He also lacked the daughter's authenticated voting instructions.
The transaction should not have proceeded.
Yet draft documents claimed those approvals were being obtained.
Someone was preparing to misrepresent her consent.
The daughter asked her counsel what they could do.
The attorney outlined a cautious strategy.
They could notify the escrow bank and other relevant parties that any purported authorization required direct independent verification.
They could preserve the suspicious documents and demand the underlying records.
They could seek urgent relief if necessary.
And they could conduct a formal investigation into any attempted forgery or undisclosed related-party dealings.
The daughter nodded.
Then asked a different question.
βCan we identify everyone involved before they destroy the records?β
The attorney considered that.
βWe need to proceed lawfully and avoid compromising the evidence.β
She agreed.
They did not need to invent a trap.
The existing records were troubling enough.
But the daughter suspected that the executive chairman would reveal more if he believed she remained uninformed.
She wanted to understand not only the paperwork but the people behind it.
Who had authorized the drafts?
Who was funding the development company?
Who was pressuring employees?
And who expected to profit once the assets were transferred?
The answer arrived from an unexpected source.
An elderly member of the Manhattan hotel's restaurant staff contacted her through the independent reporting channel.
He had worked with the hospitality group for more than twenty-five years.
Before coming to New York, he had served at the original Bangkok property.
He remembered the founder.
He also remembered the founder's daughter as a little girl who wandered into the kitchen asking how desserts were made.
Now he was responsible for training formal-service staff during special events.
His message was short.
The executive chairman has reserved the private dining room on Friday evening. He requested complete discretion. Several guests are connected with the proposed property sale.
The daughter read it twice.
Then called him.
He greeted her in Thai.
For a moment, his voice trembled.
He told her he was sorry about her father.
She thanked him.
They spoke about the founder for several minutes.
Then she asked about the dinner.
The elderly staff member explained that the executive chairman had arranged an elaborate celebration.
A private table.
Imported champagne.
Gold-rimmed dinner service.
Traditional Thai decorations.
And specially tailored ceremonial uniforms for selected staff.
The reservation was described as a gathering of important investors.
The guest list included the property developer named in the suspicious documents, a legal consultant, and several executives whose approvals would be required for the transaction.