Chapter 10 - THE DAY THE OLD MAN STOOD BEFORE THE BOARD
The Moretti family business held an emergency board meeting in November.
Vincent arrived with two attorneys.
He expected to challenge Alessandro's leadership.
Instead, he found Giovanni waiting at the head of the table.
The old man wore a dark suit.
His walking stick rested beside his chair.
He looked tired.
But his eyes were sharp.
Vincent stopped.
“Uncle Giovanni.”
Giovanni nodded.
“Sit down.”
The meeting began.
Independent directors reviewed the financial irregularities.
The suspicious household payments.
The attempted access to Giovanni's documents.
And the broader concerns surrounding Vincent's business activities.
Vincent denied wrongdoing.
His attorneys challenged the evidence.
The board followed its procedures.
Then Giovanni spoke.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Without allowing anyone to interrupt.
“I spent my life building this family.”
He looked around the table.
“And I made mistakes.”
Silence.
“Some of those mistakes created the world my son inherited.”
He looked toward Alessandro.
“But I will not allow my age or disability to be used as an excuse to steal my voice.”
The room went still.
Giovanni continued.
“I know what I signed.”
He placed a hand on the documents.
“And I know what I didn't.”
The board voted to remove Vincent from his executive responsibilities pending the outcome of the investigations.
After the meeting, Alessandro helped his father stand.
Giovanni looked at him.
“Don't look so surprised.”
Alessandro smiled.
“I forgot how terrifying you can be.”
Giovanni chuckled.
“Good.”
Outside, Meline waited beside the car.
Giovanni smiled when he saw her.
“How did it go?” she asked.
He lifted his walking stick.
“I reminded a few people that I'm not dead.”
Meline laughed.
Alessandro watched them.
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And realized that his father had not needed someone to restore his authority.
He had needed someone to recognize that it had never disappeared.
