Chapter 6 06
IRIS QUINN
“The Quinn family has to go today.”
I pushed open the boardroom door.
Twelve faces turned toward me where the board members sat around the long table, papers spread in front of them. James Kessler stood at the head, one hand raised mid-gesture like he’d been about to call for a vote.
“Miss Quinn,” he said casually. “We weren’t expecting you.”
“Clearly.” I walked to the empty chair at the opposite end of the table—my father’s chair. “But here I am.”
I sat down while Naomi remained by the door.
“We were just discussing the company’s future,” James continued without sitting. “Given the recent... developments.”
“You mean my father’s arrest.”
“Yes.” He clasped his hands together. “The fraud charges have severely damaged our reputation. Our stock has dropped forty-two percent, and investors are pulling out.”
“My father hasn’t been convicted of anything.”
“Not yet,” said Julia Chen from across the table, a woman in her sixties, sharp-eyed and sharper-tongued. “But the evidence is substantial. The prosecution has bank records, emails, witness testimonies—”
“Fabricated evidence,” I cut in.
“Perhaps.” James gave me a tight smile. “But the court of public opinion doesn’t wait for verdicts, and we’re hemorrhaging money every hour your father remains associated with this company.”
“He founded this company.”
“And we’re grateful for that.” James finally sat down. “But sentiment won’t save us. We need action, decisive action.”
“Which is why we’re voting today,” Julia said. “To remove the Quinn family from all executive positions and transfer control to an interim board.”
I felt my hands tighten on the armrests. “You can’t do that.”
“We can,” said Robert Torres, the CFO. “According to the company bylaws, the board has the authority to remove executives in cases of criminal investigation or gross misconduct.”
“My father is in the hospital.”
“Which is unfortunate,” James said. “But it doesn’t change the situation.”
“So what?” I looked around the table. “You’re just going to take everything he built, everything our family put into this company?”
“We’re trying to save the company,” Julia said. “Something your father clearly couldn’t do.”
My jaw clenched.
“Let’s be frank, Miss Quinn.” James leaned forward. “Your father committed fraud and the evidence is overwhelming. He’ll likely spend the next decade in prison, if not longer, and the Quinn name is toxic right now. If we don’t distance ourselves immediately, the entire company will collapse.”
“You’re acting like he’s already been convicted.”
“The prosecution has seventy-eight counts of fraud,” Robert said, flipping through papers. “And the Laurent Group provided most of the evidence going back seven years.”
The Laurent Group.
Of course.
“They set him up,” I said.
“Or they exposed him.” Julia shrugged. “Either way, the result is the same.”
“We should move to a vote,” James said. “All in favor of removing the Quinn family from executive control—”
“Wait.” My voice came out louder than I intended. “Just wait.”
James paused, his hand still raised.
My mind raced. If they voted now, we’d lose everything: the company, the money, any leverage we had left. My father would go to prison, my mother would lose her mind, and we’d be ruined.
Completely ruined.
“There has to be another way,” I said.
“There isn’t,” Julia said flatly. “We’ve explored every option.”
“What about a merger?” The words came out before I could stop them. “Or a partnership?”
James frowned. “With who?”
“The Laurent Group.”
The room went silent.
Robert actually laughed. “The same group that handed evidence to the prosecution? They’d never agree to that.”
“They would.” My heart was pounding. “They’ve already proposed a union.”
James narrowed his eyes. “What kind of union?”
I swallowed. This was it, the moment I’d been fighting against for months.
“A marriage,” I said. “Between me and Caesar Laurent.”
More silence.
Then Julia spoke. “When was this proposed?”
“A year ago.” My voice sounded distant. “Victor Laurent approached my father, and they’ve been negotiating terms.”
“And you agreed to this?” James asked.
“I’m agreeing now.”
Robert leaned back in his chair. “A marriage alliance…that would certainly change things.”
“It would stabilize the stock,” Julia said slowly.
“The Laurent name carries weight,” another board member added. “If they’re willing to tie themselves to us publicly—”
“Then maybe the fraud charges could be... reconsidered,” James finished.
I felt sick.
“The Laurents have influence with the prosecutor’s office,” Robert said. “If Caesar Laurent is willing to marry into this family, it sends a strong message that they believe in our innocence.”
“Or at least our future,” Julia corrected.
James studied me. “When would this wedding take place?”
“I don’t know.” My hands were shaking under the table. “Soon, I assume.”
“We’d need a public announcement,” Julia said. “Immediately, before the market opens tomorrow.”
“And a timeline,” Robert added. “The wedding should happen within the month. Any longer and it looks like a desperate stalling tactic.”
It was a desperate stalling tactic.
“Can you make this happen, Miss Quinn?” James asked.
I thought about Caesar driving away, the crowd watching me on my knees, his voice: I’ll see you at the altar.
“Yes,” I said. “I can make it happen.”
James looked around the table. “Then I propose we table the vote to remove the Quinn family, pending confirmation of the Laurent alliance.”
“Seconded,” Julia said.
“All in favor?”
Eleven hands went up.
“Motion passes.” James stood. “Miss Quinn, we’ll need confirmation from the Laurent Group by end of day tomorrow. Can you arrange that?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” He gathered his papers. “I hope you understand, this is business. Nothing personal.”
Of course.
The board members filed out one by one, and Naomi waited until they were gone before approaching.
“Iris—”
“I need to make a call,” I said.
My hands were still shaking as I pulled out my phone.
I dialed Caesar Laurent’s number.
He answered on the third ring.
“I accept,” I said before he could speak. “I’ll marry you.”
There was a pause.
“I know,” Caesar said, then he hung up.
