Page 118 of Rio
He leans forward.“This meeting is private.You’re violating protocol.”
A few board members shift uneasily in their seats.Their murmurs rush around the room like angry whispers.
“Then fire me.”I shrug.“But first you’ll listen to what I need to say.”
It’s slight.The tiniest flex in his facial muscles.I turn and speak directly to the camera.My mouth suddenly turns dry, like I’ve swallowed a bucket of sand.
Matteo leans forward, like this suddenly became interesting for him.Enzo is quiet and contained, giving nothing away as he watches the old man.Jett frowns.He has no clue what this is about.Good.That’s exactly how me and Dex wanted this.As for Zach?Dex said it was about time the poor kid opened his eyes and saw the truth.
I take a deep breath.My insides twisting into knots.I’m scared as hell, but I’ve never been so sure of what I’m about to do.I drop the folder on the table.The old man doesn’t flinch, though a few of the non-family board members do.
“Is this a dramatic gesture or is there substance?”the old man snaps.
“You fed me falsified environmental data,” I say.“You told me it was clean and vetted.I handed it to Raquel Monteiro, the environmental attorney for Tovey & Roth.She used parts of it, and the court threw out her case.You know about this,father,we already discussed it.”
Muted gasps ripple around the table.
“She submitted it,” he says calmly.“You gave it to her.Don’t look at me for the consequences.”
“You knew it was wrong.You knew what would happen.”I hold up the folder, and hand it to Dex, then encourage him to pass it around.“It’s all in there.Internal memos and emails.Direct orders from Knight Enterprises, signed off by Delport.All traced back to him.”I jab a finger toward the old man.“She was set up and used as a pawn.And I helped do it without knowing.”
The old man jaw tightens.“I would caution you to stop before you do something that—”
I pin him with a stare.“I said you needed to listen to what I have to say.So,listen.” I smack down another document.“This proves you manipulated the entire situation.Got Raquel on the case, then sabotaged her credibility.You destroyed her name to protect your lies.”
“You stop this,boy.”The old man hisses.
“We need to hear this,” one of the board members says.A murmur of agreement flows around the table.I glance back at the camera.My voice softens.“I should have seen it sooner.I should have questioned why the numbers didn’t match, why everything felt off, but I didn’t.I was late getting out and doing my own investigation, but I’ve more than made up for it.I have a lot of data now.Data which, I hope, will vindicate the person you sought to destroy.”
The room is dead silent.
“She trusted me,” I say, eyes still on the camera.I want to say so much, but this is not the place to become personal.I still need to keep it professional.“But because of me she walked into a trap.”I try to still the wobble in my voice.I can talk about work without emotion, but when it comes to Raquel, I go all soft and blubbery.“I’m not going to let that be the end of her story.”I slowly look at everyone around the table, then rest my gaze on the old man.
“This company claims to stand for innovation, sustainability and transparency.I say we need to prove it.So, today, I’m putting it all on record.If you want me gone after this, fine.But I’m not going to let Raquel Monteiro take the fall for something we did.”I lean forward, resting both palms on the table.“I won’t stay silent while the man who calls himself my father ruins her just to feel powerful.This is proof of wrong doing, by someone who needed to soothe a pain point.One, I might add, he inflicted on himself.”
If looks could kill, I’d be slumped over the table.But I hold firm, determined to see this through.“That folder being passed around is proof of misconduct, of planting false data, of deliberate sabotage.And for what?”
One of the external board members leans forward.“Mr.Knight—this could trigger legal exposure.”
The PR officer chimes in.“If this leaks, it’s reputational suicide.”
The old man’s jaw tightens.A strange thought flashes through my head.It wouldn’t surprise me if he put a hit out on me after this.He killed his wife, indirectly, by breaking her heart, and he ruined so many lives.He doesn’t care about family.I’m just his son.
“We’re not here to destroy the company,” I say.“This isn’t about revenge.”
“But there needs to be accountability,” Jett adds.His face is hard, his eyes like blue ice.Sometimes, I wonder, out of all of us, ifhewould be the most like the old man, if crossed, if pushed hard enough, if betrayed.
Dex crosses his arms, glaring at the old man.“You went after someone innocent.That matters.”
Matteo nods.“This was unethical.We can’t look the other way.”
Enzo’s voice is soft but firm.“There have to be consequences.”
“You want a pound of flesh?”the old man snaps.
“No,” I say.“We want you to fix it.”
He stares at me.
