Chapter 7 - THE SECRET IN THE BOARDROOM
The invitation arrived three days later.
It was printed on thick cream-colored paper and delivered by courier to Teresa's office.
Almeida Group requests a private meeting with Ms. Marina Oliveira and her legal representative.
I read it twice.
“Absolutely not,” Lucas said when I showed him.
My brother had become unusually protective since the restaurant incident.
He was nineteen, stubborn, and convinced that every wealthy businessman in Brazil was secretly plotting against us.
Teresa was more measured.
“We can listen without agreeing to anything.”
“What if it's another check?” I asked.
“Then we decline any unacceptable conditions.”
I looked down at my arm.
The burn was healing, but the doctor had warned that recovery and scarring could take time.
I wasn't sure I wanted to sit across from Ricardo again.
Then I remembered Gabriel's brother.
Paulo.
A man who had died while his employer protected its reputation.
“I'll go,” I said.
The meeting took place in a conference room overlooking São Paulo.
Ricardo sat at the head of the table.
Beside him were two attorneys, a corporate compliance officer, and an older woman introduced as Beatriz Albuquerque, an independent member of the company's board.
Ricardo stood when we entered.
“Ms. Oliveira.”
I nodded.
He looked at my arm.
“How is your recovery?”
“Still painful.”
His face tightened.
“I'm sorry.”
I waited.
He continued.
“I've reviewed the video. My son's conduct was unacceptable. So was the restaurant manager's.”
Teresa leaned forward.
“Has your family or company had any role in the threats my client received?”
Ricardo looked toward his compliance officer.
“We're investigating that.”
Beatriz spoke.
“We need to be clear that Ms. Oliveira is entitled to pursue her legal claims regardless of anything discussed today.”
I glanced at her.
She met my eyes.
For the first time, I felt that someone inside Ricardo's world understood the difference between an apology and a transaction.
Ricardo cleared his throat.
“I'd like to compensate your medical expenses and lost earnings without requiring confidentiality.”
Teresa nodded slightly.
“That can be discussed through counsel.”
I looked at Ricardo.
“And Enzo?”
He hesitated.
“My wife and I are addressing his behavior.”
“That wasn't my question.”
His expression changed.
I continued.
“Does he understand what he did?”
Ricardo looked down.
“I don't think he does.”
The admission surprised me.
Neither of us spoke for a moment.
Then I said, “I hope you teach him.”
The meeting might have ended there.
But as we prepared to leave, Beatriz asked me to remain for one additional question.
“Ms. Oliveira, have you been contacted by any current or former Almeida employees?”
Teresa answered carefully.
“We've received communications from individuals describing alleged workplace problems. Those matters should be addressed through appropriate channels.”
Beatriz nodded.
“I understand.”
She turned toward Ricardo.
“Then the board must commission an independent review.”
Ricardo looked annoyed.
“We already have internal auditors.”
“Internal auditors report into the same leadership structure responsible for the decisions being questioned.”
The room fell silent.
Beatriz continued.
“We cannot ask employees to trust a process controlled by the people they're accusing.”
Ricardo's jaw tightened.
For a moment, I thought he would refuse.
Then he looked at the maintenance reports spread across the table.
“Fine.”
Beatriz nodded.
“Then I want full access to the relevant records.”
After the meeting, Teresa and I entered the elevator.
I leaned against the wall.
“What just happened?”
She smiled faintly.
“I think the board may finally be realizing how serious the situation is.”
“Because of me?”
“Partly. But don't carry responsibility for everything this company has done.”
I looked down.
For weeks, strangers had called me brave.
Some called me a hero.
Others claimed I was destroying jobs by speaking out.
I had never wanted any of this.
I wanted to serve lunch, earn my salary, and come home to my family.
Instead, I'd become connected to a corporate scandal involving thousands of workers.
“Teresa,” I whispered, “what if people lose their jobs because of this?”
She looked at me.
“Then the people who made the harmful decisions bear responsibility for that. Not the worker who told the truth.”
That evening, Beatriz received an anonymous email.
Attached were payment records showing that someone associated with Almeida Group had authorized private surveillance of Marina Oliveira after the restaurant incident.
The supplier was a corporate security contractor.
The payment reference listed a senior executive.
Augusto Ferraz.
Beatriz stared at the screen.
Then she called Ricardo.
“We have a problem.”
“What now?”
“Someone inside your company ordered surveillance of Marina.”
Ricardo sat upright.
“Who?”
“Augusto.”
Silence.
Beatriz continued.
“And Ricardo, the contractor didn't just photograph her apartment.”
She paused.
“They collected information about her mother, her brother, and their medical expenses.”
Ricardo closed his eyes.
The threats hadn't come from a random admirer trying to protect his family.
May you like
They had come from someone inside the empire he controlled.
And now he had to decide whether he was finally willing to let justice reach his own office.
