Chapter 8 - The Clean SlatePreston signed.
He had no choice. If he didn't sign, the company would go bankrupt by morning, his shares would be worthless, and he would be facing immediate, catastrophic lawsuits from his investors. By signing, he at least avoided immediate financial ruin, even if his pride was utterly destroyed.
By 9:00 AM the next morning, the board of Montgomery Tech convened for an emergency meeting.
This time, Preston was not there. His name had already been stripped from the company's digital directory. I sat at the head of the table—the seat he had occupied for a decade.
"Ladies and gentlemen," I said, looking around at the board members, who were watching me with a newfound, immense respect. "The default has been cured. The patent lease is officially renewed under a new, permanent agreement. But we are making some changes."
"What kind of changes, Simone?" Arthur Pendelton asked.
"First, the name," I said. "Montgomery Tech is now Aegis Systems. We are rebranding entirely, separating ourselves from the scandal of the Montgomery family. Second, we are establishing a new oversight committee to audit all corporate spending, ensuring that not a single dollar of our investors' money is ever diverted again."
The board members nodded in unison. There was no hesitation, no pushback. They knew that I had just saved their investments from total annihilation.
"And finally," I said, "we are establishing a new foundation. Not a sham for tax evasion, but a real, fully funded scholarship program for young women from working-class backgrounds who want to study computer science and finance. We will be funding it with a ten million dollar initial grant from my personal shares."
A spontaneous round of applause broke out around the table.
May you like
As the meeting adjourned, Belle Stevens walked up to me, a proud smile on her face. "You did it, Simone. You really did it."
"No, Belle," I said, looking out the window at the bustling city below. "We did it. Now, let’s go finish the paperwork."
