Chapter Nine: The Boardroom
Simone spent the weekend in the hotel.
Preparing for Monday’s board meeting.
Patterson sent over boxes of files.
She read everything she could.
Company history. Finances. Operations.
On Saturday afternoon, Patterson called.
“Dererick made bail. His mother put up her house as collateral.”
“Is he dangerous?” Simone asked.
“He’s angry. But he’s not stupid enough to do anything violent. That would just add charges. Still, I’ve arranged for security at your hotel and at the company. Just a precaution.”
“Thank you.”
“Also, you should know Vanessa gave a statement to the police. She’s trying to distance herself from Dererick. Claims she didn’t know about the embezzlement.”
“Did she know?”
“Hard to say. She definitely knew about the affair. Obviously. And she definitely helped Dererick hide it. Whether she knew about the financial crimes is unclear.”
Simone thought about Vanessa’s visit to the basement that night.
The smug confidence. The cruelty.
“She knew he was planning to kick me out with nothing. She celebrated it.”
“That’s not a crime, unfortunately. Just makes her a terrible person.”
On Sunday, Simone finally went back to the house.
She brought two security guards Patterson had hired.
Just in case Dererick showed up.
The house was empty.
And trashed.
Dererick had clearly been there in a rage.
Picture frames smashed.
Furniture overturned.
Her clothes scattered everywhere. Some torn. Some stained.
One of the security guards shook his head.
“This is destruction of property. You could press charges.”
“No,” Simone said quietly.
“Let it go. He’s facing enough charges already.”
She packed her remaining belongings carefully.
Not much had survived Dererick’s rampage.
Most of her clothes. Her books. Her personal items.
All ruined.
But she found the things that mattered.
A photo album with pictures of her parents. Died years ago.
A jewelry box her mother had given her.
Some letters from old friends.
She also went to Harold’s room.
It looked untouched.
Dererick hadn’t dared destroy his father’s belongings.
Simone stood in the doorway.
Remembering all the hours she’d spent there.
Reading to Harold. Talking with him. Learning from him.
“Thank you,” she whispered to the empty room.
“For everything.”
She found a box of Harold’s favorite books.
Packed them carefully.
She’d keep those forever.
By evening, everything salvageable was packed in the security guard’s van.
Simone took one last look at the house.
Then locked the door.
And left.
She never went back.
On Monday morning, Simone dressed carefully for the board meeting.
A navy suit she’d bought on Saturday.
Professional. Authoritative.
Minimal makeup. Hair pulled back.
Patterson met her at the company building.
“Ready?” he asked.
“No,” Simone admitted.
“But let’s do it anyway.”
The building was impressive.
Ten stories of glass and steel in an industrial park.
Bennett Manufacturing occupied floors two through five.
The executive offices and boardroom were on the top floor.
As Simone walked through the lobby, employees stared.
Some whispered.
Everyone knew something major had happened.
Few knew exactly what.
The board meeting was scheduled for nine o’clock.
Patterson led her to the boardroom.
A large space. Long table. Leather chairs.
Five people were already seated.
The board members.
They stood when Simone entered.
Looking confused.
“Good morning,” Patterson said.
“Thank you all for coming on short notice. I’m Thomas Patterson, Harold Bennett’s personal attorney. This is Simone Bennett.”
“Dererick’s wife,” one board member said.
An older man named Frank Morrison.
According to the briefing material Simone had studied.
“Dererick’s soon-to-be ex-wife,” Simone corrected.
“And Harold Bennett’s sole heir.”
Silence.
Then chaos.
“What? That’s impossible.”
“Where’s Dererick?”
Patterson held up his hand.
“Please sit down. I’ll explain everything.”
For the next thirty minutes, Patterson laid out the situation.
Harold’s will. Dererick’s embezzlement. The criminal charges.
Simone’s new position as majority shareholder and chairman of the board.
The board members listened in stunned silence.
When Patterson finished, Frank Morrison spoke first.
“This is unprecedented. Mrs. Bennett, with all respect—do you have any experience running a manufacturing company?”
“No,” Simone said honestly.
“But Harold thought I could learn. He spent three years teaching me about this business.”
“That’s not the same as actually running it,” another board member said.
A woman named Patricia Hughes.
