That answer surprised Chase.
He expected Aaron to hide his involvement.
Instead, Dana had stated it plainly.
“So he did order this.”
Aaron spoke.
“I ordered a faster examination, not a different standard.”
Chase leaned forward.
“You expect me to believe you'd be sitting here if my car window had been broken by someone else's son?”
Aaron met his eyes.
“No.”
A few people shifted.
Chase smiled triumphantly.
“Exactly.”
Aaron continued.
“I would have skipped today's meeting.”
The smile vanished.
“But once you struck my child, I had two choices. Withdraw immediately and risk making an investment decision for personal reasons, or attend and make sure any decision involving investor capital was defensible.”
Chase stared at him.
Aaron opened the folder.
“I chose the second.”
Dana advanced the presentation.
Revenue figures appeared.
Growth.
Margins.
Customer acquisition.
For twenty minutes, nothing about the meeting was personal.
Aaron asked hard questions.
He also praised legitimate strengths.
Chase's product had traction.
The company had real value.
That made the situation worse.
Chase couldn't dismiss Aaron as vindictive.
Then the expense slide appeared.
Private aviation.
Vehicle leases.
Luxury hospitality.
Executive events.
“Brand development,” Chase said.
Aaron nodded.
“Some likely is.”
“Most.”
“Then documentation should demonstrate that.”
“It does.”
“Good.”
Aaron turned to Martin, the CFO.
“Mr. Ellison?”
Martin hesitated.
“Documentation exists.”
Chase stared at him.
Aaron caught the wording.
“That's not what I asked.”
Martin swallowed.
“Not every expense has clear business purpose documentation.”
Chase cut in.
“These are discretionary executive expenses approved under policy.”
Dana looked down at a page.
“Approved by whom?”
Silence.
Martin answered quietly.
“Mr. Barron.”
Aaron made a note.
The meeting continued.
Then came culture.
Turnover among executive assistants was almost four times the company average.
Three HR complaints had been closed with severance agreements.
Chase's confidence began eroding.
“Fast-growth companies have turnover.”
“Agreed,” Aaron said.
“So what's the problem?”
Aaron slid a report across the table.
“This.”
Chase opened it.
Statements from former employees.
No names yet.
No sensational accusations.
Just patterns.
Public humiliation.
Threats.
Retaliatory reassignment.
Statements about status.
Chase pushed the folder away.
“Disgruntled employees.”
“Some probably are.”
“So why are we discussing this?”
“Because disgruntled employees can still tell the truth.”
Chase leaned back.
The room had become uncomfortably quiet.
He decided to force the issue.
“Let's stop pretending.”
Aaron waited.
“You're doing this because I slapped your son.”
Aaron didn't blink.
Chase continued.
“The kid broke something worth more than most people make in a year.”
Martin closed his eyes.
Dana looked down.
Aaron simply asked, “Do you hear yourself?”
Chase's mouth opened.
Aaron's voice remained level.
“My son damaged property. I paid for it.”
“You haven't paid yet.”
“The verified invoice was authorized Saturday.”
Chase faltered.
Aaron continued.
“That is responsibility.”
He touched the report.
“This meeting is about yours.”
The room remained silent.
Then the conference-room door opened.
Whitcomb Capital's general counsel stepped inside.
She handed Dana a sealed envelope.
Dana read the first page.
Her expression changed.
Chase saw it.
“What?”
Dana looked toward Martin.
Then Aaron.
“We just received a supplemental disclosure from Barron Mobility's CFO.”
Chase slowly turned toward Martin.
“What did you send them?”
May you like
Martin's face had gone pale.
“The documents you told me not to send.”
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