Chapter 5 - The Boardroom
Gloria entered the foundation boardroom at nine the following morning as if nothing had changed.
Her emerald gown was gone.
In its place was a cream suit, pearl earrings, and the expression that had intimidated bankers, politicians, hotel developers, and two generations of relatives.
Twelve directors sat around the walnut table.
Marcus occupied the seat nearest the door.
Maya sat beside him as Amara’s mother and the family member directly affected by the incident.
Amara was not there.
Maya had refused.
“She will not sit in a room full of adults debating whether what happened to her was damaging enough to matter.”
Gloria had called that theatrical.
Maya had hung up.
Now Gloria set her handbag on the table.
“I assume we can conduct this meeting professionally.”
Marcus leaned back.
“That would be new.”
“Marcus.”
Olivia struck the gavel once.
“This is not a family meeting.”
Gloria’s eyes narrowed.
“Then why is Maya here?”
“Because the incident involved her minor child and because the board requested her statement.”
“I object.”
“You’re not presiding today.”
Silence.
For the first time in twenty-two years, Gloria Lewis was not sitting at the head of the Lewis Family Foundation table.
Olivia was.
Gloria looked at the empty chair for several seconds before taking a seat.
The independent auditor, Samuel Reed, began.
“We have two matters.”
Gloria interrupted.
“There is one matter. An edited video has created an online frenzy.”
Samuel continued as if she had not spoken.
“The first is the incident involving Amara Lewis. The second concerns financial transactions involving Sterling Event Solutions LLC.”
That silenced Gloria.
Marcus watched closely.
Her face barely moved.
Only one finger tightened around her pen.
Samuel projected a spreadsheet.
“Over four fiscal years, Sterling received approximately $4.3 million.”
Gloria said, “They are an event-services vendor.”
“Who owns the company?”
“A contractor.”
“Daniel Price.”
Several directors exchanged looks.
Gloria’s expression remained controlled.
“Yes.”
Marcus leaned forward.
“You told us Daniel stole from Lewis Hospitality.”
“He did.”
“You told us you cut all business ties.”
“I cut all ties to the hotel company.”
“But not the foundation.”
“That was my decision.”
Samuel changed the slide.
“We also found foundation-paid invoices connected to Ashbourne House.”
Gloria looked at him.
“Donor cultivation occurs at my residence.”
“Some expenditures may qualify.”
“Then why are we discussing this?”
“Because the invoices include renovation of a private bathroom, resurfacing of your swimming pool, installation of a wine-storage system, and restoration of a residential guest wing.”
Maya stared at Gloria.
“You used charity money to renovate your house?”
Gloria turned coldly toward her.
“I have donated more money to that foundation than you will earn in your lifetime.”
“That doesn’t make the foundation your checking account.”
“It makes this entire conversation insulting.”
One director, Dr. Henry Cole, spoke.
“It may make the transactions prohibited.”
Gloria’s head snapped toward him.
“I know the law.”
“Then you know charitable assets cannot be used for personal benefit simply because you founded the charity.”
Gloria pushed back her chair.
“This meeting is becoming ridiculous.”
Olivia said, “Sit down.”
Everyone looked at her.
Gloria did not move.
Olivia repeated it.
“Sit down, Gloria.”
Slowly, Gloria sat.
Marcus almost smiled.
Samuel continued.
“The board has retained independent counsel and a forensic accounting firm.”
“You did what?”
Gloria’s control cracked.
Olivia answered.
“The vote was eleven to one.”
“I am chair.”
“You were excluded because you are a subject of the review.”
Gloria looked around the table.
People who had praised her for decades now avoided her eyes.
Her gaze settled on Maya.
“This is what you wanted.”
Maya stared back.
“You hit my daughter.”
“And forty-eight hours later, auditors are crawling through my life.”
“Your life?”
Marcus said.
“The foundation’s books.”
Gloria turned on him.
“You think I don’t know what this is? You’ve wanted control of the hotel group for years.”
Marcus’s face hardened.
“I wanted you to stop treating everyone around you like property.”
Gloria laughed.
“I built what you live on.”
“No,” Maya said quietly.
The room turned.
“You inherited part of it from Dad. Marcus helped expand it. Thousands of employees built it. Donors built the foundation. Staff built the programs. You didn’t build every person in this room.”
Gloria’s eyes became dangerous.
“You have forgotten who paid your tuition.”
Maya smiled sadly.
“There it is.”
“What?”
“The invoice.”
Gloria frowned.
“You never give anything without eventually sending the bill.”
The room went silent.
Olivia cleared her throat.
“We have a motion before us.”
Gloria stared at her.
“What motion?”
“To suspend you as chair pending conclusion of the investigation.”
Gloria’s face changed.
“You wouldn’t dare.”
Henry Cole spoke.
“I second.”
Olivia called the vote.
Ten hands rose.
Then eleven.
Marcus did not have a vote because he represented Lewis Hospitality, but he watched.
Gloria remained perfectly still.
Olivia announced the result.
“Effective immediately, Gloria Lewis is suspended from all authority over foundation finances, employees, contracts, and public communications.”
Gloria slowly stood.
She looked at Maya.
Then Marcus.
“You think this little performance changes anything?”
Maya said nothing.
Gloria picked up her handbag.
“My money created this family.”
Marcus answered.
“No.”
She stopped at the door.
“Fear did.”
For the first time, something uncertain crossed Gloria’s face.
Then she left.
Samuel closed his laptop.
The directors began talking.
Maya thought the worst part was over.
Then Olivia touched her arm.
“There’s another issue.”
“What?”
“Gloria’s attorney contacted mine this morning.”
Maya’s stomach tightened.
“About Amara?”
“About you.”
Olivia handed her a copy of a legal notice.
Marcus read the first page.
His expression darkened.
Gloria had begun proceedings to terminate every discretionary family payment to Maya.
School tuition assistance.
Medical reimbursements.
The annual distribution Gloria had promised would help Maya buy her house.
And one more item Maya had not known existed.
A custodial investment account in Amara’s name.
Balance:
$612,000.
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Gloria was listed as custodian.
And three weeks before the gala, nearly all of it had been transferred out.
