At the Gala, My Husband Walked In With His Mistress—Our 12-Year-Old Son Said, “Watch Me” / Chapter 6 / 10

Chapter 6 - The Emergency Board MeetingBy 11:30 AM, Audrey and Micah were sitting in the private conference room of Holloway House Hospitality’s corporate headquarters on Michigan Avenue.

They weren't hiding in the shadows anymore. Audrey wore a sharp, tailored cream-colored blazer, her silver wheat brooch pinned proudly to her lapel. Micah sat beside her, sipping hot chocolate and reading a book on financial management that Audrey had bought him for his birthday.

The heavy glass doors of the boardroom swung open, and the remaining members of the board of directors filed in, looking battered and deeply uncomfortable. Following closely behind them was Marcus Vance, Audrey’s attorney, carrying a thick leather briefcase.

At the center of the table sat Arthur Pendelton, the senior venture capitalist who held controlling shares in the restaurant group. Arthur cleared his throat, looking nervously between Audrey and the empty chair at the head of the table.

"Mrs. Holloway—or, as the legal filings indicate, Ms. Finch," Arthur began, his voice cautious. "We have reviewed the preliminary forensic audit submitted by your counsel this morning. The allegations of unauthorized asset transfers and forged corporate resolutions are... deeply alarming."

"They aren't allegations, Arthur. They are documented federal crimes," Marcus Vance corrected smoothly, opening his briefcase and sliding certified copies of the bank logs across the polished walnut table. "My client holds fifty-one percent of the voting shares through the original founding partnership agreement, which Mr. Holloway attempted to illegally dilute last year. Furthermore, as of two hours ago, federal marshals have formally detained Mr. Holloway for wire fraud and interstate embezzlement."

The room erupted into stunned murmurs. Several board members paled, realizing their own association with Brett’s shell company could invite regulatory scrutiny.

Audrey raised her hand slightly, and the room instantly quieted down. Ten years of commanding kitchen lines and managing crises had given her an innate, unshakeable authority.

"Gentlemen," Audrey said, her voice calm, measured, and absolute. "Holloway House Hospitality is not going under. The restaurants are profitable, the staff is exceptional, and the public wants good food, not boardroom corruption. But we are going to clean house."

Arthur Pendelton leaned forward, his eyes sharp with renewed respect. "What are your terms, Ms. Finch?"

"Effective immediately, the company is rebranding," Audrey stated, leaning forward and resting her hands on the table. "We are dropping the name Holloway. The group will henceforth be known as Finch & Son Hospitality, honoring my grandmother Opal and my son Micah, who saved our integrity. Second, all executive bonuses tied to Brett’s projects are reallocated to staff wage increases across all seven locations. And third—Arthur—you will vote with my majority block, or you can explain to your investors why you chose to back a federal criminal instead of the chef who actually invented every single recipe on your dinner menu."