On Christmas Eve, my own daughter pushed me toward the door and whispered, “Grant doesn’t want you here.” Then her husband looked at my cheap coat and snapped, “People like you don’t belong at events like this.”

and me.

“Executive Chair?”

I retrieved my gloves from my purse.

“Yes.”

Charles finally spoke.

“You own Meridian?”

“Seventy-eight percent.”

Everyone froze.

Rachel stared.

“You told me you were retired.”

“I told you I stopped going to an office every day.”

Grant flushed.

“This is ridiculous. You’re punishing my father because I asked you to leave?”

“No.”

I approached Charles.

“Your father is being investigated because someone has been stealing from my company.”

The room went silent.

For four months, Meridian’s internal auditors had investigated inflated contracts involving three suppliers