She looked toward the independent counsel.
“Please summarize the verified facts.”
The attorney explained the document history.
The original acquisition structure did not require delegation of the Sterling family trust's controlling voting authority to North Quay.
Subsequent drafts introduced credit-support provisions.
The Japanese-language schedule expanded those provisions.
And an English executive summary failed to describe the full scope of the attempted delegation.
The review had also identified the current certification bearing Eleanor Sterling's signature.
A document with no valid basis for representing her current consent.
Patricia looked toward Julian.
“Do you dispute that your office supervised circulation of these drafts?”
Julian's attorney leaned forward.
“My client acknowledges that his office coordinated portions of the transaction documentation. He does not admit that every revision was authorized by him or that he understood all disputed language.”
The chair nodded.
“Understood.”
She looked toward the records.
Then asked whether North Quay had been fully disclosed as an entity under Julian's control.
The independent lawyer explained that the relationship had not been properly communicated to all relevant decision-makers during the transaction review.
Julian's expression tightened.
He looked toward his father.
Walter didn't react.
That seemed to bother him more than anger would have.
The committee continued examining the evidence.
Emails showed that Julian's team had been warned about discrepancies between the language versions.
Internal messages described the need to complete signatures before the Japanese lawyers introduced additional delays.
And a draft certification containing Eleanor's signature image had moved through accounts associated with people working on the financing package.
The forensic review was still identifying precisely who performed each alteration.
But the evidence showed that the document had not appeared accidentally out of nowhere.
It had been prepared, circulated, and included in an execution package through a traceable process.
Then Patricia asked Walter a direct question.
“Did you knowingly approve delegating the family's controlling voting authority to North Quay Strategic Partners?”
He shook his head.
“No.”
“Did you understand that North Quay was controlled by your son?”
“No.”
“Would you have signed the voting attachment had its scope been accurately explained?”
Walter looked toward Julian.
For a moment, his expression was almost unbearable.
Then he answered.
“No.”
His son closed his eyes.
Patricia nodded.
The committee chair then addressed the legal advisers.
“Please ensure the record distinguishes between the execution package that was stopped and any documents previously sent to the escrow agent. We need the precise status of each instrument.”
The lawyers confirmed that disputed authorizations had been challenged and relevant parties notified.
The trust had not relinquished its voting control.