For a split second, fear crossed Tyler’s face before anger replaced it. “Security? Are you serious right now?”
Scott slid a business card across the table toward me. “Attorney Carla Benson has been retained to represent you as trustee, and she already has copies of all documentation.”
Judith had thought of every single detail. She had known her son extremely well.
Tyler reached for the folder on the table, but Scott calmly pulled it back out of reach. “That would not be wise.”
Brooke looked at me with uncertainty and confusion. “I didn’t know about any financial issues,” she said quietly. “He told me you didn’t want children and that you cared more about money than family.”
“I wanted children,” I replied evenly. “Tyler wanted control.”
His jaw tightened visibly. “You’re not perfect either.”
“I never claimed to be,” I said. “But I’m done being manipulated.”
The Final Break
He stood abruptly and leaned over the table threateningly. “If you interfere with Silverline operations, people will lose their jobs.”
“That’s exactly why I’ll appoint an independent chief executive,” I answered. “Your mother made that very clear in her instructions.”
His eyes narrowed dangerously. “You’re really going to follow through with this.”
I remembered Judith squeezing my hand at dinner months ago and telling me to pay close attention. At the time I thought she was being overly dramatic, but now I understood she’d been preparing me for this moment.
“I’m going to protect myself,” I said, my voice steady. “And I’m going to protect the company from reckless decisions.”
Brooke turned to Tyler, frustration breaking through her composed exterior. “Tell them what you promised me,” she demanded. “You said you would inherit everything.”
“Not now,” he snapped at her.
“When then?” she shot back, her voice rising. “After you’ve lied to everyone else too?”
Scott cleared his throat gently. “We can continue with the remaining provisions if everyone is ready.”
“I have one question,” I said.
Tyler visibly stiffened.
“As trustee, can I request an immediate financial review and freeze discretionary spending within the company?”
“Yes,” Scott replied. “With interim management in place and legal counsel, you can implement that immediately.”
“You cannot freeze anything,” Tyler shouted. “It’s my company.”
“It belongs to the trust now,” Scott said calmly. “And the trustee has full authority.”
That was the exact moment Tyler truly understood he’d lost control. The stage he’d carefully set for my public humiliation had turned against him completely.
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