Chapter 14
The board meeting lasted most of the afternoon.
Harlan attended with counsel.
Meredith attended separately.
Dorothea was not a company employee or director, but her attorney delivered a written response to the findings.
The board addressed each issue separately.
First, Thomas Pierce.
The historical underpayment was acknowledged.
D’Angelo House authorized negotiations to compensate his estate fairly.
Marciano voted yes.
So did Elisa.
Then Marlowe.
The related-party relationship had been concealed.
Commissions had been inflated.
Internal approvals had been manipulated.
The board terminated future work with Marlowe where contracts allowed and began recovery discussions concerning improper fees.
Harlan’s employment was terminated for undisclosed conflicts, manipulation of contracting procedures, and failure to follow financial controls.
Meredith lost her executive role.
Her future with the company would depend on the board’s disciplinary process and contractual obligations.
She had cooperated.
She had also knowingly bypassed finance.
Both facts mattered.
Dorothea’s role was referred through counsel wherever appropriate.
The company did not declare her a criminal from a conference table.
It documented what it could prove and sent it where it belonged.
Harlan asked to speak before the final vote.
“Elisa.”
She looked at him.
“I know this isn’t the place.”
“Then don’t.”
He stopped.
For once.
After the meeting, he caught up to her in the hallway.
“I’m not asking you to save my job.”
“Good.”
“I’m asking you not to make Luca pay for what I did.”
Elisa looked at him.
“You think that means giving you whatever access you want?”
“No.”
That surprised her.
“I’m asking for the chance to keep being his father while I deal with the rest.”
Elisa studied him.
“You’ll follow the parenting plan.”
“Yes.”
“You won’t use your mother to reach him.”
Harlan’s jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
“You won’t tell him Marciano destroyed our marriage.”
“No.”
“And you’ll stop telling yourself that being humiliated gave you permission to humiliate me.”
Harlan looked down.
That answer took longer.
“Yes.”
Elisa walked away before knowing whether she believed him.
May you like
Behind her, outside counsel sent the final disclosure package.
The matter had officially moved beyond anything the Pierce or D’Angelo families could bury privately.
