CHAPTER TWELVE: THE UNEXPECTED VISITOR

The next morning, Simone arrived at the foundation office without an appointment.
She had received a call from a former coworker still employed by Northstar.
The coworker claimed that staff were being ordered to delete old project schedules.
Simone wanted the board to act before more people lost access to information.
Laila told her not to access any systems without authorization.
The foundation’s counsel contacted Northstar’s lawyers and issued a preservation notice.
Yvette worried that the legal process would move too slowly.
Damian reminded her that an accusation made carelessly could damage the people they were trying to protect.
Simone asked whether anyone had thought about the staff whose jobs depended on Northstar.
The room went silent.
Then Yvette asked her to help design a transition plan for legitimate services if the consulting agreement ended.
Simone looked suspicious.
“You want me to fix the work they fired me for questioning?”
“I want you to decide whether the people who were promised help can get it.”
Simone considered the offer.
“I’ll do it if the families are allowed to tell us what they actually need.”
Yvette agreed.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: THE WRONG KIND OF POWER

Cedric’s public relations team released a statement describing Yvette as a bitter spouse attempting to seize control of a successful philanthropic partnership.
A business reporter called Damian for comment.
He refused to discuss his marriage and directed questions about the foundation to its independent counsel.
Cedric’s allies called that refusal suspicious.
Online strangers began examining Damian’s company, looking for debts or complaints.
One anonymous account posted the address of his workshop.
Damian informed his employees and arranged for someone to accompany the last shift home.
He did not ask them to defend him online.
His lead technician, Rosa, confronted him in the parking lot.
“You should have told us something was coming,” she said.
“I didn’t know how ugly it would get.”
“You didn’t have to know everything to warn us.”
Damian accepted the criticism.
He held a meeting the next morning and told his crew what he could without exposing anyone else’s private life.
Several workers asked whether their jobs were safe.
“Yes,” Damian said.
“And if that changes, you’ll hear it from me before you hear it from the internet.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: BRIANA’S CHOICE

Briana called Damian after the public statement appeared.
She wanted to know whether he had helped Yvette investigate Cedric.
“Yes,” he said.
“Then you’ve been lying to me too.”
“I told you I was leaving because our marriage was over.”
“You didn’t tell me you were helping destroy my career.”
Damian asked whether her career depended on protecting false invoices.
Briana went quiet.
She said Cedric had promoted her after the Denver conference.
She also admitted that he had asked her to persuade a foundation trustee to postpone the review.
Damian felt an old reflex to rescue her from the consequences.
He resisted it.
“You need your own lawyer,” he said.
“Are you threatening me?”
“No, I’m telling you to get advice that isn’t coming from Cedric.”
Briana began to cry.
For once, Damian did not mistake her tears for a request he had to answer.