Chapter 6 - THE COMPANY THEY NEVER KNEW
Robert attempted to regain control.
He always did.
“This spectacle proves nothing.”
He pointed at Meline.
“My daughter is emotional.”
Several people visibly flinched at the word.
Meline turned toward the projection screen.
“Maybe.”
She clicked a remote.
The next slide appeared.
CERBERUS DIGITAL HOLDINGS.
Robert stopped talking.
Jason frowned.
Elaine looked confused.
Sydney was still crying.
Meline faced the room.
“For those who have known me a long time, most of you believe I work in technical support.”
A few relatives nodded uncertainly.
“That description is not entirely false.”
“I do solve technical problems.”
The slide changed.
A corporate logo appeared beneath the words:
FOUNDER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER - MELINE CARTER.
Gasps moved through the ballroom.
Jason stared at the screen.
Then at Meline.
Then back at the screen.
“What is this?”
Meline ignored him.
“Eight years ago, I founded Sentinel Arc Security from a rented room with three employees.”
“Today, we provide cybersecurity infrastructure to banks, hospital systems, logistics networks, and government contractors in seven countries.”
Another slide appeared.
Business magazine covers.
Conference photographs.
Corporate acquisitions.
Awards.
Meline speaking onstage beneath a different version of her name.
M. Carter.
She had deliberately kept her public identity low-profile.
Her parents never read technology publications.
Jason never cared enough to search.
Robert whispered, “That’s impossible.”
Meline finally looked at him.
“You never asked.”
Elaine sat down slowly.
“You own this?”
“I own controlling interest.”
Jason’s mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Meline continued.
“My assets were never available to guarantee Robert Carter Development.”
She deliberately called her father’s business by its legal name.
“The trust structure your lender was shown is fabricated.”
One of Northstar’s executives raised his hand.
“Our compliance department is already investigating.”
Robert turned on him.
“You accepted the documents.”
“We accepted representations that now appear false.”
Rebecca stepped forward.
“Copies of the communications have also been preserved.”
Robert looked at Meline.
“You’re trying to destroy me.”
“No.”
Meline’s voice remained level.
“You were destroying yourself.”
Jason suddenly laughed.
The sound was strange.
Disbelieving.
“You’re worth what?”
Meline looked at him.
His first question was about money.
Of course it was.
“That no longer concerns you.”
Jason moved closer.
“We were getting married.”
“No.”
Meline removed her engagement ring.
“We were almost getting married.”
She placed the ring on the altar.
Jason stared at it.
“Meline, you can’t make a decision like this because of one mistake.”
Sydney stopped crying long enough to look at him.
“One?”
Her voice came out sharp.
Jason turned.
That single word changed something.
Sydney knew things.
Things Meline had not recorded.
Jason saw it too.
“Sydney.”
She stood slowly.
Her makeup had streaked down her face.
“You told me she knew everything.”
Jason’s expression tightened.
“I never said that.”
“You said it didn’t matter.”
“Sydney, stop talking.”
Meline watched them.
“What else is there?”
Neither answered.
Then Sydney looked directly at Jason.
May you like
And said the sentence that shifted the entire room again.
“Tell her about the account in Singapore.”
