Chapter 20: The Company He Thought Was His

Bastian stood in the hospital doorway, staring at his father as though he had misheard.

"You want Meredith to run Wilson Holdings?"

Mr. Wilson rose slowly from the chair beside his wife's bed.

"Your mother needs rest. The company needs stability."

"Then give it to me."

"You nearly emptied a corporate account to impress Gina."

"I made one mistake."

Mrs. Wilson opened her eyes.

"You made the same mistake in different forms for years."

Bastian flinched.

"Mom, I can fix this."

"You had chances to fix it before people were hurt."

His gaze moved to me.

"And she gets everything?"

"I have not accepted anything," I said.

"You always act like you do not want power while everyone hands it to you."

Thayer stepped forward, but I touched his arm.

"Let him speak."

Bastian laughed bitterly.

"Of course. You want everyone to hear how unfair my life is."

"No. I want you to hear yourself."

The room went quiet.

Mr. Wilson looked exhausted.

"Leave," he said.

"Dad—"

"Leave before you make your mother's recovery harder."

Bastian's face hardened.

He turned and walked out.

The door closed behind him.

Mrs. Wilson looked at me.

"You do not have to answer today."

"I already know my answer."

Everyone waited.

"I will serve as interim chief executive for six months."

Mr. Wilson nodded slowly.

"And after that?"

"The board appoints a permanent leader through an open process."

"You could keep the position," he said.

"That is not why I am accepting it."

Thayer smiled faintly.

"What conditions?" he asked.

"Independent audit authority. No family veto. Public reporting on related-party transactions. And Bastian has no operational access unless the board approves it unanimously."

Mrs. Wilson closed her eyes in relief.

"Agreed."

The announcement was made that afternoon.

The market reacted positively.

Employees welcomed the decision.

Bastian did not.

He released a statement accusing the board of replacing blood with influence.

Then he filed a petition challenging my appointment.

His lawyer argued that the Hale family trust created a conflict of interest.

The court rejected the emergency request but scheduled a full review.

It was not enough to remove me.

It was enough to create doubt.

My first day as interim chief executive began with three crises.

A supplier threatened to suspend deliveries.

A lender demanded additional collateral.

And an anonymous account sent internal payroll data to the press.

Someone still had access.

"The leak came from inside the company," the security director said.

"How current is the data?"

"Forty-eight hours old."

"Then Lydia's old files are not the source."

We reviewed access logs.

Only six executives had permission to view the payroll system.

One was Mrs. Wilson.

One was me.

Two were longtime directors.

One was the chief financial officer.

The last name was Bastian Wilson.

"His access was revoked," I said.

"It should have been," the director replied. "But a secondary token remained active."

The token had been used from a hotel network across town.

Police reached the room within an hour.

Bastian was not there.

A laptop remained open on the desk.

Beside it was a handwritten list of company vulnerabilities.

The handwriting was not his.

Thayer examined the first page.

"Someone is using him again."

"Or helping him," I said.

The hotel cameras showed Bastian entering with a woman.

Her face was hidden by a scarf.

At first, I did not recognize her.

Then she turned slightly.

Vivienne went still beside me.

"I know her," she said.

"Who?"

"Marianne Cross. My father's former chief of staff."

Senator Cross was in custody.

Malcolm Reed was awaiting trial.

Celia and Lydia had been arrested.

But Marianne had never been charged.

"Why would she help Bastian?" I asked.

"Because he is angry, isolated, and easy to direct," Vivienne replied.

Exactly the same qualities Gina had exploited.

Exactly the same weakness Lydia had used.

Bastian thought everyone had betrayed him.

He still had not realized that his resentment made him useful.

That evening, he called me.

"You sent police after me."

"You leaked payroll data."

"I did not."

"Your access token did."

"Marianne said she was collecting evidence against the board."

"You gave her access."

"She told me the appointment was illegal."

"Bastian, where are you?"

Silence.

"Why?"

"Because Marianne Cross is not helping you. She is using you to attack the company."

"That is what everyone says whenever someone takes my side."

"What has she asked you to do next?"

He did not answer.

My fear sharpened.

"Bastian."

"She wants me to attend tomorrow's shareholder meeting."

"With what?"

"Proof that the Wilson board covered up criminal transactions."

"What proof?"

"I haven't seen it yet."

"Then do not go."

He laughed once.

"You really are afraid I might take the company back."

"I am afraid you are walking into another trap."

"You do not care what happens to me."

"I care what your choices do to everyone else."

The line went dead.

The next morning, Bastian entered the shareholder meeting carrying a sealed case.

Marianne Cross walked beside him.

She smiled at me across the room.

Then Bastian placed the case on the table and said, "I have evidence that Meredith Hale stole this company."