“I know,” Simone acknowledged.
“Which is why I need your help. All of you. Harold trusted you to serve on this board. Now I’m asking you to trust me to lead it.”
“What’s your vision for the company?” Frank asked.
Simone had prepared for this question.
She’d spent all weekend thinking about it.
“First, we need to clean up the mess Dererick made. I’ve reviewed the financial statements. Revenue is down twenty-three percent over the last two years. Client complaints are up. Employee morale is in the basement.”
She paused.
Let that sink in.
“Dererick ran this company into the ground through incompetence and theft.”
The board members shifted uncomfortably.
They’d all known things were bad.
Hearing it stated so bluntly was jarring.
“Second,” Simone continued.
“We need to return to the principles Harold built this company on. Quality products. On-time delivery. Honest business practices. We’ve lost clients because Dererick cut corners and missed deadlines. We’re going to win them back.”
“How?” Patricia asked skeptically.
“By keeping our promises,” Simone said simply.
“By doing exactly what we say we’ll do. By treating our clients and our employees with respect. These aren’t revolutionary concepts. They’re basic business ethics. But they work.”
She pulled out a document.
Slid copies across the table.
“I’ve put together a ninety-day plan. In the next three months, we’re going to audit all current projects to ensure quality. Reach out to former clients to rebuild relationships. Implement new quality control processes. Increase employee training and support. And establish transparent reporting systems.”
Frank picked up the document.
Read through it.
His eyebrows rose.
“This is actually quite thorough.”
“Thank you. I had a good teacher.”
“What about leadership?” Patricia asked.
“Dererick was vice president. Who’s going to fill that role?”
“No one for now,” Simone said.
“The vice president position was created for Dererick because he was Harold’s son. That was a mistake. We don’t need a vice president. We need a strong management team working together. I’m proposing we promote from within. People who actually know their departments and care about this company.”
She pulled out another document.
“I’ve identified five key managers who fit that description. I’d like the board’s approval to offer them expanded roles and compensation packages.”
The board reviewed the names.
Slow nods around the table.
“These are good people,” Frank admitted.
“Dererick should have promoted them years ago.”
“Dererick was too busy stealing from the company to notice good employees,” Simone said bluntly.
More uncomfortable silence.
Then Patricia spoke.
“Mrs. Bennett. Simone. I’ll be honest. When you walked in here this morning, I thought this was going to be a disaster. I thought we’d have an inexperienced woman trying to play CEO while the company collapsed.”
Simone braced herself.
“But you’ve clearly done your homework,” Patricia continued.
“You understand the problems. You have realistic solutions. And you’re not pretending to know everything. You’re asking for help. That’s actually good leadership.”
“Thank you,” Simone said.
Relieved.
“I’m still concerned about your lack of experience,” Frank said.
“But I’m willing to give you a chance. With conditions.”
“What conditions?”
“First, you hire an experienced COO. A chief operating officer. Someone who’s run a manufacturing company before. Someone who can handle day-to-day operations while you learn.”
Simone nodded.
That was fair.
“Second, you meet with us weekly for the first six months. We need to stay informed and provide guidance.”
“Agreed.”
“Third, you’re honest with us. If something’s not working, if you’re in over your head, you tell us. No pride. No stubbornness. Just honesty.”
“I can do that,” Simone said.
Frank looked at the other board members.
“All in favor of accepting Simone Bennett as chairman and majority shareholder?”
Four hands went up.
Then, after a pause, the fifth.
“Welcome aboard,” Frank said.
“Now let’s get to work.”
The rest of the meeting focused on immediate priorities.
Dererick had left several projects in crisis.
Clients threatening to cancel contracts.
Employees confused and worried about their jobs.
Simone took notes. Asked questions.
The board members gradually warmed up.
Offering advice and support.
By noon, they had a plan for the next week.
After the meeting, Patricia pulled Simone aside.
“Can I give you some advice?”
“Please.”
“Don’t try to be Harold. He was irreplaceable. Be yourself instead. Bring your own strengths. Your own style. The company needs fresh leadership. Not a Harold imitation.”
“Thank you. I’ll remember that.”
Patricia hesitated.
Then added, “I knew about Dererick’s affair. I should have said something to Harold. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Simone said.
“Harold knew. He knew everything.”
