Chapter 6 - The Return to the Boardroom
Three weeks after Christmas, the glass tower of Mercer Urban Systems headquarters in Manhattan was buzzing with intense corporate anxiety.
The sudden public press release issued on Christmas Day had sent shockwaves through New York high society and financial circles. Photos of Ethan Mercer standing beside Hannah Brooks and four-year-old Avery at a high-end charity event had dominated news cycles for a week.
At 9:00 AM on Monday, the executive board of directors was gathered around the thirty-foot polished quartz table on the sixtieth floor.
At the head of the table sat Ethan Mercer, wearing a charcoal three-piece suit. Sitting directly to his right, wearing an elegant dark green tailored blazer with her hair styled in professional waves, was Hannah Brooks.
Sitting at the far end of the table was Marcus Vance—the firm’s senior legal officer and a long-time ally of Victoria Mercer.
“Ethan,” Marcus began, laying a thick file on the table with a loud thud. “While we respect your personal choices regarding your estate, naming Miss Brooks as Chief Creative Officer over our existing residential division directors is creating serious pushback among primary institutional investors. She lacks executive corporate experience.”
Ethan leaned forward, resting his forearms on the quartz table. “Miss Brooks designed the primary structural framework for the Brooklyn Waterfront Project five years ago, Marcus. A project that generated two hundred million dollars in net revenue for this firm.”
“A project that was submitted under your name, Ethan,” Marcus countered smoothly. “On paper, her employment record shows five years of absence from the industry followed by domestic work.”
Hannah sat up straight, placing her hands flat on the table. Her voice, when she spoke, was clear, precise, and completely devoid of nervousness.
“My absence from the industry was caused by a fraudulent non-disclosure agreement orchestrated by your legal department five years ago, Mr. Vance,” Hannah said, her eyes fixed on the lawyer. “An agreement that carried your personal notarized signature.”
The boardroom fell dead silent. Several board members shifted uncomfortably in their leather chairs, looking between Marcus and Hannah.
Marcus’s face stiffened. “Miss Brooks, that is a serious allegation—”
“I have the original cashier’s check documentation, the correspondence records from Richard Miller—Ethan’s former assistant—and the security logs from the Mercer estate,” Hannah continued smoothly, opening a dark leather portfolio in front of her. “If this board wishes to audit my qualifications, I am more than happy to initiate an internal compliance audit into the firm’s legal expenditures from 2021.”
Ethan looked at Marcus with an unblinking, lethal calm. “Do you want to proceed with that audit today, Marcus? Or shall we move to the approval vote for the new Affordable Housing Urban Renewal Initiative that Hannah has drafted?”
Marcus swallowed hard, his throat dry. He slowly drew his hands back from the file and nodded once. “The floor recognizes Miss Brooks’ appointment.”
The remaining board members raised their hands in unanimous approval.
As the meeting adjourned, Hannah stayed behind in the empty glass boardroom, looking out over the magnificent skyline of Manhattan.
Ethan walked up behind her, placing his hands gently on her shoulders. “You were brilliant in there.”
May you like
Hannah rested her head back against his chest, watching the clouds move over the Hudson River. “Five years ago, I would have run out of that room crying.”
“Five years ago, you didn't know how strong you were,” Ethan whispered, kissing the top of her head. “And neither did I.”
