Mercer turned toward him.
“I can terminate an executive for gross misconduct and felony theft, effective immediately, when the board of directors has explicitly authorized it,” Mercer replied, his voice projecting clearly into the quietened radius. “I had intended to preserve some small shred of your family’s dignity and speak to Vanessa privately, with federal marshals present, in my office on Monday morning. I came tonight merely to keep up appearances until the injunctions and asset freezes were complete.”
He gestured toward me.
His expression softened slightly.
“But she just made it impossible for me to pretend the problem is only financial. The cruelty I just witnessed confirms every psychological and behavioral report I’ve read about her this week. She is a parasite.”
Vanessa stood motionless.
Her face had become almost white beneath her makeup.
“What… what financial problem? What are you talking about, Daniel?”
Several guests glanced toward me.
