Chapter 4
After Amy left, I went straight to the office.
My key card flashed red at the lobby gate. The receptionist saw me and looked down at her computer.
“Mrs. Hart, the system says you’re on leave.”
“Who authorized that?”
“Mr. Hart.”
I tried the card again. The silver key at my neck tapped against it. That key had once opened our first office. Now I couldn’t enter the building we had built together.
Megan stepped out of the elevator and stopped when she saw me.
“The board is meeting at ten,” she said quietly. “Daniel told them you wouldn’t attend.”
“Tell them I’m here.”
She called security and registered me as a board visitor. Then she escorted me to the conference floor.
The computer in my office rejected my password. My email and financial access had also been disabled. The changes had been made between six and seven the night before.
Daniel had removed me from the company before announcing our divorce.
At ten, I entered the conference room.
Daniel sat at the head of the table with a stack of documents in front of him. Three directors appeared on the wall monitor.
“Claire, you’re not in a position to handle company matters right now,” he said. “This is temporary.”
“Until when?”
“Until things settle down.”
“You mean the divorce you announced last night?”
One director cleared his throat. “We’re here to discuss the acquisition, not your marriage.”
“Then let’s discuss it.”
I placed our original shareholders’ agreement on the table. I had kept a copy with my personal tax records.
“Section twelve. A sale of the company, transfer of founder shares, or suspension of a founder’s authority requires written approval from both founders.”
Daniel did not open it.
“There is no formal sale yet. We’re continuing negotiations.”
“Then restore my access.”
“Your current condition creates unnecessary risk.”
“You announced that I was leaving, then disabled my accounts before I could object.”
The directors searched through their files. Corporate counsel joined the call and confirmed that the provision remained valid. Without my written approval, the board could not authorize a sale or formally suspend me.
The meeting was adjourned.
Daniel waited until the directors left the call.
“You’re going to damage the company.”
“You took my laptop at six thirty-four last night. Then you disabled my accounts. You arranged this before you walked onto that stage.”
“I was protecting company information.”
“From me?”
He closed the folder in front of him.
“Come home. We can deal with this privately.”
“I’m not coming home.”
He watched me, then reached for the next folder. For once, he could not send me back where he wanted me.
After I left the conference room, I called Naomi Brooks and retained her to handle the divorce and company dispute.
That afternoon, she sent a preservation notice to Daniel, the board, and the IT department. No emails, access records, or acquisition documents were to be deleted.
Then I booked another hotel.
This time, the room was in my name alone.
That evening, I reviewed the meeting packet. Behind the acquisition timeline was a document I had not seen during the meeting.
Founder Share Repurchase Agreement.
My signature line was blank.
Daniel’s name appeared under Buyer.
The price was less than half the company’s most recent valuation.