Everything Richard sent you. Every interaction you’ve had with him, every piece of evidence, all of it. Done. And I need you to be ready. Monday morning, this goes public. Richard will retaliate. He’ll try to destroy your credibility. You need to be prepared for that. I am. She looked at Emma. I’m sorry. I wanted today to be just about getting to know you about ice cream and soccer and normal things. It’s okay, Noah said.
This is who you are, who we are. Emma needs to see that, too. Victoria knelt down in front of Emma. I have to go to work now, but I had a really great time watching you play soccer. Will I see you again if that’s okay with you? Emma nodded. I like you. You’re nice and you didn’t lie about liking dinosaurs.
I can tell when grown-ups are lying. Victoria smiled. I would never lie about dinosaurs. They watched her drive away. Emma took Noah’s hand. Daddy, is something bad happening? Something hard is happening, but we’re going to be okay. Because Victoria’s helping? Because we’re all helping each other. Emma squeezed his hand. I like her.
She makes you smile different. Different how? Like you mean it? Noah looked down at his daughter, at this tiny human who saw everything and felt his heart crack open all over again. “Yeah,” he said. “I guess she does.” They went home. Emma wanted to play, but Noah was distracted, checking his phone every few minutes.
More messages from Richard. Veiled threats, implications, the screws tightening. At 7, Victoria called. How are you holding up? Ask me after Monday. The board meeting is in an hour. I’m going in with everything. Your evidence, the pattern of behavior, Richard’s surveillance of us, all of it. You think they’ll act? I think they don’t have a choice.
What Richard did, the theft, the surveillance, it’s indefensible. But Noah, some of the board members are his allies. This is going to be a fight. Then fight. I’m scared of what? Of failing you. Of this blowing up in our faces? of losing everything we’re building before it even has a chance to start. Noah closed his eyes. Victoria, whatever happens, we’re in this together. You said it yourself.
Together. Together, she repeated like a promise. Go fight. I’ll be here when you’re done. After they hung up, Noah put Emma to bed early. She protested, but was asleep within minutes, exhausted from soccer and ice cream. He sat in his living room in the dark, phone in hand, waiting. At 10:30, Victoria called.
It’s done. Her voice was shaking. Noah sat up straight. What happened? Emergency audit starts Monday morning. Full investigation into Richard Castiano and the engineering division. HR is involved. External auditors are being brought in. Richard’s been placed on immediate administrative leave pending the investigation.
That’s good, right? It’s war. Three board members tried to shut it down. said I was overreacting, that this was personal vendetta. I had to threaten to resign to force the vote. Noah’s stomach dropped. You threatened to resign? I wasn’t bluffing. Noah, I’m not letting him get away with this with what he did to you, to the others, to this company.
I won’t. What did the board say? They voted in favor. Barely, 7 to 5, but it passed. Richard’s done. He just doesn’t know it yet. Victoria, you just made enemies. Powerful enemies. I know, but I also did the right thing. And I have you. That’s worth more than their approval. Noah wanted to believe that.
Wanted to believe they could survive what was coming. But he’d seen how power worked. How people like Richard always had one more card to play. What happens now? He asked. Now we wait. The investigation will take weeks. Richard will fight back. Things are going to get worse before they get better. But Noah, we’re going to win. We have to together.
Together. They stayed on the phone until Victoria fell asleep, her breathing evening out. Noah listened to her breathe, thought about everything that had happened in the past week, about how completely his life had changed. He hung up carefully and went to check on Emma one more time.
She was sprawled across her bed, blankets kicked off again, completely at peace. Noah pulled the blankets back over her and stood there in the dark, thinking about Monday, about what came next, about the battle ahead. He was ready for all of it. For the first time in years, he was ready to fight. Monday morning arrived like a storm Noah had been watching approach for days.
He dropped Emma at school, kissed her goodbye, and drove to Hail Industries with his stomach in knots. The parking lot felt different, hostile, like everyone already knew what was about to happen. Inside, the engineering floor was buzzing, people clustered in small groups, voices low, glancing toward Richard’s office. The door was closed, the lights off.
Word had spread fast. Noah’s coworker, a guy named David, stopped by his desk before he’d even turned on his computer. Is it true? Richard’s been suspended. I don’t know what you’re talking about. Come on, man. Everyone saying there’s an investigation, that someone went to the CEO, that Richard’s being audited. Noah kept his expression neutral.
