Chapter 15 - Marcus Is Removed
Hartwell’s board placed Marcus on temporary leave.
Not because I demanded it.
Because his admissions created fiduciary risk.
Independent counsel took control of the Meridian audit.
Apex suspended merger negotiations.
Lenders requested reports.
Marcus’s whole identity had been CEO since twenty-eight.
Now he sat at home.
For the first time, there was nothing to save by going into the office.
He called me.
“Remember Dad’s lake cabin?”
“Yes.”
“He sold it.”
“I know.”
“To cover payroll.”
I had not known.
Marcus continued.
“That was when everything changed.”
Hartwell was six days from missing payroll during the original crisis.
Sloane offered financing connections if Marcus expanded Kestrel transactions.
Marcus said yes.
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“You were deployed.”
“You could’ve.”
“I didn’t want my little sister saving my company.”
I closed my eyes.
Pride.
Fourteen million dollars of downstream damage.
“Two thousand jobs,” he said.
“I know.”
“I thought if I could buy six months—”
“You didn’t buy six months.”
“No.”
He looked exhausted.
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“I sold seven years.”
That was the first time I heard my brother understand.
