For several minutes, they sat together.
Then Imani looked toward the older server.
“Do you think I should quit?”
Li-hua considered the question.
“Do you want to?”
Imani hesitated.
“I want to work in translation again.”
“Then work toward that.”
“But I don't want everybody thinking I'm ashamed of this job.”
Li-hua smiled.
“Why would they?”
“Because the newspapers keep saying the shocking part is that a waitress understood a contract.”
The older woman nodded slowly.
“People like simple stories.”
Imani looked toward her.
Li-hua continued.
“They want the poor waitress to become a rich executive overnight. Then they can congratulate themselves for recognizing her value.”
She took a sip of tea.
“But you were valuable yesterday. You were valuable before the billionaire noticed you.”
Imani felt her eyes fill.
The older woman smiled.
“Changing your job doesn't mean this one was shameful.”
For several seconds, Imani couldn't speak.
Then she nodded.
“Thank you.”
Li-hua pushed the soup toward her.
“Eat before it gets cold.”
Imani laughed.
And for the first time since the dinner, she felt as though her future might belong to her again.
The first meeting of Sterling Dynamics' independent board committee was held the following Monday.
Walter had insisted on attending.
Margaret Shaw initially advised against allowing the meeting to become a confrontation between father and son, but the committee needed information about the disputed documents and the governance decisions that preceded them. Walter could provide that information as a witness, subject to the appropriate procedures.
The meeting took place in a large conference room with windows overlooking the Hudson River.
Around the table sat independent directors, outside counsel, forensic accountants, and specialists reviewing the Japanese acquisition. A representative of the family trust attended with separate legal advice, and the company had arranged for the relevant records to be available through secure systems.
Julian did not sit beside his father.
He attended with his own attorney.
Conrad Vale's representatives participated in a separate portion of the review.
The atmosphere was tense.
Walter looked older than he had during the dinner. His silver-gray hair was neatly styled, but his eyes were tired, and he spoke with a restraint several directors had never seen from him before.
The committee chair, Patricia Ellison, opened the meeting.
“We're here to establish what occurred, preserve the company's rights, and determine the appropriate next steps. We will not treat allegations as findings until the evidence supports them.”
Walter nodded.
Julian stared toward the table.
Patricia continued.
“The immediate concern is the attempted inclusion of voting-authority provisions and supporting certifications in the Aizawa transaction package.”